The project targeted both young people with disabilities and their parents for the better inclusion
30.08.2019

Project-management training to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities

The project “Learning with the whole family” tackles the issue of inclusion of people with disabilities in the society through addressing their parents and building their capacity for project-management. However, that is not it… The project involved young people with disabilities in learning to help them advocate for their own rights. Below, Volha Salanovich from the organization “Nadezhda” (meaning “hope”) shares more details about the project and its impact.

What was the main purpose of this project?

“The need for the project was underlined a while ago. The project had extensive objectives: on the one hand, it aimed at developing the competences of parents of young people with disabilities in the sphere of fundraising and project management for the institutional development of their organizations and for improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. In addition to it, the project was meant to bring young people with disabilities to learning, participating in creative activities to, first, increase their skills, and, second, create a stronger capacity of employment.”

How did the project foster the life skills approach?

“During the project, we designed and implemented a fundraising and project management training course. About 80% of the course participants indicated that they now have sufficient motivation and level of preparation for applying the knowledge gained. As part of the training course, we organized a contest of mini-projects. 90% of the course participants took part in this competition. The 3 mini-projects that won the competition were successfully implemented.

Young people learning the basics of photo shooting

After completing the course, 40% of the course participants independently prepared project applications for open competitions. At least 50% of the submitted project applications meet the quality criteria and are submitted to the funds to receive financing. At the same time, a training course on photo and video shooting took place. The quality of photos and videos after the course has improved significantly. About 10% of the course participants received invitations to conduct photo and video works at events. At least 80% of the participants in the training course took part in creating videos promoting the interests of people with disabilities. The course participants created 3 videos promoting the interests of people with disabilities.”

What was the best practice learnt from this project that you want to share?

“Parents of young people with disabilities have mastered the basics and tools of fundraising and project management. They have sufficient motivation and level of preparation to apply the new knowledge, share it with others, and implement their ideas and develop the organization.

A training course on photo and video shooting was completed by 20 young people with disabilities. They increased their knowledge of photo and video shooting, learned how to create videos. Created videos have become popular on social networks and scored at least 3,000 views.

Overall, the project resulted in stronger awareness in the community about the needs of people with disabilities and untangling the common stereotypes around handicap people.”

Learning with the whole family

Category: National projects
Coordinator: Bobruisk primary organisation “Nadezhda”
Country: Belarus
Focus: Improving the quality of life of people with disabilities
Life Skills approach: Development of project writing and fundraising capabilities of parents of children with disabilities
Resources: video from the first photo school; video “Inappropriate help”; video “On sincereness of help”

Text: Aizhana KhasanovaPhotos: Primary organization "Nadezhda"

24.07.2024 advocacy

Adult Education and Learning for all must become a top European priority in the European Education Area

Adult education and learning for all to become a top European priority for the newly elected European Parliament and the new European Commission,  EAEA said in response to the European Commission's open public consultation on the mid-term review of the European Education Area.

22.07.2024 advocacy

EAEA’s take on von der Leyen’s re-election: important commitments on skills and adult learning

EAEA welcomes the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission on July 18. Von der Leyen’s previous Commission has led crucial initiatives to put skills and adult learning at the top of the political agenda, notably the European Year of Skills 2023.

16.07.2024 access

Making Education Accessible and Inclusive for Families, Parents and Family Carers: COFACE and EAEA call for a ‘Family Test’ in EU Education and Training Policies

In the context of the European Commission public consultation on the European Education Area, COFACE Families Europe and EAEA call for a 'family test' in EU education and training programmes.