1.What is the THINK project?
THINK - Towards Handicap Integration Negotiating Knowledge - is a project that will professionally integrate 300 disabled people, as teleworkers, in seven European countries. Professional integration implies developing skills in different areas so that they become productive, lucrative and self-sufficient using information and communication technologies for telework. The THINK project is already a technological, organisational and social model that worked in Portugal, recognised in Europe as an innovative solution for the integration of disabled people, which will now be tested and enlarged in these seven countries.
The project aim is the integration of individuals facilitating training in order to allow individuals to become self sufficient and more competitive in the labour market. Unlike other projects it is not a training project. Our aim is the integration. Training is just a mean to achieve our goal.
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2. Sustainable Integration: what does it mean?
We consider that the best employment security comes from each individual professional capability. If you have the right skills you will not have to worry about employment security. You can always find work opportunities. This is a bold reality in the IT field where Europe and USA have a huge lack of professionals.
We believe that if someone is trained in such a way that he/she can “survive” in the market as an independent professional then he/she has the strongest employment guaranty.
Teleworkers that are integrated through the THINK project can work both as employed by one company or as a contractor for several companies. Our major concern is to find a job opportunity that is sustainable in the long term and its adequate to the candidate capabilities – this is not an obligation but it is our commitment.
It is important to clarify that TELEMANutenção does not give jobs to disabled people. It integrates disabled people into the labour market, that is, it provides training, infra-structures, support and a try to assure a continuous flow of work, so that the teleworkers can become established and supply a service of quality.
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3. How much can an individual earn monthly?
It depends! Depends on the individual qualifications and sort of service it could be able to provide. It depends on the individual performance in the service. Finally it depends on the individual capacity and time available to work.
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4. Was this model ever tested?
The success achieved by the previous PORCIDE project (1997-2000), now called PORCIDE I, with the integration of 20 disabled people from all over the country into services such as Help Desk, Programming, Webdesign, Creation of Templates and Audio Transcription, has not only given rise to its re-launching in Portugal, now designated PORCIDE II/THINK, but also to the export of this innovative socio-economic model to another five countries. We plan to integrate 60 people in Portugal, 60 in Spain, 60 in Italy, 40 in Greece, 20 in Scotland , 20 in Latvia, 20 in Lithuania and 20 in Estonia.
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5. What was the PORCIDE project? What was its objective?
The PORCIDE project, led by TELEMANutenção, was a project with the main objective of professionally integrating twenty disabled people, over the two years (1998-2000), in order to make them productive, profitable and self-sufficient, using TELEMANutenção’s working methods and Know-How. The participants in this project included TELEMANutenção, Portugal Telecom (who contributed with telecommunications infra-structures), Telepac, Edson Comunicação, Hewlett Packard Portugal (who supplied all the hardware), and Microsoft Portugal (who supplied all the software) and Diario de Noticias who dispose the advertisement space.
PORCIDE project was a pilot experiment for the current European project, THINK (Towards Handicapped Integration Negotiating Knowledge).
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6. Which companies are involved in the project?
THNK is led by TELEMANutenção and implemented by a consortium with PT Comunicações, MICROSOFT, TELEPAC, HP, EDSON/FCB, DIÁRIO DE NOTÍCIAS, PWC Consulting, RUMOS, Desktop Streaming, 3C, Alcatel and Server Arts.
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7. What type of training do you give participants?
People with disabilities are trained to be able to develop a professional service in a self-sufficient manner. Given the mobility and accessibility difficulties of most applicants to the project, whenever possible training will take place on-line. This on-line training has been provided by our training partner RUMOS in the technical areas and by TELEMANutenção in the areas of work coordination and management. During the training period the individuals will not receive any sort of payments. Training is made available to increase individual skills in order to become more qualified and facilitate the integration. Despite the fact that “in class” training is not mandatory, it is encouraged that all candidates attend at least 85% of the classes.
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8. All persons in the training process get integrated?
TELEMAN will try to integrate as much as possible to a limit of 60 individuals. Nevertheless not all who start the training process will get integrated. Only those who prove to be more adequate for the services available.
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9. What is each consortium company role in the project?
The THINK consortium was created in order to supply disabled teleworkers, for free, with all the necessary infrastructure to perform the chosen field of work, so that they only have to worry about the job in hand.
PORTUGAL TELECOM supplies the telecommunication infrastructure, HP the hardware (computer), MICROSOFT supplies the software, TELEPAC provides the Internet service, EDSON/FCB contributes with publicity and marketing, DIÁRIO DE NOTÍCIAS is responsible for communication with regards to the project, PWC Consulting deals with recruitment and selection of teleworkers, RUMOS does all online training of the teleworkers involved and 3C does some of the in-room training based in their wide call-centre experience, TELEMANutenção is responsible for initial and follow-up training for the service, supplying the organisational system and coordination of teleworkers and obtaining the clients that are needed to generate a stable and pleasant flow of work for the teleworker. This material support is an initial seed, valid for the first six months that the candidates start working from home.
After this first six mouths, if the candidate performed accordingly then he has already a stable work flow so he we be able to support its own operation costs. This means that after the first six months all candidates will be able to generate enough money to cover all their operational expenses and make a profit.
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10. Consortium companies short profile?
TELEMAN Founder and Coordinator
TELEMAN drives the project forward. It is responsible for the development and management of the project, with the assistance of the consortium partners in the areas of advertising, communication, recruitment and training.
Our mission is to contribute to the professional integration of disadvantaged people and to strengthen the family unit based on a profitable, high quality, global business of entrepreneurial services, using a global network of teleworkers.

PT Comunicações Founder and Telecommunications partner
PT Comunicaões is a co-founder of the project and supplies all the telecommunication equipment on which the teleworkers base all their activity.

TELEPAC Internet Service Provider
Supplies each teleworker with an Internet connection.

Hewlett Packard Hardware Partner
Supplies the necessary hardware for the professional work of teleworkers: PC either desktop or laptop.

MICROSOFT Software Partner
Supplies the software needed by the teleworker for organisation, supplying services and communication.
Microsoft’s mission has been to create software for personal computers to enrich people in their working environment, at school and at home. Microsoft’s previous vision of a computer on each desk and in each home is, nowadays, associated to a strong commitment to internet-related technologies, to increase the power and reach of PCs and their users.

PWC Consulting
Human resources partner
Partner to recruit and select for the vacancies in the project, according to profiles defined together with TELEMAN.

EDSON/FCB
Advertising & Marketing Partner.
Responsible for institutional Advertising and Marketing for the project.

DIÁRIO DE NOTÍCIAS
Media Partner
Responsible for the publication of all information on the project.

RUMOS
Online raining partner
Responsible for the design and supply of online courses for the initial and follow-up training of teleworkers.

EXPERTCITY, INC
Expertcity, Inc. is the leading provider of Web-based remote-access and customer-support technologies. The company's award-winning DesktopStreaming™ technology enables users to view and control a remote computer via the Web, thus enabling enterprise-critical functions such as internal and external Web-based technical support and online sales and customer service.

3C – Customer Contact Center, S.A.
Training partner
3C – Customer Contact Center, S.A., leader in the market segment of independent Call Centers, provides the portuguese communications market its experience of more than eight years in activities of One-to-One Relational Marketing and CRM practices delivered in Outsourcing regimen, through Telebanco.

Server Arts
Web Hosting partner
Server Arts is a world-class pioneer and innovator in dedicated Internet web hosting technologies and the inventor of "Hybrid Hosting". Supplies web hosting accommodations for the project as well as employment opportunities for the teleworkers in the customer service and technical support areas.
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11. What happens after the six months?
TELEMANutenção Project Managers and Team Managers work “side-by-side” with the teleworkers involved in the project, trying to ensure the best development of THINK teleworkers, either in the shape of meetings, online training, or personal supervision of operations and management procedures. This support becomes fundamental when gaining skills and autonomy, which is the objective for the teleworkers involved.
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12. Where are individuals going to work?
All services will be performed through telework from home.
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13. To whom are individuals going to work for?
They are going to become self sufficient. TELEMAN will try to assure a constant flow of work but it is not mandatory they work exclusively to TELEMAN.
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14. Which areas are included in the PORCIDE II/ THINK project?
One of the largest problems for independent teleworkers, disabled or not, is to sell their services. THINK not only promotes their services, but it also finds clients for them. The experience acquired during the PORCIDE project showed that telework is perfectly feasible for disabled people in areas such as accountancy, translations, word processing, computer graphics, programming, technical assistance to computers, telephone answering services, amongst other services compatible with this way of working.

• Helpdesk;
• Remote Assistance (network management, software management, backups, on-line training);
• Programming;
• Translations;
• Desktop Publishing
• Data processing, transcriptions;
• Direct Marketing;
• Consulting.
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15. Does the project have any support from the State or the EU?
PORCIDE was only supported by the companies in the consortium. THINK will have the support of the European Commission -the global investment will be of about 1.500.000 euros. This financial support is directed to the development of the THINK model in all other countries, It doesn’t cover all the investment required. The companies that integrate each consortium in each country do most investment.
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16. Have national companies joined this initiative?
Fortunately companies start support what we are doing. They understand easily that these disabilities do not interfere with the quality of our work. Our management system and monitoring of teleworkers ensures that the quality we like to offer our clients is maintained. Quality of the services performed is our major argument On average, PORCIDE II/THINK teleworkers have reached more than 90% customer satisfaction rates.
Companies are progressively realising the possibilities of outsourcing in telework to cover their needs. At present, the search for human resources in IT is far larger than the offer of people with the required profiles, so this is a clear opportunity, especially for people with disabilities.
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17. Can this project include people with all kinds of disabilities other than mobility problems?
There are no limitations with regards to disabilities compatible with the project. Obviously, some disabilities are incompatible with many of the services we provide within THINK and therefore it is less likely they will be recruited. Above that fact is the fact that not all persons are suited for telework.
What we are looking for is for capabilities and adequacy. We focus on the characteristics of the services that we what to perform and we search for that capacities in the people we are selecting. So the type of disability is not always a critical factor. It is just one more criteria to consider.
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18. Technological Tools?
Most of the professional training of teleworkers is carried out online, trying to avoid, as much as possible, physical displacement of people with mobility problems. New online communication and collaboration methods are developed, amongst teleworkers, trying to reduce the sense of isolation, using as basic tools the telephone, e-mail, MSN Messenger and Voice Chat.
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19. How do disabled people seen in the project?
A lot of sensibility is needed to deal with disabled people and, therefore, special care is taken within the project. Many people regard it with defiance due to unpleasant past experiences. Others are very hopeful when they apply, which means that a lot of care must be taken not to give them false expectations, as there are minimum requirements and only the most adequate will be chosen. On the other hand, when they are given an opportunity, they often turn out to be extraordinary professionals. We see people by they performance and not by their disability. This means that we have no special .treatment with people just because they have a disability.
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20. What is the balance of the PORCIDE activities?
PORCIDE experience showed that telework is extremely feasible for disabled people. The Help Desk service is an example of the success of PORCIDE, since it systematically obtained a Customer Satisfaction Index of about 90%. The replication of PORCIDE in the six European countries that participate in THINK will show that this socio-economic model is indeed a universal one.
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21. What are the plans for the future?
Considering the interest shown in the project by other European countries and the thrust the European Commission has given to its expansion, we will certainly carry on replicating THINK. But Europe is not the limit of the international expansion, on the medium-term we plan to take it to Brazil and the USA.
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22. Who should answer the individual’s questions and help to solve any problem?
While in recruitment or training all questions should be directed only to the TELEMAN. The person responsible for the follow up will help in all of the project stages. TELEMAN is responsible for the project coordination.