ARISE project

The 2nd European Forum on Digital Citizenship Education in Strasbourg was about the future of work and what it means to be a digital citizen. Over 200 delegates, three days, the Palais de l'Europe.

But one question ran through everything: who is being left behind?

Our colleague Iva Tsolova-Kutsarova from Soziale Zukunft Verein was there to make sure people with disabilities are part of that conversation - not an afterthought, not a footnote.

She presented ARISE at the DCE Expo and spoke in the session "Teaching Professions in the Digital Age." Her argument was straightforward: accessibility cannot be bolted on once a system is built. Structural barriers don't appear one at a time - they accumulate. Education, training, recruitment, onboarding. Each stage filters people out. Fixing one while the rest stay in place is rarely enough.

What works: small, intentionally mixed training groups. Hybrid formats so participation doesn't depend on geography or health. And lived experience in the room - trainers and programme managers with disabilities themselves bring a quality of understanding that no theory can replicate.

ARISE exists to move these ideas from conversation into tools. Built from the ground up with accessibility and inclusion as the foundation.

Small Tips That Make Job Search Less Overwhelming

Looking for a job is not only about sending CVs, preparing for interviews and checking emails.
It is also about managing uncertainty, staying motivated, dealing with silence from employers, handling rejection and trying not to lose confidence along the way, that is why small self-care habits matter.

Self-care during job search does not have to be complicated, expensive or perfect. Very often, it is about creating small structures that help your brain feel a little safer and your day feel a little more manageable.

Here are a few gentle tips and tricks that can help:

✅ 1. Start with a tiny plan
Instead of saying, “Today I need to solve everything,” try choosing only 1–3 realistic actions.

For example:
• update one part of your CV
• apply for one suitable job
• prepare answers to two interview questions
• send one email
• take one step, not the whole staircase
Small steps reduce overwhelm and make it easier to begin.

✅ 2. Use time blocks
Job searching can expand into the whole day and still feel unfinished. Try setting a clear time window, for example:
“I will search for jobs from 10:00 to 11:00.”
When the time ends, stop. This helps protect your energy and prevents the feeling that you should be “always searching.”

✅ 3. Take microbreaks before you crash
You do not have to wait until you are exhausted to rest.
A microbreak can be very simple:
• stand up and stretch
• drink water
• look out of the window
• breathe slowly for one minute
• step away from the screen
• send a message to someone supportive

Short breaks help your nervous system reset and make it easier to continue.

✅ 4. Prepare for the emotional part
Before sending an application or attending an interview, ask yourself:
“What feeling might this bring up for me?”
It could be fear of rejection, pressure to perform, shame, hope, uncertainty or self-doubt.
Naming the feeling can help you manage it. It reminds you: “This is not laziness. This is an emotional response to something that matters.”

✅ 5. Create a “rejection recovery” ritual
Rejection hurts, even when we know it is normal.
Instead of immediately blaming yourself, try a short recovery ritual:
• read the message
• take a breath
• say, “This is disappointing, but it does not define my value”
• write down one thing you learned
• do one kind thing for yourself
• return to the next step when you are ready

A rejection letter is information. It is not a diagnosis of your worth.

✅ 6. Keep basic needs visible
When stress increases, people often forget the basics: food, water, medication, movement, sleep and rest.
But these are not “extra.” They are the foundation.

A simple checklist can help:
Have I eaten?
Have I had water?
Have I moved my body?
Have I taken a break?
Have I spoken to someone kind?

Sometimes productivity starts with meeting a basic need.

✅ 7. End the day properly
Job search can follow you into the evening if there is no clear ending.
Try creating a small closing routine:
• write down what you did today
• choose one small task for tomorrow
• close the laptop
• stop checking job emails after a certain time
• remind yourself: “I did enough for today.”

Your brain needs a signal that the working part of the day is finished.

Self-care is not about becoming perfectly calm, perfectly organised or endlessly productive.

It is about supporting yourself through an uncertain process with more kindness, structure and realism.

Progress is not always fast. Sometimes progress looks like sending one application, taking one breath, asking for help or trying again tomorrow. Small steps count.

Why We Delay: The Real Reason You’re Procrastinating (And It’s Not Laziness)

“If you are staring at a blank screen or avoiding a task you need to finish, it doesn't mean you are lazy. It usually just means the task is bringing up an emotion you aren't quite ready to face.”

For most of us, procrastinating feels like a personal flaw. We look at our growing to-do lists, look at the clock, and wonder why we can't just "force" ourselves to sit down and do the work. We beat ourselves up, assuming we lack discipline, willpower, or focus.

But modern psychology tells us something completely different: procrastination isn't a time-management problem. It's an emotion-management problem.

When we avoid a task, our brain isn't rejecting the work itself. It’s trying to protect us from the uncomfortable feelings associated with that work. It might be the fear of failure, the anxiety of not doing it perfectly, or just the sheer overwhelm of not knowing where to start.

Your brain spots that discomfort and looks for the fastest exit route. Suddenly, organizing your desk or scrolling through social media feels incredibly urgent, because it gives your brain a quick hit of relief.

But just like interview anxiety, procrastination is a normal human response to pressure.

The goal shouldn't be to become a flawless, hyper-productive machine. Instead, the goal is to learn how to lower the emotional stakes so you can take the first step. A few gentle strategies can help break the cycle:

Shrink the entry fee: Don't try to write the whole report or clean the whole room. Tell yourself you are just going to work on it for five minutes, or write one terrible first sentence.

Identify the ghost: Ask yourself what you're actually afraid of. Are you putting off that email because you're worried about the reply? Simply naming the fear takes away some of its power.

Lower the bar: Give yourself permission to make a messy, imperfect first draft. It is infinitely easier to edit a bad page than it is to write a perfect one.

Forgive the delay: If you spent the last hour avoiding work, don't waste the next hour punishing yourself for it. Regret just adds more negative emotions, making you want to avoid the task even longer.

Be kind to yourself when you lose momentum. Instead of spiraling into “Why can’t I just get things done?” or “I’ve wasted the whole day,” try resetting in the present moment. Take a breath, forgive the delay, and pick the smallest possible next step.

Progress isn't a straight line. Every time you gently guide yourself back to a task without judgment, you are building resilience. A delayed start isn't a failure—it's just a human moment on the way to getting things done.

Interview Anxiety Is Normal—Not a Personal Failure

If your heart races before a job interview, it doesn't mean you aren't ready. It usually just means that this opportunity matters to you.

For most of us, a job interview is rarely just a conversation. It feels like a high-stakes performance—a brief window where you have to say the exact right thing, project total confidence, and prove your worth on the spot.

With that much pressure, it’s completely natural for your body to react. Your heart races, your mouth goes dry, and your thoughts can start to jumble. You might worry about tripping over your words, forgetting a key detail, or failing to "sell yourself" effectively.

But feeling anxious isn't a sign of weakness. It’s just a normal human response to being evaluated in an unfamiliar, high-pressure situation.

The goal shouldn't be to eliminate anxiety entirely. Instead, the goal is simply to support yourself through it. A few practical steps can help steady your nerves:

Prep the basics: Review common questions and practice speaking your strengths out loud so the words feel natural.

Remove logistics stress: Plan your route or test your tech well in advance.

Give yourself grace: Take a few slow breaths before you start, and remind yourself that it's okay to pause and think before answering.

Refocus post-interview: Once it's over, shift your focus to what you learned, rather than fixating on what went wrong.

Be kind to yourself afterward. Instead of spiraling into “Why did I say that?” or “I should have done better,” try asking yourself: What actually went well? What did I learn about the role? What can I tweak for next time?

Every interview is practice. Every conversation builds experience. A nervous moment isn't a failure—it's just proof that you care.

💙 The Hidden Stress of Job Searching
Looking for a job often can feel like a full-time job, but without any feedback, structure or emotional safety.

Behind every CV sent, every application submitted and every interview booked, there is often a lot that others do not see:
- waiting,
- uncertainty,
- silence from employers,
- self-doubt,
- financial and social pressure,
- comparison with others,
- and the pressure to “keep going” even when motivation is low.

For many people, especially those who already face additional barriers in education, employment or daily life, the job search process can become emotionally exhausting.

That is why self-care during job search is not a luxury. It is part of staying well enough to continue.

Self-care does not have to be big or complicated. Sometimes it means:

🌿 creating a small daily routine
🌿 taking short breaks without guilt
🌿 drinking water and eating regularly
🌿 talking to someone you trust
🌿 limiting the time spent refreshing your inbox
🌿 reminding yourself that a rejection is not a diagnosis of your worth

In ARISE Module 3: Self-Care, we focus on practical ways to support well-being during the whole employment journey — from job searching and interview anxiety to workplace stress, resilience and self-advocacy.

Because finding work should not mean losing yourself in the process.

Building a candidate profile that focuses on skills, not labels!

A candidate profile should help people present what they can do — not reduce them to a label, a diagnosis, or a limitation.
For many job seekers with disabilities, traditional recruitment systems often start in the wrong place. They focus on standard CV formats, linear work histories, and rigid application fields. But not everyone’s path to employment looks the same.
Some candidates may have limited formal work experience. Others may have developed valuable skills through training, volunteering, personal projects, informal work, community activities, or lived experience. These skills should not go unnoticed.

This is why an accessible career guidance toolkit should support a skills-first approach.

A useful candidate profile can help users present:

🔹 their skills and strengths
🔹 their education and training
🔹 their previous experience
🔹 projects or portfolio work
🔹 volunteering or informal experience
🔹 languages and certifications
🔹 work preferences
🔹 accessibility preferences
🔹 career interests and goals

The aim is not to ask intrusive questions about disability.
The aim is to help users describe their abilities, preferences, and support needs in a clear, respectful, and empowering way.

In an AI-supported environment, this becomes even more important. AI can help users improve their profile wording, describe their skills more professionally, prepare a CV, and connect their experience to potential career pathways. But the user must remain in control of what is shared, what stays private, and how their profile is presented.

A skills-first profile can also support more inclusive recruitment.
Instead of focusing solely on gaps, labels, or assumptions, employers can better understand what a person can contribute: their competencies, motivation, learning achievements, and potential.

In ARISE, this approach is central to developing an accessible, ethical, and human-centered career guidance toolkit.
Because inclusive employment does not start by asking “What is missing?”
It starts by asking:
What can this person do, what support do they need, and how can we help them move forward?

Designing an accessible career guidance toolkit starts with the right questions.

In the ARISE project, AI is not seen as a replacement for human support but as a practical toolkit that helps people move forward in their career journey with greater self-confidence and self-esteem.

What the ARISE AI toolkit can support:

🔹 Helping users describe their skills and experience
🔹 Improving CV and professional profile
🔹 Supporting interview preparation
🔹 Suggesting relevant learning resources
🔹 Guiding users step by step within clear ethical and professional boundaries

Human oversight remains essential.

For people with disabilities, career guidance is not only about matching skills with job vacancies. It is also about accessibility needs, individual circumstances, rights, and real barriers in the labor market.

For this reason, the AI assistant must also be clear about what it should not do:

❌ provide medical advice
❌ replace a career counselor
❌ make decisions on the user's behalf
❌ expose sensitive information without consent

Five key design questions in ARISE

ARISE partners are exploring five key questions for the toolkit's development:

1️⃣ What information is truly needed at registration?
2️⃣ How can onboarding remain inclusive and non-stigmatizing?
3️⃣ What should a candidate profile include?
4️⃣ What should remain private?
5️⃣ What should the AI assistant never answer?

This is the direction of ARISE: an accessible, ethical, and human-centered approach to AI-supported career guidance.

Why traditional career platforms fail many people with disabilities

Digital career platforms have transformed how people search for jobs, apply for opportunities, and communicate with employers.
But for many people with disabilities, these systems still create barriers rather than opportunities.
Many digital recruitment systems still rely on standardised processes that fail to consider accessibility, adaptive communication, and diverse ways of interacting with technology.
As a result, qualified candidates may encounter barriers long before their skills and potential are ever recognised.

Accessibility is still treated as optional.

Many online employment systems remain difficult for people with disabilities to use.
Common barriers include:
🔹 Inaccessible interfaces
🔹 Complex navigation paths
🔹 CV systems are incompatible with assistive technologies
🔹 Information overload and confusing layouts
🔹 Lack of adaptive communication options
🔹 Automated filtering systems that exclude non-standard profiles

These barriers do not reflect a lack of talent. They reflect a lack of inclusive design. In many cases, candidates are excluded before a human even reviews their application.

Inclusion must be designed from the start. Accessibility cannot be added later as a “technical adjustment.”

A truly accessible career platform should:
✅ Support diverse communication methods
✅ Reduce cognitive overload
✅ Work with assistive technologies
✅ Offer adaptive, user-friendly interfaces
✅ Provide personalised guidance and support
✅ Combine AI efficiency with human oversight
Inclusive design improves the experience for everyone — not only people with disabilities.

How ARISE responds

The ARISE project addresses these challenges by developing an accessible, AI-supported career guidance ecosystem.

ARISE focuses on creating:
🧠 Accessible digital learning and guidance materials
🤝 AI-assisted career support tools
📄 Adaptive CV and job application support
💬 Inclusive communication approaches for career guidance
📚 Training resources for career counselors and educators
♿ Accessibility-oriented digital environment designed around real user needs

The project integrates accessibility, employability, digital inclusion, and ethical AI practices into a single, cohesive approach.

Accessibility should not be an afterthought

ARISE promotes a future where technology supports equal participation in employment and professional development for everyone!

The employment of occupies a central place on Europe’s social and economic agenda.

The Disability Employment Package (DEP) is a practice-oriented framework developed by the European Commission to strengthen the participation of people with disabilities in the labour market. The package forms part of the 2021-2030 Disability Rights Strategy and provides guidance to Member States on inclusive employment. The employment gap between people with disabilities and those without in the EU exceeds 20 percentage points; this situation clearly highlights the importance of structural and coordinated measures.
The package focuses on public employment services, recruitment processes, support for job retention, reasonable accommodation, vocational rehabilitation and the transition to quality employment. The European Commission contributes to helping organisations establish more accessible and inclusive systems by providing guidelines and best practices in these areas.
This framework serves as a robust reference point for employers, career advisers, VET providers, public bodies and civil society. The design of employment services, the continuity of support mechanisms and the accessibility of the workplace directly impact the economic and social participation of people with disabilities.
A more inclusive employment ecosystem is strengthened when policy, services and practice converge towards the same objective. DEP provides concrete tools, a shared vision and a Europe-wide framework to establish this common ground.
Therefore, it is beneficial for everyone -particularly employers and HR managers, regardless of whether they are currently in the workforce- to learn more about DEP. For further information, please visit https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/eu-employment-policies/disability-employment-package_en