Description
The main focus of the project is to develop assistant services to people with disabilities as a response to the NEEDS with respect to civic participation, employment and education. Outcomes and activities will focus on: building a coalition of public and non-public organizations committed to develop assistant services; disseminating information on assistant services among local governments and non-governmental organizations; supporting local governments and non-governmental organizations in implementing the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; provision of assistant services, including the innovative engagement of children and youth with disabilities. The partnership will promote its current knowledge and form a coalition to support change in legislation allowing State Fund for People with Disabilities resources to be allocated to deregulated assistant services. PARTICIPANTS: 50 people with disabilities; 10 assistants; 200 individuals, among others representing local government and NGOs. VALUE ADDED: access to publishing and training resources of the partner and exchange of know-how between partners.
Summary of project results
"The need for the project came from the poor availability of assistant services in Poland. The lack of systemic guarantees for availability of such services results in lower levels of activation of persons with disabilities. So far, the assistant services were available in Poland only in individual municipalities and usually had short time-frame connected with particular projects. In addition, the issue of regeneration breaks in families with dependent disabled persons was totally ignored. The aim of the project was to create a coalition acting for availability of assistant services and to introduce legal amendments that will allow for systemic financing of the services. Such solutions were introduced by the regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of October 22, 2015, amending the regulation on the types of tasks in the field of professional and social rehabilitation of disabled persons commissioned to foundations and NGOs. The amendment to a great extent follows the proposals from the interested groups, encouraging the development of assistant services on the level of county local government. Under the project, a coalition was created gathering 11 non-governmental organisations and institutions active in organising assistant services in local government units. 8 coalition meetings were held where recommendations were developed on the methods for organising assistant services and the amendments to the regulation of the Minister of National Education on programme basis in vocational education. Under the project, assistant support was given to 55 families. The experiences gathered allowed for developing assistant centres in Wrocław and Bielsko-Biała. 5 conferences were organised for all persons interested in developing and offering assistant services and regeneration breaks with participation of representatives of NGOs and municipal institutions responsible for implementing social policies in their regions. Also 6 articles were published in regional press (Gazera Wyborcza), specialist periodicals (Praca Socjalna) and on the Internet (NGO.pl, kapitaldolnoslaski.pl). The recipients of the activities were persons with disabilities and organisations working for them. The project partner had a leading role in the methods of implementing the service of regeneration and assistant breaks in view of their former experience in this field."
Summary of bilateral results