The purpose of this network, under the auspices of Les Amis de l'Atelier, founder of the project, is to provide exchange of experiences among associations from different countries through introduction and sharing their practices and knowledge. The participants will explain their fields of experience in a data bank found on an Internet site, in order to serve all interested visitors of the site.
This project's web address is:
http://www.handiplanet-echanges.info

ABOUT THE PROJECT

A network of exchange that supports the access to rights

     Most of the time “invisible” because enclosed in their institutions more or less stigmatized or not getting away from their families or even wandering about, persons with intellectual disability remain excluded from most of the fundamental rights and freedoms in numerous countries.

     Those rights have nevertheless been made the object of different documents adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. One can only describe an important gap between what has been proclaimed and the reality of the situation. More and more associations are acting to encourage recognition of this fact by governments and to promote their integration. This network of exchange is a mean of support, within the respect for cultures, for the general movement for the access to a real exercise of rights and dignity, to education and social utility for the persons with intellectual disability throughout the world.

Exchange of ideas

     One of the goals of the project is establishing partnership relations between organizations of different countries that work in the field of realization of fundamental human rights for persons with intellectual disability. The professionals who participate in this exchange will have the opportunity to share their experiences, but also the tradition of work within their organization with professionals from the partner organization. This kind of partnership and exchange of experiences will contribute for constructive improvement of the everyday work among the partner organizations, and will encourage new ideas regarding the principles of everyday work.

     To accomplish this, the French association Les Amis de l'Atelier, will provide study tours of services for representatives from the partner organizations in different countries.

Internet Site

     The Internet site will permit all the participants to share what they have mutually learned through pages of experience. Elaborated together, and tracing a field of experiences useful to all who encounter similar questions, the pages will constitute a data base, available in English and French, and then in Spanish. An identification form will permit a census of all associations and will provide access to their fields of expertise, which will be augmented by pages of texts, images and audio attachments. A key word index will make it possible to find the available data on the site.

Developing and sustaining the partnership

     At a rhythm of five visits annually, augmented as well by those associations, which develop a process around them, and over an initial period of five years, one hundred associations can be involved and linked up in reciprocal exchanges. Over the long-term period, all associations are invited to become members of the network.

     Although the partnership does not have a possibility to exchange funds, it can promote links between funding entities and those with projects. At the same time, the network has the purpose of facilitating access to research, university expertise, and the body of public legal and statistical texts. As well, the site is a mean through which the persons with intellectual disability themselves or their families will be able to link up and meet.

After the exchange, the partnership continues

     The partnership can be sustained as a greater awareness amongst the partners, their clients and their families, and other associations, and to lead towards convivial exchanges between the partners (exchanges related to social life, by electronic or postal mail or exchanging cards among persons with disability). The partnership can continue in accordance to the means and desires of the partners as exchanges at low cost (books, school supplies, project assistance or support), as well as interpersonal exchanges by mutual meetings of members of personnel, association members, and persons with disability, thanks to external financing.

     In the second half of 2005, a representative of the association Les Amis de l'Atelier from France established contact showing interest for cooperation with the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA within the project “Network of International Cooperation”. The Project Coordinator Mr. Deny Pelsy in the period 29-31 March 2006 visited the Republic of Macedonia in order to familiarize himself with the situation of persons with intellectual disability in the country and with the work and structure of the Republic Center – PORAKA. At the end of his visit signing of an Agreement for Cooperation and including the Republic Center – PORAKA in the project “Network of International Cooperation” has been suggested.

     According the Agreement for Cooperation, and within the project “Network of International Cooperation” visits are foreseen for exchange of experiences between partner organizations in order to understand the situation, the structure and way of work, as well as exchange of professional experiences. The gained experiences will be shared through the Internet site created within the project.

	INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF RECIPROCAL EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE	click to zoom any of the photos
Activities from the visit in France	French educators visiting the daily centers of Poraka	French educators visiting the daily centers of Poraka