Fight For Ability! / VÜF 2013
Estonian Agrenska Foundation project “Fight for ability!” is supported by the NGO Fund of EEA Grants, which is operated by Open Estonian Foundation.
The project brings together organisations that are intrested or already involved to contribute for solving the employment of young people with special needs – to avoid that a significant group of population otherwise will be cut off from contributing to the society. As a result of activities, the knowledge and courage of civil society organisations to successfully negotiate over creation of work-centers for the target group, increases.
The project maps the legislation, elaborates guidelines for creating work-centers and puts together an information package for current work-center offers across the country, runs piloting of services suitable for work-centers, secures future information dissemination.
In co-opreation with Norwegian and Estonian partners, 12 new civil society stakeholders will be involved into development of the field, 3-4 new work-center initiatives will be brought up.
Partners
ASVO Nøtterøy – www.asvo.no/public.aspx
NGO Independent Life – www.iseseisev-elu.ee/
The Chamber of Disabled People in Põlva County – polvakoda.ee/polvakoda/
Tartu County Association of Municipalities – www.tartumaa.ee/
Kammeri School – www.kammerikool.ee/
More info about Open Estonia Foundation and NGO Fund of EEA Grants – www.oef.org.ee/index.php
The role of the Norwegian partner
The partner has an experience since 1994 in field of providing basic working skills, performance measurement and sharing information in communities about the need for working and opportunities for youth and adults with special needs. ASVO has the sign of the quality in providing social services – EQUASS. ASVO has been a partner at the previous activities, including VÜF 2009-2010 project “Right to work. The fundamental right in a democratic country. ”
This collaboration is a further development of the co-operation, which gave an overview of the processes functioning in Estonian society and enables partners to contribute to build effective capacity in this area.
In October the project manager and the legal representative of the project met ASVO representatives and ASVO group also visited applicants and partners in August 2012. The preparation has been thorough, just the ideas like drafting guidelines, mapping the legislation where ASVO could help to prepare the partners.
Partner is responsible for the common work exercise and conducting a seminar held in Norway. ASVO also delegates a specialist to Estonia for two periods during the partnership who could help to improve the ability to develop basic working skills to promote solutions.
Activities
In April-May 2013 we involved 14 young adults with special needs into our project. We introduced the aims and activities. The assessment of the young adults took place through individual conversations. The activities took place on manor park and in textile workshop.
On 15th of March we had a chance to introduce our project in a seminar organized by Ministry of Finance.
On 14th of April first outreach event was organized in Värska for Võru County Association of Municipalities.
On 15th of May and outreach-discussion for Tartu University ´s Pärnu College social work students and their tutors was organized.
The opening seminar with 60 participants was held in 4th of June in Tammistu manor. All the important partners participated, as well partners from ASVO. The aim of the opening seminar was to pass on the experience of the partner and to spur the different sides of society to contribute actively.
On 13th of June an outreach event was organized for specialist from Võru County Association of Municipalities, Võru County Administration, NGO Meiela. Two young adults with special needs attended as well.
Photos of the opening seminar – picasaweb.google.com/110750228203757085270/ProjektiAvaseminar4062013
On 20th of July a meeting with Estonian partners, specialists and families was held in Sammuli to change information and experience on working with young disabled people. We mapped the legislation shortages and the families got useful counceling from our specialists.
In July a work-specialist from ASVO visited Tammistu for 3 weeks to give us advise and help us to map the legislation together with our partners.
On 26-30 of August a common work exercise was held in Tammistu. Our Norwegian partners from ASVO came to work in Tammistu and in NGO Independent Living together with our youngsters. Look at the photos from the visit – picasaweb.google.com/110750228203757085270/ASVOKulasAgrenskal
On 6th-10th of November 2013 Estonian Project partners visited ASVO in Norway. From Estonian partners Estonian Agrenska Foundation, NGO Independent Life, Kammeri School, The Camber of Disabled People in Põlva County, Tartu County Associacion of Municipalities representatives took part of the meeting. As well one person from Ida-Virumaa Chamber of Disabled People and one person from Unemployment Insurance Fund. Besides ASVO we visited Velle Utvikling and Smiløkka.
See more photos of the meeting in Norway-
picasaweb.google.com/110750228203757085270/ASVOTripp
On 21st of October we presented our project to the representatives of Estonian Chamber of Disabled People. In November we met in Tartu Vocational Education Centre to present our project aims and on the other hand to become more educational information about the possibilities in Tartu Vocational Education Centre. A similar meeting took place in Tartu Mental Health Care Centre where our youngsters met with clients of the Centre and we had a chance to inform workers and people with disabilities about our project. On January 2014 we visited Meiela centre and Võru Järve School – photos
On 31st of March the first procurement ever in cooperation with the Estonian Unemployment Ensurance Fund to organize work exercise for the youngsters with special needs living in Tartu Kaunase Kodu.
The conference “Everybody gives their effort!” was held on 5th-6th of June 2014 in Tammistu barn-concert hall. The conference was international. We had presentations from Norway and Sweden. As well different presentations from our partners and other organizations who form a network around person with disability. Conference photos – https://picasaweb.google.com/110750228203757085270/VUFKonverents2014
The joint work exercise with Norwegian partners was held in the end of August in year 2014.
In autumn we visited Vana-Vigala Technics and Service School and Vääna-Viti Home which provides similar services as we do.
On 20th of February 2015 the project final seminar was held in one of the new work exercise centres in Rakvere. Photos here –
https://picasaweb.google.com/110750228203757085270/VUFLopuseminar
The Project in the media:
*An article in Tartu Postimees http://www.tartupostimees.ee/1519034/noorte-jarel-tulevad-perekeskusse-lapsed
*Radio interview in Norway local radio station from 1:27:47 – http://radio.nrk.no/serie/distriktsprogram-vestfold/dkve01022313/07-11-2013#t=1h27m47s
*About our visit to ASVO http://www.asvl.no/filestore/InspirertavASVONttery12.11.pdf
*The Estonian Chamber of Disabled People magazine „Sinuga“ released an article about our project – http://www.epikoda.ee/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Sinuga_sygis-2013_210x297_webi.pdf.
More info about the project:
Krislin Padjus, project manager – 53831084
The VÜF project “Fight for Ability!” has ended on 28th of February 2015. The final report in Estonian is to be finded here:
VYF lopparuande vorm 2015_Agrenska Fond
