International training for professionals

May 26, 2009

From 11th-15th of May training was held for the professionals who work with people with disabilities. Training was organised in the framework of the project "Learning Lab for Integration” in Girona region of Spain. 18 participants from Latvia, United Kingdom and Spain, in total represented 12 different organizations. Training was led by an international team: Dace Rodzina (organization of people with disabilities and their friends "Apeirons", Latvia), Pippa Cann (Point Europa, UK) and Maria Pallisera (Girona University, Spain).

On the first day the training participants acquainted with each other and introduced the project and its results. Also presentation of the documental short film, which was made in the framework of the project about the good practice examples on integration of the people with disabilities, and a variety of motivational programs as well as a discussion about their public image and understanding of differences across the countries. The second day was devoted to the employment, looking at people with disabilities inclusion into the labour market and examples of methods for the project countries, the participants attended a Supported Work Employment Centre Tresc in Girona. At the third day of the training participants encountered a variety of solutions for people with disabilities in education activities and good examples in Spain and UK.

As in her final speech “Point Europa” (UK) trainer Pippa Cann admitted "The training was very useful for making contacts, get to know new people, learn about new and different integration options and share the good experience!"

After the training Daiga Bindere member of the Liepaja Blind Association sharing her opinion on the training programme, pointed "It is worthwhile to listen to each countries experience promoting the employment of people with disabilities. The objective is one for us all - solving paths different. Of course financial support from the state opens many doors for them all. But we realize that this is the path that we will have to go. It was interesting to listen to the opinion of the representatives from UK on the quota system for people with disabilities employment - they warned not to choose it, because it doesn’t work. It was also valuable to learn about supporting work in the United Kingdom, centres of the promotion of independence and free time activities. Supported Employment Centre TRESC (Spain) – support and practical activities of the working skill education. New was that participant no longer talking about integration but already calling it the inclusion, which is the level above!"

The training material is available on the projects website Training programme and materials