Description
This project aims to extend services of special education to adults with psycho-social disabilities, to support prevention of development of psycho-social disabilities in institutions for children with special needs as well as to enhance human rights approach within special education activities. The direct target groups are persons with psycho-social disabilities, students, researchers and lecturers of Faculty of Special Education. The indirectly persons involved in this dissemination process and possible users of results are concerned. The activities we will be organizing will be a kick off conference, training/sensitizing 30 persons, coaching for and implementing leading mini-projects and a closing conference. Persons with psycho-social disabilities take active role in planning, implementing and disseminating this project. A network of stakeholders for future innovation is also established. The experience gathered is transferred to a higher education course, and the concept of providing accessibility for persons with psycho-social disabilities will also generate disability policy actions.
Summary of project results
The Hungarian Association of Special Education Teachers, the Eötvös Loránd University Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education, the Lélek-Hang Foundation and the Foundation for the Development of Special Education fulfilled the project aims planned: to extend services of special education to adults with psycho-social disabilities, to support prevention of development of psycho-social disabilities in institutions for children with special needs, to enhance human rights approach within special education activities as this type of disorder was not well-known, taken care of and "mainstreamed". Direct target groups were people with psycho-social disabilities, students, researchers and lecturers of ELTE Bárczi Faculty of Special Education. The kickoff event in 2013 had great attendance by target groups, highlighted topics like models of disability, psycho-social disability as a new issue, international human rights politics, de-institutionalization processes, connections to special education, disability studies and psycho-social disabilities. 19 lecturers/researchers, students participated in preparation workshop, self-awareness training and a narrative interview methodology course. Topics focused on situation of people with psycho-social disabilities, how to provide accessibility for all and the protection of human rights. Participants visited several institutions and NGOs providing services for people with psycho-social disabilities. Furthermore 29 narrative interviews with people with psycho-social disabilities were recorded and analyzed. People with psycho-social disabilities together with prepared experts or the experts themselves carried out mini-projects: 1) a one-day conference to share experience on community based services and de-institutionalization, 2) a film session, 3) a handcraft workshop, 4) an exhibition of an artist living with psycho-social disabilities. All mini-projects aimed to build personal connections and to collect information on psycho-social disability. Finally a panel discussion aimed to disseminate results of mini-projects within the Association’s annual meeting. A closing conference was held in 28/8/2014. As a result the University’s Faculty of Special Education officially introduced the specialization on psycho-social disorder special teacher in its curriculum. Involved people with this disability gained more self-esteem, advocacy skills, the trained teachers/students received know how on this yet un-known disorder.
Summary of bilateral results