Description
This project provides a solution to the difficult situation facing youth with disabilities in Romania. Particular focus is given to rural, poor and peripheral areas which lack access to basic health, education and employment services, and those living isolated from the community and are often the subject to abuse due to lack of information regarding their rights. The main objective of the project is to create an integrated service that contributes to the social and economic inclusion of 400 youth with disabilities, including Roma youth. This includes developing independent living skills, facilitating access to community based services, and working with parents, family members, specialists and volunteers providing services for this group. Direct beneficiaries of the project are 400 youth with disabilities of which 65 are Roma, 160 parents/tutors/family members and 60 professionals/volunteers providing services for youth with disabilities.
Summary of project results
Persons with disabilities in Romania, including youth, have limited access to services. According to a 2010 study of SAR Romania, only one in five persons that needs a wheelchair has access to it, because of insufficient state financial support. Persons with physical disabilities face also challenges in terms of accessibility of public spaces, health issues caused by absent or inadequate medical support, lack of access to education, jobs, sport activities. The same challenges in accessing adequate services face also young persons with intellectual disabilities. For both target groups, the situation of those living in the rural environment is even worse. At the same time, specialists and volunteers interacting with persons with disabilities, are not aware that a person with a disability has the potential to become an active member of society or need support in better addressing their needs in this regard. The project aimed to provide a complex of integrated services that contribute to the social and economic inclusion of youth with disabilities. A number of 484 youth with disabilities, out of which 65 Roma, from 14 counties, have benefitted from integrated services of various kinds, based on the identified needs: evaluation of health and support needs (prescription of mobility assistive equipment, vocational integration support etc) by a caravan of mobility and independent living; call centre for information and access to rights and services; trainings on independent living and sport; sport camps for youth with intellectual disabilities; participation in Special Olympics annual competition and other competitions for youth with mobility disability; smart medical recovery by MIRA technology; home based support. 412 parents have been informed regarding the support needs of their children and how to address them, while 64 specialists (teachers, carers, social workers) have received knowledge on how to better address the needs of youth with disabilities. In parallel, information dissemination has taken place, both online (newsletters, social media, third party websites) and in various events. The project contributed to the development of independent living skills of youth with disabilities from 14 counties, an improvement in their health condition and access to rights/services, an increased awareness of parents regarding the support needs of their children with disabilities and ways to address them and improved competences of specialists providing services to young people with disabilities.
Summary of bilateral results