FPYPDEE - Summary

Summary Concise overview of the Curriculum Meetings Rationale and Objectives of the Project
Project organisation and specific tasks Contacts News Links

Joint Action Programme

Facilitation and Participation of Young Persons with Disabilities in an Enlarged Europe (FPYPDEE)

Youth no. 113161-JA-1-2003

Title

Facilitation and Participation of Young Persons with Disabilities in an Enlarged Europe

Acronym

FPYPDEE

Partners

EU		ENOTHE: European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education
NL		Hogeschool van Amsterdam
BE		AUCTORES vzw
ES		Espiritu de Supervivientes - Terapia Ocupacional sin Fronteras
IE		Colaiste na Trionoide
NL		VU Medisch Centrum
UK		Kirklands HospitalLanakshire Primary Care N.H.S. Trust
BG
BG
BG
BG
BG
BG
BG
BG		Municipality of Rousse
CZ		Obeanske sdruzen Green Doors
HU		Pécsi Tudományegyetem Egészségügyi Foiskolai Kar Zalaegerszegi Képzési Központ
RO		Consilul Judetan Directia Generala pentru Protectia Dreptorilor Copilului Timis -Centrul de Placement Recas
RO		Scoala Cu Cls. I-VIII "C-Tin Pufan"
RO		Universitatea din Bacau
RO		Universitatea din Oradea
RO		Universitatea de Vest dinTimisoara
RO		Centrul Pilot "Miorita" Camin-Ferma pentru Tineri cu Nevoi Speciale
RO		Asociatia Crestina, de Caritate, Misiune si Ajutor Olanda - România BETANIA
RO		Centrul de Ingrijire si Assistenta Bacau
RO		Centrul de zi "Ingerii Sperantei"
RO		Centrul de zi "Podul Lung"
RO		Asociatia de Sprijin a Copilor cu Handicap Neuromotor Bacau
RO		Asociatia Umanitara "Alternative"
RO		Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar
RO		Estuar - Fundatie cu activitate in domeniul sanatatii mintale
RO		Sociotatca "Umbrella" a Persoanelor cu Handicap Asociate Regional Bihor
RO		Asociatia "Armonia"
RO		Asociatia "Casa Faenza" - Centrul Comunitar Pentru Copii Autisti Timisoara
RO		Fundatia "Pentru Voi"
RO		Societatea Pentru Copii si Parinti
RO		Directia Generala Pentru Protectia Drepturilor Copililui Arad
RO		Administratia Sociala Comunitara Oradea
RO		Directia Generala Pentru Protectia Copilului Bacau
RO		Directia de Assistenta Sociala a Judetului Timis
RO		Prefectura Judetului Bacau Romania
RO		Directia Judeteana de Assistenta Sociala
RO		Guvernul Romaniei, Autoritatea Nationala Pentru Persoanele Cu Handicap

Summary of the project

In the European Year of Persons with Disabilities , the enlargement of Europe is an important policy issue. Within the national strategies for equal opportunities of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania the need for adequate education and training of professionals is mentioned.

This project will contribute to the reform of (higher) education as well as of the social sector in an enlarged Europe through the implementation of:

A modular curriculum in Occupational Therapy
Innovative teaching and training methods (like active problem and project-directed learning and distance learning)
New services and projects focusing on the participation of (young) persons with disabilities in society
The training of staff of (physical and mental) institutions, teachers of primary and secondary education and personal assistants
Vocational training and training of living skills of young persons with disabilities
The establishment of a (trans)national and local information network on issues of disability

Target groups

Groups of (young) persons with all kind of disabilities
The lecturers and faculties the participating universities
Workers in the field of disabilityo Staff of the counties and local authorities

The output will be formal OT education, informal training of staff and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Contracting Institution

Hogeschool van Amsterdam, NL

Partner Country Universities involved

BE, BG, CZ, ES, HU, IE, NL, RO, UK

Outcomes

The main directly measurable outcome will be a curriculum frame work in OT education for Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, description of the content, and the subject-specific modules, developed as a model based on good practice. The frame work and modules, which will be tested and introduced as course material in project partners' institutions, could also be used in short courses as a part of continuing professional education.

The objectives will be measured by the following specific outcomes:

192 individual assessments and treatment plans for persons with disabilities
Curriculum framework in OT for Romania translated and accepted (beneficiaries-Universities and governments)
Flexible course outline for Bachelors and Postgraduate in OT developed (beneficiaries-universities)
Modules and teaching materials in the following subjects developed (or revised) and carried out: (beneficiaries- universities, staff of residential institutes and local authorities and the persons with disabilities)

OT philosophy and core foundations
OT theories and frames of references
OT theories and practice in the area of:

Paediatrics
Physical disabilities
Mental/Learning disabilities
Elderly

OT management and developing OT services
OT research and quality assurance

Field-work placements for the students established
24 fully educated OT; and another 24 on their way
Self-evaluation and peer review report undertaken
Academic and professional recognition granted
Local network(s) FPYPDEE established and linked to ENOTHE and EDF (beneficiaries-all project partners)
Trained staff of residential institutes and
Brochures and information materials (beneficiaries- persons with disabilities)
Occupational therapy services in 6 regions in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania (beneficiaries-persons with disabilities

Rationale and Objectives of the Project

European year of people with disabilities, 2003 and the enlargement process

The European disability policy is expressed in the Madrid declaration written by the European Disability Forum for the European Year of people with disabilities. It is focusing on disability as a human right issue. Disabled people are entitled to the same human rights as all other European citizens. The enlargement process affects millions of disabled citizens in the accession countries. In some of them an established dialogue with the public authorities concerning disability affairs exists already. Nevertheless, the situation of disabled people is still very precarious in certain parts of Central and Eastern Europe, there is a real need to work for the improvement of their living conditions. An enlarged Europe must guarantee to disabled and non-disabled people the rights on freedom of movement, freedom of association, to access appropriate education, employment, to access goods and services, to social protection and to make free choices.

National Strategy for social integration of disabled people

In recent years much has been written about the living conditions of the disabled in Eastern Europe and in particularly in Bulgaria and Romania. Due to this wide publicity measures have been taken mainly concerning disabled and otherwise-deprived children under 18. Now that "the National, Strategy for special protection and social reintegration of disabled in Romania" (Bucaresti, 31 October 2002) has been set out by the Romanian government ( the Bulgarian and Hungarian strategies are more or less stressing the same issues), a first step has been taken towards a structural improvement of the position of (young) adult persons with disabilities. De-institutionalisation and reintegration of persons with disabilities into the community are two leading principles of this strategy. Subsequently the overall objective was elaborated in the following sub-objectives:

In accordance with EU legislation, training and employment of persons with disabilities and promoting active participation in society on all levels and in all spheres of daily life
Special attention to the closure of large old-style 'camin spitals' by developing alternative social services and small scale residential care
Strengthening of the associations of persons with disabilities
Establishing a system of community-based services which enables persons with disabilities to live their lives as independently as possible, assisted by a supportive network of qualified people and provisions

The sense of urgency of changes is clearly presented in this National Strategy (RO) and confirmed by experts. (NIZW, final report and National Action Plan, Utrecht/Bucharest, 28-02-2003)

The need for adequate education and training

The National Strategy (Moniturul Oficial Al Romaniei, partei 1, nr.853/26.XI.2002) is introducing a new terminology conform the ICF (international classification on function, WHO), mentioning the need of specialised personal, like 'instructori de ergoterapie and terapeuti ocupationali' and community services providing occupational therapy and rehabilitation.

Until now the Health and Psychological studies in the Universities of Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary were mainly focused on disorders, defects, cure and corrections. Studies or subjects focusing on functioning, participation and inclusion of persons with a disability in society and adapting the home-, teaching- and work-environment, like in occupational therapy education, are completely missing in the universities. The studies in the social sector have been abstract, theoretical and less practical.

Therefore the main objective of this project is to facilitate the participation of the disabled in all spheres of daily living by introducing Occupational Therapy Services, Training courses for staff of institutions and formal academic OT Education in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. Last year, May 2002, about 50 lecturers of universities, medical doctors, therapists, social workers, representatives of counties, associations of persons with disabilities and the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) discussed the need for occupational therapy in Romania and how to start occupational therapy education at a level compatible to the rest of Europe.

The outcome of the meeting was a strong recommendation to develop occupational therapy practice and education in Romania in order to enable the disabled to be self-reliant. A common agreed letter stating the importance of occupational therapy was sent to all relevant ministries on the 11th of May 2002.

It was proposed to start a postgraduate course: 'specialisation in occupational therapy' for lecturers and supervisors of the universities of Bacau, Oradea and Timisoara, where already some knowledge was developed about this new profession. The first group of fully trained occupational therapists should become afterwards the lecturers in occupational therapy in the three universities and clinical supervisors in practice. In April 2003 two universities of Bulgaria and one of Hungary requested to join as well in this joint education. In June 2003 the proposed postgraduate programme in OT is approved by the University of Timisoara and 24 students from all over the country (incl.Bulgaria and Hungary) have been selected for the academic year 2003/2004.

Aims and Objectives

This project will contribute to the reform of (higher) education as well as to the reform of the social sector in an enlarged Europe through the introduction and implementation of:

A modular curriculum in Occupational Therapy with a flexible Bachelors/Masters/Postgraduate structure
ECTS credits and guide
Innovative teaching and training methods (like active problem and project-directed learning and distance learning)
New services and projects focusing on the participation of (young) persons with disabilities in society
The (new)policies concerning persons with disabilities
The recognition of Occupational Therapy (practice and education) in an enlarged Europe
The training of staff of (physical and mental) institutions, teachers of primary and secondary education and personal assistants in order to achieve inclusion of young persons with a disability in their (local) environment
Vocational training and training of living skills of young persons with disabilities
The establishment of a continuous network of universities, schools, rehabilitation and day centres and associations for persons with disabilities linked to international networks (like ENOTHE and EDF (European Disability Forum))

Target groups

The following groups will implement the outcomes or benefit from the project:

All groups of (young) persons with all kind of disabilities (incl. social disabilities like street-children) in particularly living in the area around the participating universities in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
The lecturers and faculties (social and medical) of the five participating universities
Workers in institutions for persons with disabilities, primary and secondary teachers, who will be involved in inclusion projects
Staff of the counties and local authorities, who will be involved in implementing the National Strategy in County Support Organisations and Expertise Resource Centres.

Development Strategy

A general principle of the development strategy of the project is: train the trainers to enable the persons with disabilities and their caretakers in and through their occupations in their environment. (social and physical)

This strategy has proved to be very successful in Georgia, where it was applied in a similar postgraduate specialisation course in OT and where after a year all future OTs got employment, three primary schools started to work on inclusion and several new initiatives in the community concerning independent living have been undertaken. OTs have set up a training programme for social workers to instruct foster parents of children with disabilities and a training programme for teachers who work with refugee children.

Steps in the strategy:

Develop the modules in detail with the local partners and within the approved postgraduate curriculum in OT
Educate the students to qualified OTs ( teachers and supervisors), while during their education they will be involved in projects:

Training local institutional staff in de-institutionalisation
Training primary and secondary teachers in principles of inclusion
Training parents and personal assistants in making small adaptations in the environment
Training young persons with disabilities to acquire independent living, working and leisure skills

Co-operate with the counties in actions for attitudinal change and setting up community based services.

Sustainability strategy

The most important measure to enable continuation is the inter-nation-wide network, FPYPDEE. It will provide development and dissemination of the project outcomes. The project web-site will be an indicator of that.

In view of the end of the project the following outcomes must guarantee sustainability:

All OT programmes/modules will be accredited by the involved universities as bachelors or postgraduate specialisation course in OT and OT teachers and supervisors are educated.
Young disabled will be organised in associations and linked to national and international networks
Institutional staff, primary and secondary teachers of at least 6 regions will be trained in supporting young disabled in independent living
New community based services have been implemented in co-operation with local or county authority
The website of the project will contain all important documents and can be used by disability groups and future occupational therapists throughout all three countries

Added value of this programme

This programme will foresee in the formal education of occupational therapist and the training fieldworkers (in ergo instructors). Both professions are mentioned in the National Action Plan, however until now there has not been a curriculum developed in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

The unique focus of occupational therapy on occupation and daily life activities and the application of an intervention process that facilitates engagement in occupation to support participation in life, is till this moment totally missing in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.

It is very important to start this new academic discipline and profession in social and health sciences immediately within the real context. So provide the current workers with new attitudes and skills (client centred therapy, participation through occupation) and start at the same time with the formal OT students new projects like day-care, social and leisure clubs for young persons with disabilities and integration in mainstream education, which they have to develop, implement, organise and co-ordinate in a field of services.

In summary the introduction of the profession and academic discipline in occupational therapy in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary is contributing to an attitudinal change towards persons with disabilities and enabling them through occupation to participate as fully as possible in their environment.

Through problem and project oriented education new projects/services in co-operation with the carers, the persons with disabilities and the local authorities will be implemented and maintained.

This project will contribute to equal services for -and rights of persons with disabilities through the introduction of occupational therapy and practice in an Enlarged Europe.

Project organisation and specific tasks

The project organisation consists of the following groups:
A. The project management team.

Management team:

	Hanneke van Bruggen	Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL, co-ordinator of ENOTHE, supervisor of the joint postgraduate programme, co-ordinator FPYPDEE
	Ana Muntean	Co-ordinator of the joint postgraduate programme in OT, regional teamleader
	Gabrielle Raveica	Regional teamleader, Bacau, RO
	Diana Popa	Regional teamleader, Oradea, RO
	Lilyia Todorova	Regional teamleader, Rousse, BG
	Katya Mitova	Regional teamleader, Blagoevgrad
	Gabriella Gombos	Regional teamleader, Zaergerszeg, HU
	Andre Muit	Represenative for NGO's 2 Representatives of associations of persons with disabilities Representative for governmental and local authorities

Main responsibilities of the Co-ordinator

Tasks and responsibilities of the co-ordinator

To submit on behalf of FPYPDEE the work plan, setting and assuring the time schedule, setting and assuring the budget for each activity.
To divide the tasks among the management team members, the regional team leaders and evaluating the work regularly in accordance with the work programme.
To submit regular (at least every three month) reports about the progress of the project on the website.
To assure dissemination of the products to all participating institutes, professional and disbility-associations and other mentioned target groups.
To receive and distribute the overall grant proportionally to the costs incurred.
To co-ordinate the project and function as a contact point for help and information for all partners within the consortium
To draft and submit the project report to the European Commission.

Tasks and responsibilities of the management team:

To organise the content of major events
To manage the project with respect to organisation, planning, financial control, administration, information and evaluation
To supervise the running project activities
To develop and maintain links with relevant external organisations (EDF, National Council and Associations of persons with disabilities, governments, related disability-and professional organisations).
To promote the principles and ideas of FPYPDEE in an enlarged Europe.

Tasks and responsibilities of the regional teams

To full fill the activities described in the work plan, organise module(s), staff development and contacts with disability groups
To involve the regional members actively
To write a final report on the results
To present the products of the regional team in the major events
To develop and up-date part of the web-site concerning the products
To develop and maintain links with relevant (external) other groups or organisations
To participate in a joint meeting with the management team and invited experts on interim evaluations

The complementarity of the partnership

The partnership consists of the following complementary partners:

Universities- Higher Education institutes, with different faculties involved (medical, rehabilitation and Occupational therapy, social and psychological)
Institutions for persons with disabilities (Schools, rehabilitation centres, day centres, examples of good practice and centres that want to learn and to develop strategies for de-institutionalisation)
Disability groups (experienced and not-experienced in organising themselves)
County/ district and local authorities who will implement the new National Plan and strategies for persons with disabilities.

All parties will strive together for increased participation of persons with disabilities in an ENLARGED Europe.