PROJECT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Brussels, 18 June 2014
Workshop 1: “Compare and contrast the impact of the UNCRPD Art. 19 on the life experiences
of people with disabilities at local community level in various countries”.
By the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) and Stewarts Care, Ireland.
I.
PROJECT CONTEXT
The Irish association Stewards Care has experience in working with people with disabilities to help them
to live independently. They put in place different actions in Ireland:
- They worked with municipalities to provide the users with adaptable and affordable houses.
- They looked together with people with disabilities at what skills they have or could be developed
and they provided trainings to them.
- They build up new partnerships with authorities, housing sector and health services.
Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) would like to ensure the full implementation of the UNCRPD Art.
19. They are currently working in close cooperation with Stewards Care to identify the main challenges
faced by Irish practitioners in their efforts to support the transition to community living for persons with
disabilities. They seek to highlight and share the local challenges coming from different communities at
the national and international level.
II.
OVERALL AIM
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III.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
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IV.
Monitor the implementation of the UNCRPD, Art. 19 in different EU countries.
Encourage learning between countries on how to support independent living among people with
disabilities and what are the challenges for service providers.
The project proposal aims to explore what can be learned about the challenges that practitioners
in different countries are facing to support people with disabilities in their transition from
residential care to community based settings as stated by article 19 in the UNCRPD.
Local and regional findings in different countries will be gathered and translated at the national
and international levels.
ACTIVITIES
Development of the following actions:
 Research in each country on the state of play on the implementation of the UNCRPD art. 19.
The research could focuses on the following questions:
o Which actions are being taken in each country to support transition and
deinstitutionalisation?
o What is the situation in your country?
o What does article 19 mean?
o Do you have the appropriate support from the municipalities (local authorities)?
 Monitoring and exchange of good practices.
 Share learnings and use the experiences from different European countries to give answers and
solutions to the barriers that practitioners came across.
V.
CONCRETE ACTIONS
For the development of the project there is a need to involve:
- Communities and families and promote community engagement.
- Local and regional authorities.
- People with disabilities.
- The health and service provision sectors.
- Universities and/or research centers (this could facilitate access to funding).
- Staff and practitioners.
English will be the working language but the results will be translated into French and German.
All project documents will also be available in EASY TO READ to involve PwD.
VI.
FUNDING STREAM
Given the amount of actions, the project might need much funding. One possibility could be Erasmus +.
VII.
NEXT STEPS
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VIII.
Organisation of a video conference and selection of the leading person for the project.
Organisation of a meeting, likely in France.
The project will be also linked to the conference “A Home for All” in Oslo (9 – 10 October
2014).
PARTNERSHIP
Austria: Karin Astegger from Lebenshilfe Salzburg ([email protected]), Daniela
Neuhanser from Jugend am Werk ([email protected]), Stefan Pimmingstorfer from Caritas
Linz ([email protected]).
Finland: Kirsi Konola from KVPS ([email protected]),
Norway: Trude Stenhammer from Stiftelsen SOR ([email protected])
France: Bernadette Grosyeux from Centre de la Gabrielle ([email protected])
Belgium: Rudi Wouters from Job Link ([email protected]),
Ireland: Debbie Kelleher from Stewarts Care Limited ([email protected]), Emer
Murphy from Stewarts Care Limited ([email protected]), John Dolan from Disability
Federation of Ireland ([email protected]).
Croatia: Mirjana Dobranović from the Association for Promotion of Equal Opportunities –APEO-.
([email protected]).
Nieves Tejada, EASPD Workshop rapporteur
Workshop 2: We “Count” As Much…(WeCAM) - Promoting accessibility for all including those
with disabilities
By the Migrant Disability Network Ireland
I.
PROJECT CONTEXT
One in six people in the European Union (EU) has some form of disability that ranges from mild to
severe. This means there are about 80 million who are often prevented from taking fully part in society
and the economy because of environmental and attitudinal barriers. For people with disabilities the rate
of poverty is 70 % higher than the average due partly to limited access to Employment, training and
educational opportunities, and lack of inclusion in their society.
The “WeCAM” project is committed to ensuring that persons with disability particularly wheelchair users
have full access to goods and services just like everyone else.
WeCAM is founded on the basis of Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with
Disability (UNCRPD) on Accessibility.
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Respect and protection of Human Rights
Prevention of any discrimination on the basis of lack of wheelchair access.
Recognition and Respect of rights of people with disabilities to benefit from practices designed to
ensure person centeredness, inclusion, integration, independence and an enhanced quality of life
As Future partners we agreed that it would be important for us to formulate a research study across
Europe on cultural diversity and disability. The aim of this initiative is to connect persons of diverse
backgrounds with disabilities to the organizations, services and supports that lead to community inclusion
and positive life outcomes. Currently there are no data on disability and cultural diversity within the EU.
II.
OVERALL AIM
The aim of this project we “count” as much… is to provide recommendations and set out new changes
for people with disability using their wheelchair to gain access to businesses, organisations and
supermarkets, and consequently improving the quality of life for people with disability, especially
amongst the migrant community living in Ireland and Europe.
III.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
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Explore disability across European communities
Gather data on the topic (such as types of disability, Ethnicity, wheelchair users)
Analyse Support and needs of this group
Present findings to partners/Key Stakeholders.
Access information on all spectrum of disability
Provide a useful guide/manuals for service providers and organisation to enable their
services/offices/Buildings to accommodate people with disability, especially those using
wheelchairs.
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IV.
Examine Barriers to accessibility for people using their wheelchair.
OUTCOME:
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V.
Raise awareness on “disability and cultural diversity”
To provide useful data to help service providers, state department in projecting service
provisions.
To create a database of the information collected from this research, with the goal of updating the
data every five years.
Data from the research will be easily available to all European countries to access for information
purposes.
The tool provided or procedures will be transferable to other counties’ and regions across Europe.
A research report about the actual figures on Disability and Cultural diversity across partner
countries.
The second will phase commence with emphasis on implementing standards of WeCAM. A
document will be drafted based on extensive research carried out at Phase one.
PARTNERSHIP
Project Lead: Angela Unufe-Kennedy (Migrant Disability Network Ireland) MDNI Rep of Ireland:
[email protected]
Partners
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VI.
Fr Kostas IEA Greece
Sonia Fontes C.E.C.D Mira Sintra Portugal
Viktoria Veith Innovia Austria
Alisa Costin Alliance of Organisation for Persons with Disability from the Republic of Moldova
(AOPD) Moldova
Ludmila Iachim, Motivation Moldova
POSSIBLE FUNDING STREAM
European Social Fund (ESF)
Anne-Claire Gonzalez, EASPD Workshop Rapporteur
and Angela Unufe Kennedy, Disability Migration Network
Workshop 3: “Using the Teen STAR Programmeme (Sexuality Teaching in the context of Adult
Responsibility) to train persons with disabilities and social workers”
By Cura e Riabilitazione ONLUS Milano, Italy
I.
PROJECT CONTEXT
For people with disabilities sexual development is often poorly considered, even by their own parents,
focusing on the pedagogical and cognitive aspects.
Questions about sexuality are excluded to persons with disabilities and are still too often taboo. It is
important for them to have knowledge on this topic regarding the independent living strategies to
improve social participation and to make them become more independent.
II.
OVERALL AIM
Teen STAR is a programme that together with people with disabilities wants to promote informed
choices i.e. depending on the capacity of understanding and choices related to the deep desire to love
and be loved.
The programme allows the students to discover the deeper meaning of sexuality using the inductive
method: the path starts from the knowledge of biological rhythms of the body.
That programme is very useful for persons with disabilities because they get an idea about their body
and could feel more comfortable about it.
III.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1) Knowledge of self and gender difference from the point of view of cognition learning
 Physiological differences between men and women and male and female reproductive
system
 Development of reproductive systems, observation of the signs of male and female
fertility
 Psychosexual development
 Physical changes
 Methods of birth control
 Sexually transmitted diseases
2) Knowledge of self and gender differences in behavior:
 Influence of the cultural context of ideas and attitudes regarding sexuality
 Stereotypical ideas and information about femininity and masculinity
 Sexual desire and behavioural choices
3) Knowledge of self and gender difference in terms of the experience
 The desire to love and be loved
 The fertility and the miracle of life
IV.
ACTIVITIES
It is a programme for training social workers, psychologist, educators and families to teach the method
afterwards.
For the person with a disability, the training takes 8 months, 1 hour a week for the first year. It is very
intense because the content is quite difficult. There is the option to take another year to go further into
the project. In the group there are no more than 10 persons.
The package of training is organised in 2 sessions and the content is already structured. Now, the
content for persons with disabilities is a draft and the idea is to propose the draft for other countries.
There is the possibility that parents attend a meeting and if they have any kind of questions about the
programme, tutors will explain them.
METHODOLODY
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The method involves curricula adapted to the different development stages
The course tutors are available for individual conversations with children and parents
The programme has been tested for 2 years in Milan with adolescents with disabilities and seems to
work very well.
V.
PARTNERSHIP
Cura e Riabilitazione ONLUS is looking for partners for this project proposal. Please contact Mr Silvestro
Plumari: [email protected]
The following countries can use the programme without asking for a license, because Italy has the
ownership: Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and
Ukraine. The ones which are not in the list need the permission of the owners of the project, the USA.
VI.
POSSIBLE FUNDING STREAM
Not clear yet.
Silvia Mir, EASPD Workshop rapporteur
“Workshop 4 – Access to Justice of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova –
Increase the role of service providers and raise awareness”
By the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities from the Republic of
Moldova” (AOPD)
I.
PROJECT CONTEXT
According to a sociological study realised by the Centre of Juridical Assistance for Persons with
Disabilities (pwd) in 2011, 45.5% of the persons considered that the right of access to justice of persons
with disabilities is violated in the Republic of Moldova and 42.6% of the persons considered that this
right is partly monitored.
One cause is the fact that pwd are not aware of their rights, or how to enforce them. A second cause is the
fact that pwd do not know about the existence of the state guaranteed juridical assistance service, how to
access it and how to use it in order to ask for their rights to be monitored.
As a result, pwd have very limited access to justice, they are more isolated, their rights are violated and
they end up institutionalised. This project proposal addresses the problem.
Current situation
Currently, there is a draft in Parliament to give pwd a right to vote; it’s important to learn how to lobby &
advocate, as there will be elections in Nov 2014!
At the moment, only people with hearing impairment have a right to assistance in justice.
II.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. Bring expertise from the EU to service providers in Moldova
1. Training modules for SP to work with pwd; to be developed by a mixed group (EU and then
localise)
2. Build a network of expertise
2. Learn how to lobby & advocate: for service providers and users
III.
ACTIVITIES
There are different stages to be distinguished:
1. Awareness-raising on different levels: authorities, service providers & pwd
2. Training
3. Focus on strategic priorities of AOPD – make action plans
a. Get government to buy services
4.
5.
6.
7.
b. Employment
c. Early intervention
d. Education
e. Quality standards for services for pwd
Translate/adapt/localise
Try to out and organise pilot session in different member organisations
Exchange visits e.g. multi-stakeholder actors from Moldova to the Netherlands and Belgium
Conference in Chisinau in 2016 tackling different priorities via round tables (together with the World
Bank?) as part of the lobby instrument
IV.
PARTNERSHIP
Coordinator: AOPD, Alisa Costin: Alisa Costin: [email protected]
Soft Tulip, Eric Bloemkolk
EASPD, Katrijn Dekoninck
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V.
Adopt models of good practice of the project AJuPID to Moldova?
FUNDING
Currently: ENPI Programme – deadline 8 July – concept note (only 10% co-funding)
Katrijn Dekoninck, EASPD Workshop rapporteur
Workshop 5: “Using the Arts to create awareness of the barriers which inhibit the transition from
school to employment”
By COPE Foundation Ireland
I.
OBJECTIVES
Specific objectives proposed: Overcoming barriers inhibiting the transition from school to employment
by raising awareness through the arts - so taking a positive angle by CHANGING ATTITUDES &
PERCEPTION.
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Developing a theatre group. COPE currently run a theatre festival in Cork for those with
disabilities; they'd like to broaden this to make it for everyone. Arts can impact people on a
deeper level, so people can grasp notions emotionally rather than just cognitively. Exploring the
boundaries of how we relate to each other as human being through the arts, regardless of
disability.
Working with both people with disabilities and mainstream actors and artists. Target group is
school systems, potential employers, and general public. So one idea to create a ten minute piece
you could bring into a company during lunchtime, to create a momentum of change by increasing
awareness.
This work allows people with disabilities to be ambassadors for themselves. Persons with
disabilities need to be involved in the exchange - focused on inclusive practice, 50/50 as much as
possible - if it was done any other way we would not be modelling the inclusive practice that
we're advocating. So using mainstream theatres, exhibition centres etc. - if the process and
outcome can model how overcoming barriers is possible, and what it can achieve, this will have a
greater impact.
New ideas discussed:
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II.
Different organisations can focus on different forms of art, depending on their preferences/ability.
These developments could then be shared between the partners. Could be that different
organisations provide elements for other productions; e.g. one organisation produce a theatre
piece, wearing costumes produced by a different organisation
One aspect could be a public awareness campaign; engaging in the theatre process has aided
young people developmentally.
School focus - could be aimed at including school-age children. Potentially could prepare a dvd
for dissemination purposes; could be spread in schools etc.
ACTIVITIES
Initial agreed outcome is the development of a moveable piece of theatre art that targets awareness and
can be easily recreated.
III.
PARTNERSHIP
Coordinator: COPE Foundation, Ireland: Eoin Nash: [email protected]
Innovia, Austria
Hospitality Europe, Belgium
Middin, the Netherlands
CEERDL, Portugal
Coalition of Care and Support Providers, Scotland
National Federation of Employers of Disabled People, Bulgaria
Centre de la Gabrielle, France
NASO, Bulgaria
Jugend am, Werk, Austria
Ass. Scuola Viva onlus, Italy
IEA/ICR, Greece.
IV.
POSSIBLE FUNDING STREAM
Erasmus +, Key action 2
V.
NEXT STEPS
Eoin Nash from COPE Foundation will be responsible for emailing prospective partners in order to
arrange a Skype conference. They will be working towards the next budget deadline, which is February
2015.
Eilis Crowe, EASPD Workshop rapporteur