We know from experience that a vast majority of measures aimed at people with disabilities focus on meeting their basic needs and providing care. While this is an important and fundamental element of support, in addition to needs resulting directly from disability, people with disabilities have the right and wish to develop, and play an active part in education, culture, and the life of the local community. They wish to create, together, a local community. Through research we have found that in Dolny Śląsk there is no institutional civic education in the form of self-advocacy.
The aim of the project is to improve the skills of self-advocates among people with disabilities in Dolny Śląsk.
We will organize for self-advocates advanced workshops to develop civic skills, and skills in conducting training and holding meetings, public discussions and speeches, and using modern information and communication technology. For interested newcomers, we will organize basic workshops on rights of people with disabilities and the self-advocacy movement, and the essential abilities for an active role in local community life. The participants will then hold six meetings aimed at other people with disabilities and the people around them, concerning monitoring of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and promoting self-advocacy. They will attend a two-day shadow day and a large national/regional event. A publication will also be produced on the subject of living independently and the importance of assistant services for people with disabilities.
The project is intended for 20 people with disabilities in Wrocław and the Polkowicki district.
As a result, 20 self-advocates will become active (ten with experience, and ten novices) and 30 other people with disabilities will improve their knowledge of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, self-advocacy, and living independently.