Introduction

Fourth meeting of the European project “SEED” focuses on disability services in Italy

Fourth meeting of the European project “SEED” focuses on disability services in Italy

The partners of the European project SEED (Sharing Experience against Exclusion and Discrimination) have developed the fourth coordination meeting of the project in Lanciano (Italy), from 27th of  June to 1st of July, with the aim of getting to know the disability services, in order to define the structural and organisational strengths, what could be improved and how.

Istanbul Gelisim University, Lycées Pierre de Coubertin, Consorzio SGS and the Provincial Federation of Associations of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities of Seville (COCEMFE Seville) participated in the meeting with an exchange of experiences against exclusion and discrimination, the main aim of this project.

Thus, the National Association of Families of People with Psychomotor, Intellectual and Related Disabilities ANFFAS Onlus was visited to learn about its structured education in which each classroom has a specific function and helps students to develop greater independence and autonomy.

The representatives of each entity associated to the project have also had a close look at a family pilot house, where eight people with intellectual disabilities with a certain degree of autonomy will live permanently and with the least degree of external intervention, equipped with technology such as home automation.

They also visited the integrated socio-educational centre for children with disabilities with a certain degree of autonomy below school age and their families in Casalanguida, where great importance is given to the joint treatment of students and their families.

In addition, from the local public school P.D. Pollidori in Fossacesia, the teachers discussed how the Italian education system works and how they carry out their work in the school. In this sense, they highlighted two specific figures to help people with disabilities during their educational stage. One of them is the support teacher, who plans activities for the students according to their characteristics; and the other is the educational assistant, who designs the educational project taking into account the improvement of affective relationships, the development of linguistic and communicative skills, the increase of autonomy and the enhancement of cognitive development.

The project’s technician, Álvaro Walls, described the experience as “really wonderful. Sharing those moments of learning and fun showed us the great importance of the formative and humanitarian function carried out in this type of centre”.

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