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Description
The project aims to promote the involvement of disadvantaged people – the deaf – in civic activities and the development of their skills.
The project intends to contribute to the development of democratic culture and increase civic participation through: 1) developing the skills of deaf people so that they can participate in discussions on the role, goals and ways of civic participation, thereby fostering the formation of a democratic society; 2) launching a public information campaign in four regions of Latvia regarding the practices of civic involvement of deaf people, in which members of the target group are involved; 3) assisting the deaf people in gaining experience in democratic participation and decision-making for the implementation of the activities specified in the strategy of the association; 4) organizing an active camp for the leaders of the association, which is aimed at increasing the capacity of the organization.
The project is going to provide support to 256 target group members.
Summary of project results
The LNS (Latvian Union of the Deaf) has identified several significant challenges faced by deaf people in Latvia.
Key challenges:
-Accessibility of information: deaf people lack access to information in simplified language and Latvian sign language, which limits their opportunities to fully integrate into society.
-Lack of knowledge about democratic rights: many deaf people are not informed about their democratic rights and opportunities to participate in public life.
-Social isolation: deaf people often feel lonely and misunderstood in society, which limits their opportunities to form social contacts and fully realize their potential.
-Lack of organizational support: there is a lack of organizational support to promote the participation and involvement of deaf people in public life.
1) Regional discussions and development of basic discussion material: the aim was to promote the development of argumentation and discussion skills of deaf and hard of hearing people, hereinafter – deaf people, based on new knowledge about civic engagement, its goals and opportunities, human rights and the rights of people with disabilities, by participating in debates on issues of civic participation, democratic culture and social cohesion, the implementation of civic duties and rights, and taking into account existing barriers and challenges. In the first stage, basic discussion material was created - in video format, and, to ensure comprehensibility and accessibility for the deaf, in easy Latvian sign language. The video materials used two important documents for civic engagement and its understanding - the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia. In the second stage, regional discussions were held with the aim of promoting knowledge-based discussions and understanding of civil society, democracy, forms of democratic engagement, supporting regulatory documents, opportunities for civic participation, opportunities for the realization of rights and challenges for deaf people. As part of the stage, regional discussions were held in LNS associations (Valmiera, Smiltene, Daugavpils, Rezekne, Kuldiga, Liepaja and Riga) on the opportunities and forms of civic participation, good practices and problems in the field of democratic participation at the local level (within the city and region, in the association and in society as a whole).
2) Campaign to promote the organization''s recognition and positive public image for the development of civil society: a video material was created to promote the organization''s recognition and positive public image and a campaign to promote the LNS''s recognition and positive public image was held. At least 2 target group members participated in the campaign in each region, who informed about their experience of engaging in civic activities organized by LNS, LNS activities were presented (video material), and an exchange of views took place.
3) Involvement and increasing participation in decision-making processes for the implementation of the activities specified in the association''s strategy: with the aim of increasing the target group''s involvement and participation in the democratic governance of the association - in the work of the LNS council and the target group''s belief in the ability of individuals to influence decisions. LNS council meetings were held during the activity - a total of eight, each lasting at least 6 hours. The topics of the meetings were determined based on the current issues of LNS work. As a result of the meetings, a practice of democratic culture was formed, because as a result of the exchange of views and discussions, decisions on current issues of the association''s activities were democratically made.
4) Intervention measures in the development of civic participation skills. The activity consisted of three parts: in the first stage, a study was conducted on the barriers and solutions to acquiring civic participation skills for deaf and hard of hearing persons. The survey collected data on the target group''s understanding of the nature of democratic culture, the role, importance and limitations of civic participation for persons with hearing disabilities, and analyzed them, including whether the respondents'' opinions differed by region and age group. The second stage was intervention measures in the development of civic participation skills with the aim of developing the discussion skills and argumentation of deaf people, providing new knowledge in discussions about civil rights, involvement in civic activities and democratic culture, involving representatives of other NGOs, the state and responsible institutions in these discussions. 80 target group participants were involved in the events. The third stage was a working group - conclusions and proposals: a working group was organized with the participation of working group members (10 people) and target group members, project volunteers (10 people) to summarize the work done, draw conclusions and develop a resolution (with proposals and recommendations) for the further development of participation skills for deaf people. The developed resolution was submitted to the LNS regional associations and the LNS board.
-The culture of democracy and civic awareness in Latvia was strengthened in the deaf community (326 persons engaged). Throughout the project implementation, the target group was provided with information in Latvian sign language, both in the developed video materials and in various activities by providing translation to sign language interpreters.
-39 target group members were involved in decision-making processes.
-The target group has become aware of their rights set out in the Constitution and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as gained skills to participate in the processes taking place in society and in decision-making processes to improve the quality of life in the community.
In summary, the project aimed to enhance the democratic culture and civic awareness among the deaf community in Latvia by providing them with information and skills to participate in societal processes and decision-making, ultimately improving their quality of life.