Equality in Mobility and Lifelong Learning

20 – 25 May 2011

The objective of the project was to support and develop competencies and skills of people with disabilities who live in their family environment, use day services provided at day centres for people with special needs or belong to clients of social residential services. The project focused on two target groups: a) people with mild or moderate health disabilities (mental, physical or multiple) and b) assistants of such people.

The project was supposed to support practical skills of participants through artistic and therapeutic activities organized at sheltered workshops of various centres run by Slezská diakonie. Project participants made themselves acquainted with unfamiliar work conditions, materials, staff-members and managers, as well as with unknown working methods. The project also enabled the participants to join current sport activities, learn more about the historical and cultural background of partner organization’s users, make new friends, learn how to use foreign currency and adapt to unknown goods or alternative ways of communication. Participants also took a short bartender/waiter training and acquainted themselves with educational activities and social services for people with disabilities. Project activities lasted 6 days and concerned 16 young people with disabilities and six assistants from Israel and the Czech Republic.

Media:
1. Informátor 2/2011 (newsletter of Slezská Diakonie)
2. Těšínské listy, informational (bi-monthly) newsletter of the town of Český Těšín
3. Czech TV; Christian Magazine: http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady/1098528273-krestansky-magazin/

This project was realized with the financial support of the European Union. The information provided here reflects the views of the author; the European Commission takes no responsibility for the contents of this information.

The project called “Equality in Mobility and Life-Long Learning” is focused on supporting specific capacities and skills of people with disabilities which are indispensable for life in an open society and facilitate the integration of these people into both the sheltered and the free labour market. The support and preservation of such skills constitute the basic condition for a successful social inclusion of people with disabilities. The target group of the project comprises the following categories:

• people with mild and moderate health disabilities (mental, physical, multiple)
• assistants of people with disabilities as an integral part of the team and facilitators of the life-long learning of people with disabilities

Project activities will focus on supporting practical skills in artistic and therapeutic workshops. Particular activities will be implemented in different settings and the participants will deal with unfamiliar working materials, team and techniques. Final products will be presented during a public exhibition at the Těšínsko Museum Club. Click here to download the poster.

The 6-day programme will enable the participants to train their orientation skills in a foreign country and within an unknown culture. The project is also focused on gaining awareness of the level of social services provided in the Czech Republic and various educational opportunities available to people with disabilities. New friendships will be established across national borders and different cultures. Participants will have the occasion to pay in a foreign currency, buy unknown goods and use alternative pictogram-based communication. The will also participate in a brief bartender /waiter training. On the last project day, i.e. 25th May 2011, a joint afternoon programme will be organized for project participants and invited guests. Click here to see the invitiation and the detailed programme of the event.

The project is open for 16 persons with disabilities and 6 assistants. It will be implemented at various centres of Slezská Diakonie that offer both ambulant and residential services to people with disabilities.

Organizations participating in the project:
Amuta Chimes Israel, Tel-Aviv
Slezská Diakonie