People with disabilities face several challenges when transitioning from school to work and broader adulthood, facing barriers related to education, social stigma, and institutional discrimination (Cheatham & Randolph, 2020). This reality is also seen in Brazil (Vale, 2019), where even with institutionalized legal frameworks such as the Quota Law, which mandates the hiring of persons with disabilities by companies above 100 employees, and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, only 26.6% of working-age individuals with disabilities are employed (IBGE, 2023; Governo Federal, 2023). This highlights a persistent gap between policy intentions and lived realities that is reflected internationally. Nearly one in six people lives with a disability (16% of the global population), yet only around 30% with working age participate in the labour market, compared to 60% for persons without disabilities (ILO, 2022). Those who do work earn on average 12% less per hour compared to their non-disabled peers, and those who don't work are more likely - especially among youth - to be NEET, (neither in education, employment, nor training) (Myers, 2024; ILO, 2025).

In Brazil, the state of São Paulo has responded to this challenge by setting an inclusive employability hub program, the Polos de Empregabilidade Inclusiva (PEI). PEI was founded in 2019 by the State Secretariat for the Rights of People with Disabilities to promote labour inclusion through personalized guidance, qualification, and job placement support, while simultaneously educating employers to foster inclusive workplaces. These practices position PEI as an informal but significant educational space, closely linked to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), lifelong learning, and capability development. Participants are expected to expand skills relevant to employment, but also expand confidence, self-determination, and agency, which are foundational elements for meaningful adulthood.

The literature on disability inclusion largely examines education, vocational training, or employment outcomes in isolation, less attention has been paid to integrated programs supporting the transition to adulthood through combined agency-building and inclusive employability practices.This study addresses that gap by analysing PEI as a case-study, having as a central question: How does the PEI program affect the capabilities of people with disabilities to achieve meaningful adulthood and employment? Complementary questions explore how personal aspirations and agency influence engagement, how peer and trainer relationships shape learning, what support networks sustain participation, and how policies and societal norms affect outcomes.

Conceptually, the study draws on the Capabilities Approach to define capabilities and meaningful adulthood, emphasizing substantive freedoms, agency, and the conditions that enable individuals to lead lives they value (Nussbaum, 2011; Walker, 2012). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory situates participants within overlapping systems, illustrating how individual, interpersonal, institutional, and policy-level factors interact to shape participants´ experience (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Insights from Brazilian disability studies further ground the analysis, highlighting how inclusion emerges from transforming social and institutional environments rather than adapting individuals. (Sassaki, 2002; Gesser, Block and Guedes, 2020; Vale, 2019).

A qualitative cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing observation, research diary, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis through thematic coding. The research offers insights of global relevance, as it addresses not only barriers to employment but also the persistent lack of access to society and training that reinforces long-term exclusion. Overall, this research positions PEI as more than an employment program: it is a site of lifelong learning, TVET, and capability development, where adults with disabilities gain practical skills, critical agency, and pathways to meaningful employment, illustrating how inclusive vocational initiatives can bridge gaps between policy frameworks and the lived realities of transitioning into adulthood. Ethical clearance from the University of Glasgow has already been secured for this research.

Case Setting The research took place at the capital’s Inclusive Employability Hub (PEI) in the city of São Paulo. PEI operates in over 69 cities through 17 hubs, with the capital hub alone responsible for 11 cities and more than 3300 participants. PEI supports adults with disabilities in accessing and sustaining employment. Its program My Inclusive Employment emphasizes six core principles: 1) active candidate search, 2) individualized guidance, 3) job placement support, 4) professional qualification through in-person and online courses, 5) assistance with medical assessments, and 6) support to companies to promote inclusive workplaces. Although not formally an educational institution, PEI embeds pedagogical practices, fostering lifelong learning, skill development, and personal agency, supporting individuals whose prior trajectories have been systemically disrupted by exclusion. The program is fully funded by the State and operated by ITS Brasil (Institute of Social Technology), and institutionalized through the Secretariat for the Rights of People with Disabilities of São Paulo. Data Collection Multiple instruments were used to ensure data triangulation and capture the full scope of PEI’s work. 1. Document analysis included training materials, flyers, sensitization presentations, and academic references, alongside the official addendum to the PEI Work Plan. 2. Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants, including 7 candidates (covering different phases of the program), 7 staff members, 3 policymakers, and 3 hiring institution representatives. 3. Observations involved three months of immersion (December 2025–February 2026) in daily activities, workshops, employer sensitisation sessions, partnership meetings, and cultural inclusion events, totalling an average of 120 hours analysed. Observational notes were recorded in a field diary and, when consented, supplemented by transcribed audio recordings. Data Analysis A qualitative, explanatory, cross-sectional, case study design (Boynton, 2016) guides the analysis, focusing on how PEI promotes inclusive vocational skills and participant empowerment. Data will be analyzed thematically using Nvivo, carrying out systematic deductive coding of data, then identifying key themes. Special attention is given to how PEI educates partner companies, shapes inclusive workplace cultures, and supports participants in building professional capabilities. Guided by the capabilities and ecological perspectives, the analysis emphasizes PEI’s role in fostering TVET, lifelong learning, agency, and sustainable employment trajectories for people with disabilities. The PEI methodology is also included in the research, outlined in Supported Employment and Quality of Life: How to Put It into Practice? (ITS Basil and PRONAS, 2017), defining the understanding of Supported Employment, grounded in Wehman’s work (2012).

Early findings from this ongoing study indicate that beyond providing job placement, PEI functions as an educational space that builds agency. Participants report that individualised guidance, skills training, and ongoing support enable them to better navigate the labour market, enhancing their technical abilities, independence, and self-esteem. Employer sensitisation and company-focused interventions are impactful on creating inclusive workplaces. Some participants noted that even after securing employment, they maintain contact with PEI, which continues to serve as a learning and advisory space. Most participants (6 out of 7) emphasized that PEI’s greatest contribution is building capacity and autonomy, particularly in facing interviews and preparing for the work life. Many also highlighted that acting as a bridge between candidates and companies increased their sense of support and helped them feel integrated into their teams following PEI’s employer sensitization activities. Findings also reveal structural limitations. Despite serving a significant number of participants (averaging 253 per technician), PEI remains relatively unknown in São Paulo and reaches only a small fraction of people with disabilities facing unemployment. Available positions often target entry-level or assistive roles, neglecting profiles with more extensive experience or academic backgrounds, contributing to underemployment. Participants expressed a desire for more sustained post-employment engagement, such as regular monthly meetings, training sessions, and networking with other PEI alumni, which remains limited. These preliminary results suggest that PEI operates as a hybrid vocational and educational intervention, contributing to lifelong learning, skills development, and agency-building, while supporting systemic change through employer engagement. Data collection continues through February 2026, and these findings provide a foundation for deeper analysis of how PEI mediates transitions into meaningful work and adulthood for adults with disabilities.

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