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Description
According to County Disability Classification Team data, the number of children with disabilities is increasing. In 2020, in the county of Tarnobrzeg, the number of rulings for the 0-16 age group was as high as 141. Most parents are forced to stop or significantly limit work. The necessary spending on treatment, rehabilitation, and therapy usually harms families’ financial standing. Combined with lack of time and motivation, this puts them at risk of exclusion from many areas of life. In Tarnobrzeg, support intended directly for parents and carers of children with disabilities is not available – our activities will fill this gap. We will conduct four series of nine thematic workshops: on psychoeducation, with a lawyer, with a reha-manager, on photography, on making confectionery, artistic, handicraft: floristry and tailoring, and computers; we will operate a support group, makeup workshops ending in a photo shoot, and dance and gymnastics classes. We will organize three cultural excursions: a concert, a theatre piece, and a trip to a museum. We will invite the local community to three conferences on the needs of people with disabilities (on subjects such as alternative communication methods, operating on the job market, and forms of rehabilitation), and encourage parents to share their experiences. During all of the measures, volunteers (teachers and students) will provide care for the children. In the project, the Przystań Activity Centre will improve the functioning of families of children with disabilities. Parents and carers will become aware of their rights, gain new competencies, and become more active, including through involvement in self-advocacy. 100 parents and carers of children with disabilities from Tarnobrzeg and the surrounding area will participate.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the need to support parents and carers of people with disabilities. According to the District Disability Assessment Team, the number of children with disabilities is increasing. In 2020, as many as 141 disability certificates will have been issued in the Tarnobrzeg district for children aged 0-16. Most of the parents are forced to stop working or significantly reduce their professional activity. The necessary expenses for treatment, rehabilitation and therapy usually lead to a reduction in the material status of families, which, combined with a lack of time and motivation, exposes them to exclusion from many areas of life. In Tarnobrzeg, for a long time there was no support directly aimed at parents and carers of children with disabilities.
The project implemented a support and activation system for parents, carers and other family members of people with disabilities, especially children and young people from Tarnobrzeg and the surrounding area. A ''Przystań'' activity centre was created - a place that brought together families, children and young people with disabilities, volunteers and the local community involved in activities for people with disabilities and their families. The centre was a place that provided both respite, integration and development through 4 cycles of different classes and thematic workshops (handicrafts, photography, confectionery, computer, art, psychoeducation, music, cooking, rehamenagers, law) as well as psychological and emotional support through a self-help group and trips to cultural events. 3 exhibitions of works by project participants were also organised. An important element of the project was the social campaign "Przystań z Nami", which showed people with disabilities and their relatives as full members of society, people with talents, passions, socially engaged.
Thanks to the project, 106 parents and carers of people with disabilities from Tarnobrzeg and the surrounding area received multifaceted support - legal, psychological and informational. They were given space to develop their interests and passions, improve their social skills and self-esteem, participate in social and cultural life and work for their group. The quality of life of the families involved in the project was significantly improved.