Local conferences were held on the topic:
“Community – based services for persons with intellectual disability – the future development”

      Following the concept and the guidelines from PORAKA, 13 local branches of PORAKA held local conferences in the past two months, under the auspices and in close cooperation with the local authorities.

      The creation of alternative community – based services is the basic precondition for successful implementation of the policy for inclusion of persons with intellectual disability in all spheres of life and realization of their human rights.
      The prevention from institutionalization and the process of de-institutionalization assume creation and function of network of different types of alternative services for support of persons with intellectual disability and their families in the community.
      Therefore, within the annual observance of 3rd of December, The International Day of Disabled Persons, amongst the other foreseen activities, the Republic center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA and its local branches decided to pay special attention on the need for creation of network of alternative community-based services for persons with intellectual disability.
      In the past two months, 13 local branches of PORAKA have held local conferences on the topic: “Community-based services for persons with intellectual disability – the future development”.

      Following the guidelines of PORAKA’s Executive Board regarding the actual reform processes in the country related to the need of creating a network of services for persons with intellectual disability, PORAKA – Skopje under the auspices of the Mayor of municipality of Aerodrom, Mr.Kiril Todorovski, held the local conference on 13.10.2006. Participants were representatives from: Municipality of Aerodrom, PORAKA, Center for Social Work – Skopje, Center for follow up development of children born with risk, Special School “D-r. Zlatan Sremec”, primary schools, kindergartens, day centers and parents of persons with intellectual disability. After the fruitful discussion, conclusions were adopted.
      The local conference organized by PORAKA Kocani was held on 1.11.2006. Participants on this conference were: the Mayor of municipality of Kocani, Mr.Ljubomir Janev, the Mayor of municipality of Zrnovci, Mr.Blagoj Nikolov, representative from the municipality of Cesinovo-Oblesevo, the Chairperson of the Council of municipality of Kocani, Mrs.Beti Kuzmanovska, counselors, representatives from the local authorities, parents of persons with intellectual disability, head of the local unit of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, representatives of the Bureau for Development of Education, primary schools, Center for Social Work, health institutions, NGOs. After the detailed discussions, all participants adopted the recommended conclusions.
      PORAKA Radovis, under the auspices of D-r.Robert Velkov, the Mayor of municipality of Radovis, organized a local conference on 11.12.2006. Participants on the conference were representatives of PORAKA Radovis, the Republic Center - PORAKA, and the local authorities, the Office for Local Economic Development, Center for Social Work, the Medical Center, primary schools, NGOs and parents and persons with intellectual disability. After the introductory and the discussion, the participants on the local conference unanimously adopted constructive conclusions.
      PORAKA Demir Hisar has organized the local conference on 3.11.2006. Participants on the conference were: the Mayor of municipality of Demir Hisar, representatives from the Center for Social Work – Bitola, local authorities, primary schools, the psychiatric hospital and the members of the Executive Board of PORAKA Demir Hisar. After the presentations and the discussion on the conference, conclusions were adopted, and great efforts will be made for their implementation.
      On 10.11.2006 PORAKA Struga held the local conference supported by the Mayor of municipality of Struga, Mr.Ramiz Merko. Participants on the local conference were representatives from the relevant institutions on local level, who adopted constructive conclusions.
The local conference organized by PORAKA Vinica has been held on 3.11.2006. Participants on the conference were representatives from the local authorities, the Health Institute, Center for Employment, primary schools, Center for Social Work, the local unit of the Fund for Health Insurance, members of PORAKA Vinica. After the detailed discussions, conclusions were adopted, which will be conducted with mutual efforts.
      PORAKA Gevgelija held the local conference on 1.12.2006. Participants on the conference were the Mayor of municipality of Gevgelija, representatives from education, health and representatives from the organizations for disabled persons. After the discussion, the participants unanimously adopted conclusions.
      PORAKA Stip has organized the local conference under the auspices of the Mayor of municipality of Stip, Mr.Pande Sarev, and it was held on 3.11.2006. Participants on the conference were: representatives from the Republic Center – PORAKA, the Medical Center, the Health Institute, Center for Employment, Center for Social Work, Red Cross of Municipality of Stip, the kindergarten “Vera Ciriviri – Trena”, NGOs, the Executive Board of PORAKA Stip and parents of persons with intellectual disability. After the discussions, conclusions were suggested, which were unanimously adopted.
      The local conference organized by PORAKA Veles, under the auspices of the Mayor of municipality of Veles, Mr.Ace Kocevski, has been held on 3.11.2006. Participants on the conference were: counselors in the municipality of Veles, the directors and the psychological-pedagogical services in the primary and secondary schools in Veles, directors of several private enterprises where persons with intellectual disability are employed, the Special School “Maca Ovcarova” the employees in the day center, the Center for Social Work, the Center for Support of NGOs in Veles, NGOs, and parents of persons with intellectual disability. The discussants on the conference suggested conclusions, which were adopted by all participants.
      PORAKA Ohrid, under the auspices of Mr.Aleksandar Petreski, the Mayor of municipality of Ohrid, held the local conference on 2.11.2006. Participants were: the Mayor and counselors in the municipality in Ohrid, representatives from the Republic Center – PORAKA, Center for Social Work, Medical Center, Health Institute, primary schools, NGOs and parents of persons with intellectual disability. After the introductory and the discussion, the participants of the local conference unanimously adopted the recommended conclusions.
      PORAKA Kriva Palanka held the local conference on 10.11.2006, where participants were: governmental and non-governmental organizations and representatives from the local authorities. The foreseen presentations initiated fruitful discussion, which promoted unanimously adopted conclusions.
      PORAKA Prilep held a local conference under the auspices of the Mayor of municipality of Prilep, Mr.Marjan Risteski, on 10.11.2006. Participants on the conference were representatives from: Center for Social Work, primary schools, Health Institute, the day center, members of PORAKA Prilep, parents and persons with intellectual disability. The speakers with their presentations initiated discussion among the participants, which arose conclusions that should be implemented in the following period.
      PORAKA Kumanovo, under the auspices of Mr.Zoran Damjanovski, the Mayor of municipality of Kumanovo, held a local conference on 10.10.2006. There were 70 participants on the conference: representatives from the local authorities, the Republic Center – PORAKA, the local unit of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Bureau for Advancing the Education, Center for Social Work, Center for Employment, the Medical Center, the Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance, representatives form the primary schools, the Ombudsman, the Mission of OSCE, representatives of NGOs and the media. Discussion was developed regarding the topic, and it led to constructive conclusions.
      During the local conferences the Mayors gave their contribution by explaining the process of decentralization of the system for social protection, while the representatives from the local authorities in depth discussed regarding their competences according the legislation, in the area of social protection of persons at social risk, amongst are persons with intellectual disability. Representatives of the local branches of PORAKA presented the work of the organization and the community-based service (day center) in those municipalities where they function. The major accent was given to the need of creating a network of community-based services in accordance to the existing needs of the persons with intellectual disability, who are equal members in the community, which services will provide them dignified life and active involvement in everyday life in their communities.
      Since the need of creating alternative community-based services is similar through the country, the conclusions, which were adopted on the local conferences and arose from the discussions of the participants, were also very similar.


 The frames of the conclusions are:

- Effective decentralization of the system for care and protection of persons with intellectual disability according the Law for Self-Government, as well as successful implementation and practical realization of the legal opportunity for delegating the competencies to associations of citizens for performing work of public interest of local importance;
- Emphasizing the role of the Non-Governmental Organizations as service providers (stressing the meaning and the positive effects of the services on local level);
- Developing a network of different types of services according the needs of the population in the community;
- The functioning of the services must be provided on long-terms by making contracts with the local authorities, which will ensure finances for the services, in accordance with the law for Self-Government;
- Establishing partnership relations with the local authorities and including the organizations of persons with intellectual disability in the initiatives which refer to the rights of persons with intellectual disability;
- Continuous coordination and consultation between the Non-Governmental sector and other competent institutions on local level.

      The conclusions that have been unanimously adopted by the participants on the local conferences were presented on the national Conference “Community-based services for persons with intellectual disability – the future development”, which was realized by the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA on 14th and 15th of December 2006 in Skopje.

	Local conferences of PORAKA click to zoom the photos