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Description
The project is a reaction to the need of working out and implementing, in the Lubelskie voivodeship, a model of cross-sector cooperation for the benefit of performance of the systemic solutions in the field of availability (digital, architectural, communicational and informational) with the participation of NGOs operating in favour of the people with special needs, including the disabled and seniors. This will let people with special needs use a varied offer of NGOs to the measure of their abilities and aspirations. To date, in Poland, there have been no extensive initiatives supporting institutional growth or activities of organisations in the field of implementing the availability rules. On the other hand, the existing systemic solutions relate exclusively to public administration. Such an approach does not take account of the nature of conditions for implementing availability by NGOs in regions. In this regard, Poland is obliged to apply international objectives related to the improvement of the situation of the disabled and seniors (UN Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities) and the rules of availability referred to in the Act on Providing Availability to People with Special Needs of 2019. As part of the project, we have planned, among others: establishing of a regional, cross-sector Lubelskie Partnership for Availability, analysing the perspectives of cooperation between NGO sector and the public sector for availability, mapping Lubelskie NGOs applying the availability standards, implementation of the educational programme titled: “Lubelscy Availability Leaders" and implementation of the social campaign on the Internet titled: “PRO-SOCIAL=AVAILABLE". A partner to the project is the Lubelskie Disabled Persons Organisation Forum - voivodeship council. The value added for the project is the continued cooperation of the project partners in the field of increasing the share of NGOs in implementing the availability rules.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the need to develop and implement a model of cross-sector cooperation in the Lublin region aimed at systemic solutions for accessibility (digital, architectural, etc.), involving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working for disadvantaged groups. This was achieved through the establishment of the Lublin Partnership for Accessibility (LPnRD), exploring the potential for NGO-public sector collaboration on accessibility, mapping NGOs in Lublin that apply accessibility standards, implementing the "Lublin Leaders of Accessibility" educational program to enhance organizational capacity and professionalize activities in accessibility, creating a network of sub-regional social accessibility specialists, and conducting the "PROSOCIALLY = ACCESSIBLE" online social campaign.
The project primarily targeted NGO and local government (JST) representatives who joined the LPnRD (45 entities), participated in training sessions and webinars, accessed advisory services, and were involved in the social campaign to raise awareness about the importance of NGOs'' work in implementing accessibility principles.
The project employed a variety of methods. Participants engaged in:
Individual and group research (36 individual interviews, 4 group discussions),
Mapping the accessibility of NGO websites (32 websites),
192 hours of training for 35 NGOs,
6 "Civic Cafés" involving 94 participants,
265 hours of advisory services,
10 webinars,
A social campaign including 3 video spots, and
2 conferences involving 300 participants.
These activities helped raise interest in accessibility issues and encouraged participants to implement accessibility solutions within their own communities. Additionally, a website (liderzydostepnosci.pl) was created, with 73,367 visits as of May 26, 2023.
The project was a complete success, particularly in strengthening NGOs, establishing the Lublin Partnership for Accessibility, and introducing the Lublin model for cross-sector partnerships on accessibility. The project contributed significantly to building the capacity of NGOs working with disadvantaged groups with special needs, evidenced by the active participation of NGO representatives in all project activities.
The most significant achievement was the establishment and development of the Lublin Partnership for Accessibility (LPnRD) and the Regional Panel of Accessibility Experts, which remain open to new members. Currently, the Partnership includes 45 members, 32 of which are NGOs, and additional organizations have expressed interest in joining.
Key Accomplishments
Conducting six "Civic Cafés" with 94 participants from various sectors.
Creating and managing the LPnRD website (in Polish and English, compliant with WCAG 2.1 digital accessibility standards), which received 73,367 visits (exceeding the project target of 10,000).
Implementing the "Lublin Leaders of Accessibility" educational program, involving:
35 participants (one per NGO),
192 hours of training,
4 online webinars, and
Advisory services for NGOs.
Running the "PROSOCIALLY = ACCESSIBLE" online social campaign, featuring spots, webinars, and other tools.
Hosting a closing conference attended by over 70 participants in both in-person and online formats.
Sustainability
Post-project, partnership initiatives will continue through maintaining the Secretariat of the Lublin Partnership for Accessibility (LPnRD), a regional cross-sectoral coalition of NGOs and local government units dedicated to implementing accessibility principles.