International cooperation - actions deriving from the membership of PORAKA in EASPD and Inclusion Europe

Partnership in implementation of three European projects

            The Republic center for support of persons with intellectual disability - PORAKA is full member of Inclusion Europe - The European Association of Societies of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families and of EASPD - European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities. In 2009, within this membership, the Republic Center - PORAKA participates in three joint projects with other organisations that are also members of these two European associations. 

            The first project where the Republic Center - PORAKA is included as an associative partner is the project “Strengthening the families and prevention from maltreatment of children/persons with disabilities”, where project leader is the Italian organisation AIAS from Bologna. The project is supported by the Daphne programme of the European Commission, and partners are FENACERCI from Portugal, EVPIT from Estonia, SUSTENTO from Latvia, DISABILITY NOW from Greece, AFANIAS from Spain and EFOESZ from Hungary. The main aim of the project is exchange, adaptation and utilisation of existing good practices relating prevention from maltreatment of persons with disability. Also, provision and building capacities and exchange of expertise regarding the encouragement of non-violence relations within the families with children with disabilities. The expected results of this project are increased awareness among different actors in the field of disability (parents’ organisations, service providers, policy makers) in relation to the needs from having preventive measurements aimed towards strengthening the family in order to decrease the risk from inadequate behaviour towards children with disability.

            The second project in which the Republic Center - PORAKA is included is the project “UNIQ - Users Network to Improve Quality” of ATEMPO, non-governmental organisation for persons with disability from Austria. The project is supported by the European Commission programme Progress, and its main goal is transferring the model for evaluation of services, which is developed by ATEMPO, in three European countries: The Czech Republic, Norway and Germany. The model “Nueva” is an innovative approach that provides persons with intellectual disability to conduct evaluation of the services, which they are attending.
            Within the project, persons with intellectual disability from ATEMPO that are trained to conduct evaluation of services shall train other persons with intellectual disability from Czech Republic, Germany and Norway to conduct evaluation of the services in their countries and also how to use the instruments created by “Nueva”. The Republic Center - PORAKA is included in the project as a partner-observer with other five organisations: FEARS from Spain, SONCEK from Slovenia, Inclusion Ireland from Ireland, VILTIS from Lithuania and Lebenshilfe from Italy.

            The third project where the Republic Center - PORAKA is included is the project “Gate to Europe” of the organisation “hand in hand” from Budapest, Hungary, which is realised with support from EASPD and the national civil fund of Hungary. The main aim of the project is strengthening the existing and establishing new relationships between organisations that provide services for persons with disability from Central and Eastern Europe and are a part of the EASPD network. The project, also, aims to provide exchange of experiences and positive practice, as well as mutual development of project ideas and project partnerships in the areas of employment and training of persons with disability.

            During the first quarter of 2009, the initial meetings of the project-partners were held, which officially marked their start. During these meetings the activities that are going to be implemented in 2009 were arranged as well as the responsibilities of each partner-organisation.
            For the Republic Center - PORAKA, the opportunity to participate as a partner in European project is of utmost importance due to liaisons and creation of partnerships with organisations from the region and from Europe, as well as for gaining knowledge and experiences regarding new innovative approaches in the work with persons with intellectual disability, that would be adapted and implemented in Republic of Macedonia.

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