TAD Projects
Project Launch: "Contatto"
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TAD ProjectsProject Launch: "Contatto"
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Presented at the Transnational Meeting in Cagliari, Sardegna, 28th & 29th September 1998
RP (Retinitus Pigmentosa) Sardegna is a voluntary organisation that works throughout Sardegna, the condition of RP is not widely known and awareness is low, in fact a few years ago RP was unknown.
Research on the number of people with RP, in Sardegna, indicates that there are approximately 1,000 but it is thought the number is nearer to 1,500 - 2,000. RP is concentrated in small towns in the centre of Sardegna, with the number of local RP groups growing as awareness of RP increases.
The national organisation, FIARP, is divided in to 9 regional association, including RP Sardegna, of these 7 are involved in the national project aiming to increase awareness and bring forward the research into RP. The Health Department and the national telecommunications organisation are also involved within the project.
RP is not recognisable initially, being usually slow to develop and associated with other conditions ie., ushers syndrome (progressive tunnel vision and deafness).
People with the condition have tended to keep quiet, even the family may not be aware through the person attempting to carry on 'normally'.
There is no support to people who develop RP simply because institutions are still unaware, yet it makes up 80% of blindness. Additional problems arise through the fact that Italian law does not allow access to support services until medically blind.
Part of the project aims is to bring about an improvement in legislation and also to bring together the different departments that have responsibilities in this area, for example, the Health and Education sectors.
The progression of RP can be as little a six years up to sixty years, the lack of support means that people usually lose their employment, as well as their social life. Leaving skilled people without work that is a loss not only to the individuals but also to society as a whole.
There is no re-training of skilled people to enable them to carry on working. The project will aim to train people to deal with the social changes involved and will include the public institutions, schools, public entities to achieve the projects aims and objectives. This is an opportunity to promote job access, although this will have own barriers in getting the recognition that person with RP is seen as employable.
Through the co-operative meetings, social networking and sharing experiences people will be able to access the 'world of employment' autonomously, that is not 'assisted' but 'supported'. This will not be an easy process but we will be able to reach our objectives especially through involving all citizens.
RP is designated under the rare category of genetic diseases (it part of 5,000 genetic diseases classified as rare yet these 'rare' diseases make up 10% of diseases), so there is a need to raise the profile of the disease.
Research in the past has been inadequately funded and has been mostly carried out by the RP Associations, which should really be the task of the institutions. Research into this genetic disease is important especially in Sardinia.
The project is developing a course for accessing employment opportunities in the medical sector and we will receive co-operation from other associations to access work. There may be problems in terms of the awareness between the idea of the social and medical models of disability.
The funds that the RP Association are releasing to institutions are to be used to provide quality training rather than quantity. In the past these funds were not really used to meet the needs of RP people. We are placing pressure on Town Councils to use the finance to address the real problems of society and respond to the issues in Sardinia.
This issue is very important especially since the Town Council may well be taking over the Regional Blind Association. WE are currently having meetings with the Association to establish how this is going to happen and top ensure that the money and facilities are used to support the people who really need them. These changes actually give us an opportunity to improve on the current situation.
Under legislation (Law No. 284 (1984)) there are regional and national funds for people with a visual impairment to support their activities and to encourage these them to continue with an active and productive life. Yet it seems that institutions who could benefit from continuing to employ people are unaware of this support.
The project's aims and objectives are very interesting and are an important step in addressing the needs of RP people.
Within this the use of definitions is a very important issue, for example, abled and non-abled is a negative definition but widely used. We have to leave behind the idea of 'pity', many Laws have often tried to 'solve the problem' by simply giving money rather than accept that society has a role to play in allowing equal access.
We need to stress the promotion of the person and jobs opportunities that are real and satisfying, it has to be stressed that not being able to see does not mean that that person has a lower value in society or employment. Social and economic integration has to be promoted but the integration must real and serious rather than some form of 'charity'.
The CONTATTO project is based in Sardinia but has transnationality - co-operation with other organisations in the European Union. This work with our partners in Spain and the UK has already agreed a draft-working plan of the work together.
These objectives are:
In 1885 the Workers Co-operative was established, over the last 10 years the League has been working on the vocational training of people, especially in the establishment of companies and self-employment.
We are the regional partner of the project and have supported the writing of the aims and objectives, and the constitution of RP Sardinia, and have developed strong links between the organisations.
RP Sardinia is a relatively young organisation yet in a few years they have developed numerous activities and achieved a number of objectives already.
CONTATTO (contact to and between employment and the world)
The project is funded under the Employment - HORIZON strand, in the past there have been other European Funded projects. From 1990 - 1995 there were two authorised projects that involved Sardinian people but under different strands NOW and YOUTHSTART.
Unemployment in Sardinia is approximately 18 - 19% and for disabled people it will be much higher. The project is aimed at employment opportunities through supporting people into independent work rather than assisted employment.
An important area of employment will be in publishing, printing, and translation, for example, the production of talking books. We will need to train people in the skills required and in establishing their own co-operatives, with specific training and educational courses.
The training includes practical work to simulate the set-up of a business and there will be work placement, we are already talking with employers about these placements.
The project is aimed at 20 unemployed people, of which 16 will be disabled people. The programme entails a total of 1,200 hours and will be completed by the end of October 1999. Participants completing the course will receive a certificate recognised in the European Union.
The training is designed to support the stated aims of the project in creating and realising working opportunities, as well as allowing social and economic integration.
Within this social networks will be established with the public and private sectors to enable the sharing of experiences, information, and activities to create new working opportunities at regional, national, European, and international levels.
This will also include awareness of the idea of the social model of disability, RP people are skilled and we aim to promote their skills and abilities.
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