ContextAccording to Article 27 of the United Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), “ States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal basis with others; this includes the right to earn a living with a job freely chosen or accepted within a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.…. by taking appropriate steps, including through legislation, to, inter alia:… enable persons with disabilities to have effective access to general technical and vocational guidance programmes, placement services and vocational and ongoing training….. »However, in France as in other European countries, the unemployment rate of persons with disabilities is twice as high as in the general workforce. Within this population, people with intellectual disabilities are even more disadvantaged. For them, access to vocational training potentially leading to a job is a challenge which the ACCESS project has intended to tackle.The partnersMade up of 4 partners from 3 countries (France, England and Portugal), the partnership gathers researchers, training centres and associations directly in contact with persons with disabilities.INSHEA, the project coordinator, is a national higher institute under the supervision of the ministries of national education and higher education and research, whose missions are research and training on schooling and access to work for persons with special needs.GEIST MAYENNE is a parents’ association created under the 1901 law, whose missions are to help contruct pathways fully chosen and wanted by persons with disabilities, with reduced autonomy or in vulnerable situations.NDTI (national development team for inclusion) is a non- profit organization whose missions are to promote inclusion and equality, notably for people with disability and mental health issues.IPP (polytechnique institute of Porto) is a higher education institute with a special education department and inclusion for students and young people with special needs.Activities of the project :-In each partner country, setting up a country committee equally made up of young people with disabilities, (cognitive problems, severe learning difficulties, psychic disorders,…) family representatives, trainers and employers or representatives from the labour market (between 16 and 20 members in each country who have all signed the chart agreement and contract commitment to the project). The main innovation of this project has been to gather these 4 types of stakeholders who are not used to working together or even to meet at all.-Collecting data to analyse the existing situation in each country-Organising 3 study visits in London, France (Mayenne) and Porto with groups of 1 young person with disabilities, 1 family member, 1 trainer and 1 employer to observe the good practices in each country and compare viewpoints.The objective is to establish a collaborative work methodology to enhance the participant’s empowerment and involvement, notably by allowing young people to express their views (with observations books) within each country’s committee.Results :-A comparative Chart-A guidebook of good practices in 3 languages-An Easy to read version (also in French, English and Portuguese)-A website with tools freely available to all.Impacts- For trainers and employeurs: Change of point of view and breaking stereotypes (a person with intellectual disabilities cannot work!). New methods with particpation of the youths in their professional pathways and reflection on the employability concept.- For the youths: Greater self-confidence and projection into a future where an autonomous life is possible- For the families: Their difficulties have been heard, and networking (notably via the blog: www.mamansdeurope.eu- For the partenrs organisations, possible new collaborations and/or training courses are beeing envisaged.