Through many years of working with people with disabilities, we have observed worsening social isolation as people with disabilities age, leading to social, financial, and cultural exclusion. Isolation and exclusion also have implications for those around them, parents and siblings, and lack of institutional support exacerbates the problem. Our diagnosis of the situation and needs of children and young people with disabilities in 2018-19 revealed that there are no bodies in our county working to prevent social isolation of children and young people with disabilities and their parents and siblings.
The project envisages comprehensive measures to mitigate the effects of vulnerability of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
We have planned therapeutic workshops (art therapy, drama therapy, assistance with communication) for two groups in this age group of people with intellectual disabilities and excursion workshops on becoming independent for the older group. We will organize for parents psychotherapy workshops and training on creating the future of people with disabilities. Siblings can attend psychotherapy workshops and we will also make possible one-on-one psychological consultations for families. We will also train volunteers to help with our activities. We will organize a trip to integrate the groups participating in the project and a meeting between local authorities and parents. As self-advocates, the parents will provide more information about the problems of their families.
The quality of life of sixteen families of people with disabilities will improve, and a group of sixteen parents will be trained to act as self-advocates.
The project is intended for people with intellectual disabilities (group of ten young people and adults, and six children), their parents, carers, and siblings in the county of Przemysł.