The Śląskie Voivodship Social Policy Strategy 2020-2030 recommends developing support for people with intellectual disabilities at the place of residence. We know from studies conducted in 2020 that institutions providing support do not have activities aimed at empowering this group, while community activity of people with intellectual disabilities is below their needs and potential. On the other hand, Youth Care Centre studies show that although there is little youth community engagement, 82% of respondents would like to be more active in the community, including supporting people with intellectual disabilities.
This project addresses the problem of lack of measures to include people with intellectual disabilities in community life and young people’s needs with respect to a role in effective and long-term voluntary work.
We will develop and test the Unconventional Volunteer Work methodology (persons with intellectual disabilities assisted by young people) in cooperation with local institutions. We will train participants to be active in the form of youth workshops (communication, empathy in relationships, forming boundaries, resolving difficult situations, motivating) and voluntary work training for people with intellectual disabilities and young people (interpersonal skills, formal dialogue, autonomous decision coaching, personal presentation, voluntary work). We will hold study visits and start a self-help group. We will conduct one-on-one diagnoses of volunteers in cases of adapted voluntary work intermediation. We will provide mentoring support for community initiatives and voluntary activities in institutions.
Thirty people with intellectual disabilities and fifteen young people (aged 16-30) will participate.
The methodology will be developed and implemented to make people with intellectual disabilities more active in the community.