SOCIAL INCLUSION PROGRAMME
One of the difficulties facing County Councils is the lack of non-institutional accommodation for young disabled people who reach the age of 18 where they are no longer eligible for child services. These vulnerable young people are sent from child placement centres housing up to 60 children, to large adult neuro-psychiatric institutions. Whilst child placement centres are not ideal, moving young people into large adult institutions where the ratio of staff to young person is far less than that of a placement centre, is traumatic and puts the child’s physical and emotional wellbeing at risk.
Moreover, County Council staff have no special training in working with disabled young people in the community; their experience is of working in institutions where service provision uses a medical model.
HAO provide a rolling programme of training to local authority staff in the social model approach to service delivery.
Group Home Project
Casa Catalina - Galati
A pilot training project for 6 staff members working at “Casa Cătălina” achieved a number of successful outcomes; the key worker system was introduced and each young disabled person has had a named member of staff responsible for their programme.
HAO has trained key workers on how to develop Person Centred Plans with young disabled people and how to identify individualised activities that will lead to their greater independence.
We plan to offer this successful training programme to other NGOs and County Council staff working with young people with intellectual disability.
Group Home Project
Casa JAMES DILLON - Constanta
A pilot training project for 6 staff members working at “Casa Cătălina” achieved a number of successful outcomes; the key worker system was introduced and each young disabled person has had a named member of staff responsible for their programme.
HAO has trained key workers on how to develop Person Centred Plans with young disabled people and how to identify individualised activities that will lead to their greater independence.
We plan to offer this successful training programme to other NGOs and County Council staff working with young people with intellectual disability.
Supported Independent Living Apartments
Constanta
Apartment Egreta
HAO supported four young people with disability to live in an apartment in Constanta. We helped these young people gain independent living skills, get jobs and deal with the day to day challenges they face living in the community and being part of the workforce.
We are actively working with these young people so that they will further develop their skills and gain the confidence they will need to move into their own apartments.
Supported Independent Living Apartments
Constanta
Apartment Lira
In partnership with Constanta Social Services Department (DGASPC), HAO has supported five young adults from institutional care in an apartment where they have gained the skills they needed to live independently.
We have also helped them find employment and manage the challenges they face living and working in the community. This was a 3 year project with the ultimate goal for these young people to gain employment and to move to their own apartments.
Safety Net Project
HAO provide a safety net of support to young adults with a disability who have moved into their own apartment. The level of support varies according to the needs of the young person; from being at the end of the telephone to hear about their latest purchase, to helping them manage their finances so they can pay their bills. We help and encourage the young people to develop their own network of support from the friends, work colleagues and other contacts they have made in the community.
We see this project as the final phase of HAO’s Social Inclusion Programme.
