More information
Description
Hento Toto project is an innovative model for the social and work integration of people with intellectual disabilities. People with these disabilities are one of the groups with the lowest quality of life. Depending on the degree of disability, they need varying degrees of assistance, from low support to overall care. Because of their greatly reduced intellectual abilities, they have problems not only in perception, understanding and learning, but also in adaptive behavior, which includes many of the social and practical skills of everyday life, in other words, they are dependent on the solidarity of society. Main goal of the project is to support mentally handicapped people to be more autonomous. It is based on Collaborative Art - teamwork of talented people with intellectual disabilities and professional creators to create mutual design products. Project will focus on 10 talented and mentally handicapped people with low and moderate degree of disability. Main activities include regular meetings every week to create and develop new products and series of 6 whole day art workshops to increase their expertise. The aim of the project is to transform the artistic expression of the target group into the marketable merchandise and to offer an alternative to the protected manufactory. The project will also include an educational exhibition for the public to increase overall awareness of the issue, inform people about the project and market and show the design products. Other activities include collaborations and consultations with experts in art education, business and social business fields and with organizations who work with people with mental disabilities.
Summary of project results
People with intellectual disabilities are among the population groups that have the lowest quality of life. Depending on the degree of their disability, they need varying degrees of assistance, from little assistance to full-time care. Their quality of life and the fulfilment of any rights, including the right to work, depends on the maturity of the society in which they live.The objective of the project "Hento Toto" was the work integration of people with intellectual disabilities through the model of Collaborative Art (teamwork of talented people with intellectual disabilities and professional creatives on shared design products) and improving the professional skills of the target group through a series of art workshops. The project activities consisted of the development of a product, education, business and marketing plan, follow-up consultation with experts on branding, regular coaching of the clients and the production and sale of the products created by them. The project resulted in 550 graphic designs, 15 prototypes of new products, 5 workshops with more than 20 participants, 1 educational exhibition, the sale of the created products in 35 stores, an e-shop, and a stable group of 8 artists - clients with intellectual disabilities.The project empowered this vulnerable group. During the course of the project the clients, through teamwork and regular training, acquired the knowledge, skills and habits necessary to turn their artistic activity into a future job. The project is a model of innovative social and work integration of people with intellectual disabilities and serves as an example for other organizations, that even in the context of the non-profit sector, it is possible to build a competitive brand that empowers vulnerable groups. The project is still being realised in the 2nd call of the ACF program.