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Description
The target groups of the project are 10 young people, 10 blind children and 10 young people, 10 deaf children between 7 and 25 years. They are marginalized due to ignorance of the community in which they live, and due to poor system because they are often not provided with conditions for equal participation. Although there are activities that advocating for changes that will improve their position in society, they are left out of the process due to their age or not having the necessary skills. The lack of programs that will strengthen their civic competencies and actively involve them in civic engagement is a key problem. In order to prevent marginalization, we decided to strengthen their civic skills, conduct a structured dialogue where they are advocates, and carry out the volunteer program. Main aim of the project is to increase the active participation of PWDs to create a more inclusive future; SA1: Strengthen civic competencies for 20 children and 20 young PWDs; SA2: Empower young people and children PWDs to start initiatives and engage independently and SA3: Strengthen volunteer engagement in the work of CSOs. The multiplier effect of the project will be achieved by implementing a program for young people and children PWDs for civic engagement, which is designed in a way that can be adapted to all marginalized groups, implemented in other local communities with the same effect. The project is relevant to this call because it directly contributes to increasing civic engagement in CSOs, strengthening marginalized groups, and civil society development and inclusion through the implementation of advocacy activities conducted marginalized group, PWD, which are also the results of the project.
Summary of project results
The state of democratic culture in the Republic of Croatia is constantly being questioned due to the fact that more and more citizens'' distrust of political parties and institutions is recorded because they believe that it is not in their interest, but for the personal interests of the rulers. Likewise, less cooperation from the opposition slows down the process of establishing many regulations important for increasing the quality of life of citizens. The democratic deficit of state and international institutions negatively affects the motivation of citizens to participate in political activities, which is clearly visible from the percentage of citizens participating in elections, especially when it comes to organizing civic actions and advocacy activities. CSOs that decide on civic engagement very often face lower financial and operational capacities, which represents a major challenge in the implementation itself. Political literacy among the majority of citizens is at a very low level, which is certainly a result of the low level of interest in political events in general. This level of political awareness is even lower among young people and children with disabilities who "do not bother" with what is wrong, since their human rights are most often threatened due to inappropriate social public policies. The key problem lies in the fact that there is no organized and adapted program for educating children and young people with disabilities about active citizenship, which also directly involves them in real actions. The project developed a program with innovative informal learning methods adapted to children and young people with disabilities, where they learned about active citizenship and ways they can participate in advocacy and other activities that it entails.
The project started with deep analyses of position of children and young people with disabilities in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County in the context of civic engagement. This analysis resulted in the creation of a comprehensive analysis of the current situation and a map of the civic participation of young people with disabilities. Based on the knowledge gained, guidelines were developed for the development of the program with the aim of encouraging the civic participation of young people with disabilities. During this process, weaknesses and obstacles for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in civic engagement were carefully identified and investigated.
Significant progress was made in raising awareness among the volunteers who participated in the creation of the map, as well as among the organizations from the consortium, which became more comprehensively aware of the current position of young people with hearing and vision impairment in the context of civic engagement.
As part of the project, a training program with four modules was developed for young people and children with visual and hearing impairments. This program places special emphasis on preparing young people for civic engagement and advocacy for change. Specialized methods and tools adapted to the needs and capabilities of the target group were used.
One of the key activities within this program was "Youth and children with disabilities as active and equal initiators of change - Test training program for youth and children with disabilities". The training was based on the developed program from the previous activity and aimed to strengthen young people and children with hearing and vision impairment in the area of human rights and rights of the disabled, advocacy and communication skills, and for the implementation of specific advocacy activities. Each module was tested separately, and after completion, a thorough evaluation of training satisfaction was conducted. 36 children and young people with visual/hearing impairments participated, and the desired outcome of empowering young people and children with visual and hearing impairments in the field of human rights, advocacy and communication skills was achieved, preparing them for the implementation of concrete advocacy activities.
The project also included the implementation of a structured dialogue on the adaptation of civic education programs for people with disabilities. This dialogue identified specific needs and challenges related to inclusive citizenship education. The dialogue participants jointly developed recommendations and guidelines for improving access to civic education for people with didibilities.
This project brought significant changes and improvements for all key stakeholders, including the target groups - children and young people with visual or hearing impairment, volunteers who participated in the implementation of the project, and the sector of non-governmental organizations dealing with people with disabilities and active citizenship.
The project provided an exceptional opportunity for young people and children with visual or hearing impairment to develop their communication, social and advocacy skills. Through the innovative "Test training of the program for young people and children with disabilities", young people gained important knowledge and confidence needed for active participation in civic engagement. In addition, the project raised awareness of the rights, opportunities and needs of young people with visual or hearing impairment. This awareness empowered the target group and encouraged them to become active advocates of change in society.
The participation of volunteers in the project brought key benefits. Through working with the target group, the volunteers developed better understanding of the specific needs and challenges of people with disabilities. The project empowered volunteers for an inclusive approach and support to target groups, improving their competences for working with young people with visual or hearing impairment. Also, volunteers have become more aware of the needs and rights of people with disabilities, especially in the context of civic engagement. This awareness will likely encourage them to be better advocates for the rights of people with disabilities in the future.
The project provided significant benefits to the NGO sector. By analyzing the approach to young people and children with visual or hearing impairment in the context of civic engagement, the project resulted in the development of useful guidelines for programs aimed at people with disabilities. These guidelines can serve as a model for other non-governmental organizations dealing with similar target groups
Overall, this project has had a positive impact on all stakeholders, contributing to a more inclusive society and strengthening the rights and opportunities of young people with visual or hearing impairment in civic engagement. The project strengthened the target group, improved the competencies of volunteers and enriched the sector of non-governmental organizations with useful guidelines and valuable partnerships.