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Budujte vztahy, ne baráky
Příspěvek na konferenci FSS Ostravské univerzity o transformaci sociálních služeb v listopadu 2021: Ústav = kumulované bydlení + segregace prostorem a činností + podřízenost pravidlům zařízení Deinstitucionalizace = sociální služba – negativa výše Tedy poskytování podpory, která má člověka a jeho přání a potřeby v centru pozornosti; pomáhá být součástí světa kolem. Také podpora rodin, […]
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Build relationships, not houses
Last 2 days have been about learning how supporting living works in Greece, and how to improve it and make it available to many more people. It was a conference in Athens, held by Estia to mark 10 years of providing supported living services. They kindly invited me to talk about support for independent living and inclusion to […]
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Thank you to Luk Zelderloo as he steps down from EASPD
These are the last working days for Luk Zelderloo as EASPD secretary general. I would like to share some words. Luk has built EASPD over the past 25 years from an idea to a significant presence in EU disability affairs. (Sometimes too significant for my liking, but that is for another time 😉) We can […]
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Recommendations for Polish deinstitutionalisation strategy
Polskie Forum Osób z Niepełnosprawnościami organised a conference called “We have the right to live independently. We cannot wait any longer”, and I was invited to speak during a panel about the Polish deinstitutionalisation strategy and “whether we have to wait until 2030?” I offered suggestions for deinstitutionalisation: Prevent institutionalisation of those living in the […]
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Deinstitutionalisation and families
Today I spoke during a EESC hearing about challenges of the transition from institutional to community-based support for persons with disabilities and the role of families as their carers. I talked about priorities in deinstitutionalisation, one of which must be making the changes work for people with complex support needs too. They are often left […]
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Voter suppression? That’s fine by us says European Court of Human Rights
Written for Inclusion Europe 13 September 2021. When the news is filled with clawing away of people’s rights, and chipping away on the rule of law, what does a democratic-minded person do to keep hopeful and level-headed? We look up to the institutions charged with protecting them, of course. But what does one do when […]