PROJECT DESCRIPTION

“(dis)Abled People in Social and Professional Life”

Every day disabled people face problems and social barriers that interfere both with their personal life and the work aspirations. Making an effort to meet the needs of these people - in particular in scope of satisfying their professional aspirations – Ruda Slaska Business Incubator (Rudzki Inkubator Przedsiebiorczosci) joined by the Association of  Families of Disabled People 'Hope' worked on a project designed to ease the access of skilled, disabled people to the labour market.

The main task of this activity was to reinforce the social integration, motivation and professional involvement of disabled people. Creation and management of the optimal  environment and conditions for the development of skills and social involvement was considered as another important element of the project. 

The project entitled: “(dis)Abled People in Social and Professional Life” was implemented according to operation 7.2.1 financed by UE through the European Social Fund.

The main purpose of the project was to develop the social and working skills of a group of disabled people by offering them support, raising their professional and interpersonal qualifications through the participation in meetings and training sessions held by invited experts.

The main purposes of the project:

- creation and management of the conditions supporting optimal social and professional development

- improvement of daily participation of disabled people in family life and social environment

- reduction of the financial barrier supported by a free participation in the project

- stimulation of professional activity among disabled people society

- promotion of an active approach to life and work challenges

Project was accomplished within the period of 12 months and led by Ruda Slaska Business Incubator (Rudzki Inkubator Przedsiebiorczosci) with the partnership support from ‘Hope' association.

The leader’s role was to organize and hold training courses and consulting sessions dedicated to the group of disabled people who showed interest in improving their professional skills and social abilities. Simultaneously, the project partner’s aim was to stimulate activity of disabled people and their coexistence with the families. The expected result was the improvement of family integration and the support of the therapeutic treatments.

Joint purpose of the project was to use leader’s experience in training/consultancy organizing and the knowledge of the local market combined with partner’s experience in social care and  disabled people treatment. This fruitful contribution of the two partners resulted in an efficient and effective support of the main idea of the project with the participation of 40 disabled people in various trainings and workshops.

From training to results

The group of 40 mentally disabled people participated in training sessions including:

- therapy and rehabilitation: creating and enhancing social skills and abilities for interpersonal relations, helping them to acquire new skills, widening of access to therapy and rehabilitation,

- music therapy in order to improve their social skills: team work, expression of emotions and feelings, stress management,

- computer skills, enhancing professional abilities and qualifications; development of interpersonal links and various interactions/contacts with the society,

- interpersonal workshops in order to improve social skills: communication, coping with stress, autopresentation, team work,

- exercises and practical workshops in order to create the know-how concerning new job application and ability to exist on the labour market.

During the training courses and workshops concerning the above issues the participants acquired new, useful skills. Theoretical and practical skills will hopefully make their personal and professional life easier. Thanks to the applied therapy they became more self-confident and more communicative in the areas of interpersonal relations. These skills should strongly improve their future life.

The project was concluded with the publication of an album containing CVs of the participants and promoting their professional potential. The album should help the participants in their efforts on the labour market and attract the attention of potential employers.