Employability assessment for persons with disabilities, ICF and Capability Approach
The challenge for employability assessment of persons with disabilities lies in implementing a genuinely person-centred approach that accounts not only for impairments, functional limitations, and environmental barriers but also for capacities, values, aspirations, and agency. The Inclusive Development Unit faced this challenge in developing and implementing VINIL (Valutazione Integrata per l’Inclusione Lavorativa), an ICF and capability-based tool for the assessment of the employability of persons with disabilities. In their latest paper titled “Bridging the Disability Gap in Employment: Insights from an Employability Assessment Tool based on the ICF and the Capability Approach” (Journal of Human Development Capabilities, 2025) Caterina Arciprete and Federico Ciani discuss policy implication of this tool.
VINIL was developed in the framework of the programme “Support services to foster access employment for persons with disability and/or living in a condition of vulnerability” managed by Tuscany regional government (Italy) in cooperation with district-level health and social protection services, and non-profit organisations.
The programme aimed to promote the right to work for persons with disability through person-centred care models and was implemented by a consortium of public and non-profit actors, including ARCO, which led the development of the employability assessment methodology.
VINIL, the ICF and the Capability approach for employability assessment
The development of VINIL has been axed around two main conceptual frameworks: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the Capability Approach (CA).
The ICF provides a standardised language for describing living with a disability, but its application alone often risks overlooking personal aspirations and agency. Conversely, the CA emphasises individual freedoms and capabilities but lacks the operational structure needed for practical assessment. By integrating both frameworks, VINIL enabled a more holistic and person-centred approach to employability assessment.
VINIL has been designed to implement a dynamic and iterative process where assessment and job placement experiences are closely interlinked. The bi-directional relationship between assessment and placement experiences helps refine the job placement process, progressively reducing the gap between expectations and outcomes.
Policy implications
On an aggregate level, the tool provides policymakers with valuable demographic and employment-related data, enabling more informed regional planning and resource allocation. At the micro level, VINIL has proven instrumental for social workers in improving the quality of individual care.
By integrating ICF and Capability Approach, the tool facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of employability, not just as a static measure of job readiness but as a dynamic interaction between personal capabilities, environmental factors, and individual aspirations. The ability to reassess and adjust support plans over time further reinforced the tool’s person-centred nature, ensuring that interventions remained aligned with evolving personal goals and contextual changes.
From a policy perspective, such an approach offers a strategic opportunity to enhance person-centred service delivery. Tools like VINIL can drive systemic improvements by promoting more integrated and responsive policies that address the structural barriers persons with disability face
The participatory co-design process significantly increased the tool’s acceptance and usability by avoiding the common pitfall of presenting “parachuted” solutions – externally imposed tools often perceived as bureaucratic formalities. By involving social workers and disability organisations from the outset, VINIL fostered a sense of ownership, making implementation more effective.
VINIL enhances transparency and feedback mechanisms through standardised evaluations and objective indicators, providing clearer insights for both professionals and beneficiaries.
Read more on our Inclusive Development Unit