Description
The project’s aim is to promote integration of children and young people with special needs into the local community by improving the quality of their education, reducing their exclusion, promoting advocacy of their rights on a regional, national and international level. The main activities are inclusive support measures for children and young people with functional disabilities to acquire social and cognitive skills, development and introduction of innovative social services, increasing availability of informative environment, training and operation of mediators, raising awareness among the social partners, deepening the collaboration with the Norwegian partner. The project is expected to improve social integration of the target group, to activate and educate local communities regarding advocacy for the target group on a municipal and national level, create new services such as mediation, increased availability of the informative environment, and setting up an e-info point.
Summary of project results
The aim of this project was to: facilitate the integration of children and youth with functional impairment into the local community while improving the quality of their education; reducing their feelings of social exclusion; creating support mechanisms and disability-friendly environments and promoting advocacy of their rights and interests on different levels. Targets for this project that have been met successfully include: •A total of 68 people have been trained in relation to this project - four support groups consisting of 56 support advisers (mediators). This training has contributed to the creation of a support system and more disability-friendly environment. 15 thematic workshops were held for the support groups, which had a total of 147 participants.•13 inclusive support events were held, with 449 children and youth with special needs participating alongside their peers, families and other community representatives. These events have helped reduce feelings of social exclusion amongst children and youth with disabilities and helped with their integration into local community life.•28 Latvian teachers and specialists have been trained to work with the Norweigan 'Grunnlaget' methodology. The teachers also provide support for others who use the same methodology when working with special needs children. This, alongside the perfecting of exisitng practices, has contributed to an improvement in the overall quality of education of children with special needs.•79 parents and support advisors have been educated on how to reinforce and protect the rights and interests of children and youths with special needs.•A new online service 'E-punkts' has been created in Latvia for the families and teachers of children with special needs. This is the website (
http://www.jjc.lv/e-punkts ) where a comprehensive source of important information can be found that is useful for parents of children with special needs; teachers and specialists working with special needs children. E- Point (website) has been visited by 2870 users and has provided 16 telephone and e-mail (electronic) consultations. •Created and circulated 2 videoclips about the project and also developed a methodical guide “Work of the support group on how to integrate special needs children, youth and at risk groups into education”.
Summary of bilateral results
Training of mediators and action, schooling of social partners (pedagogues, parents, social workers and others specialists) by using the Norwegian methodology "Grunnlaget", activities which promote public awareness and active participation to advocate the target group rights, strengthening cooperation with Norwegian partner (Pedverket Kompetanse) to ensure long term sustainable operation. Norwegian partner in the project was prepared and carried out a 3-day training seminars for 28 participants of the project. After the workshop partner gave 8 e-consultancy, which was prepared by the participants questions or challenges descriptions, providing the necessary security support Grunnlaget methodology implementation.