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Description
The goal of NGO Eesti Laste ja Noorte Diabeedi Ühing (hereinafter ELDÜ) ''s project is to prepare for the support system reform regarding children with special needs. Because the reform significantly increases the extent of local government participation in the support system for children with special needs, it is extremely important to increase the organizational capacity of ELDÜ to advise the maximum amount of local governments on the topic of children with type 1 diabetes.
Soon, local municipalities will be the main acquirers of support services for special needs children. Therefore, it is extremely important that municipalities would understand the needs of type 1 diabetic children and be able to order consulting and diabetes training services.
The main target groups of the project are local government agents responsible for the social sphere and heads of general education schools and kindergartens under the administration of municipalities. As a result of the project, a competency to communicate with local governments has been developed at ELDÜ and informative material has been created for local governments to understand the needs of families with diabetic children and how to help them.
As a result of the project, at least 40 municipalities in Estonia have been consulted and trained and 30 municipalities have booked ELDÜ''s services for November 2023. More broadly, the goal of the project is to improve type 1 diabetes management in Estonia amongst 800+ children and teens and reduce the development of diabetes complications. They are the ultimate beneficiaries of this project.
Summary of project results
The goal of the MTÜ Eesti Laste ja Noorte Diabeedi Ühingu (ELDÜ) project was to prepare for the reform of the support system for children with special needs, which was to be carried out by the state. The initial aim of the reform was to significantly increase the role of local municipalities in participating in the support system for children with special needs. It was crucial for ELDÜ to enhance its organizational capacity to explain and advise social sector representatives of local municipalities about the special needs of children with Type 1 diabetes. This would help municipalities understand Type 1 diabetes and the special needs of chronically ill children, as well as enable them to request various counseling and training services and support families.
A shift in the reform occurred at the end of December 2023 when the Ministry of Social Affairs announced plans to discontinue state funding for rehabilitation services. This created a new and very challenging situation for ELDÜ, as its primary funding comes from providing rehabilitation services, which also supports its advocacy work. In light of these changes, the project became even more critical for ELDÜ, as it provided the necessary foundation for adapting to the altered circumstances and strengthening the organization’s capacity to continue its advocacy efforts for children with diabetes, ensuring that they continue to receive the support they need despite the loss of state funding.
The project activities focused on raising awareness about the needs of children with diabetes at the local municipality level. This awareness effort grew to include collaboration with a regional hospital, including organizing an information day for 70 employees of the Rajaleidja service to help them understand the needs of children with diabetes. Looking back on the entire project, it was, despite the challenges, an extremely valuable and beneficial experience. During visits to local municipalities, it became apparent that they were not well informed about the organization, even though ELDÜ had been active for quite some time. It was revealed that the organization had been so effective in helping children with diabetes that these children had not reached out to local municipalities, as ELDÜ had already successfully supported them. As a result, meetings with local municipalities were crucial for introducing the organization’s work. The project also allowed ELDÜ to reflect on the need for its own advocacy and focus.
The project was crucial because it allowed ELDÜ to enhance local governments'' awareness of children with diabetes and gain valuable insights for future communication. The experiences gained during the project have significantly helped the organization develop and advance its goal of advocating for children with diabetes.
The project has certainly contributed to increasing the organization''s visibility, which could support its operational capacity in the future. Through the meetings and discussions held during the project, ELDÜ has also reflected on the need for better marketing and, if necessary, changes in approach.
It became clear that the organization was not very effective in involving volunteers, and the project highlighted the need to focus more on this aspect moving forward. In the fall, ELDÜ plans to begin involving young people with diabetes in activities and offering them "big friend" programs.
The issue of human dignity is currently under significant scrutiny in the social sector, particularly due to the communication surrounding the termination of rehabilitation services and budget cuts in the social sector. This situation undermines the dignity of people with disabilities, as they feel their support needs are not deemed important. ELDÜ has tried to address this issue through meetings with local municipalities and aims to continue being a voice for children with diabetes in the future.