Inclusive Adult Education „Learning like others“

1. Inclusive Adult Education „Learning like others“

2. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Organisation Profile • Lebenshilfe Graz und Umgebung – Voitsberg • as the coordinator of the I AM 2003 project is • one of the biggest service providers in the • south east part of Austria.

3. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Organisations Vision • Live And Work Like Others • Support and accompaniment of people with disabilities according to this principle • Opportunities to build a self-determined and normal life

4. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Main Services • early childhood intervention • respite care • family and partner counselling • full-time, part-time and mobile living assistance • work, occupation and vocational training in day centres, • workshops, companies and special training projects • educational, recreational and holiday possibilities for people with disabilities

5. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Adult Education • 15 years tradition in offering adult education for people with disabilities, especially for people with intellectual disabilities

6. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Following the “inclusion concept” • Lebenshilfe wants to go a step further concerning adult education • Lebenshilfe intends to enable people with disabilities to participate in general adult learning programs (public)

7. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • The European I AM 2003 project • was started in October 2003 under the • Soctrates Grundtvig programme. (Coordinated by the Lebenshilfe Graz und Umgebung – Voitsberg) • Start: October 2003 • End: September 2005

8. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Collaborating partners were • Association DIA-Sport from Bulgaria • Club 82 from Germany • Comune di Colleferro from Italy • CONVELOP and the Styrian Chamber for Employees and Workers from Austria • Center Janez Levec from Slovenia • NIVE from Hungary

9. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Background of the project • Most of public educational services are not intended and designed for people with mental disabilities. • Inclusive adult education shall promote education and lifelong learning for all people whether they have disabilities or not.

10. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Target groups of the project • People with disabilities (predominantly with intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties). • Adult education providers and adult education trainers. • Professionals in the disability field (disability care workers)

11. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Aim of the project • …is to open up adult education seminars (offers) for the participation • …is to offer people with special needs the possibility of education and lifelong learning • …is to support them on the way to a self-determined life (with all the helpful technology)

12. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Main products of the project • 1. Fundamental advice and support for adult education centres (Handbook) • 2. Preliminary training to people with disabilities who want to participate in public educational measures. (Curriculum for Basic Qualification)

13. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Main products of the project • 3. Qualification of assistants enabling them to accompany and support disabled people • (Curriculum for Educational Assistants) • 4. Additionally Learning CD for people with disabilities to further train Basic Qualification at home.

14. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Idea of the Inclusive Educational Model • Parameters on three levels need to be fulfilled for a • successful implementation. • Level of the adult education organisation • Handbook – criteria list • Level of the client • Basic Qualification • Level of methodology • Learning Assistants

15. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Basic Qualification – AIMS and STRUCTURE • Preparation of participants for public education through the acquisition of basic skills. • Improving educational options for people with disabilities. • Curriculum development in cooperation with persons with disabilities. • The curriculum consists of 42 units grouped into three main modules.

16. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Basic Qualification – TARGET GROUP • People with intellectual impairments • Slow learners, who are being prepared for public learning opportunities through basic qualification.

17. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Basic Qualification – CURRICULUM • OVERVIEW • Module I: “Reading and Writing” • Module II: “Communication” • Module III: “Useful training for daily life – • organizational skills” • Module IV: “Useful training for daily life – • administrative skills”

18. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Basic Qualification – CURRICULUM • OVERVIEW • Module V: “Useful training for daily • life – social skills” • Module VI: “Computer knowledge” • Module VII: “Foreign language / • English”

19. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • The role of the LEARNING ASSISTANT • Offering need-oriented support • Accompanying persons with disabilities to adult education events • Supporting persons with disabilities in their efforts to achieve a self-determined life.

20. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Results and summary of the project • Persons with disabilities have a very high interest in lifelong learning. • It allows disabled people to expand their school knowledge, develop their social competence and increase their chances in the labour market. • They can improve their self-reliance and achieve greater personal independence. • This strengthens their self-esteem and self-confidence.

21. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • Empowerment of the target group • Individual assistance offers individual development opportunities for persons with disabilities • So-called ‘soft skills’ are important conditions for jobs

22. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • The ‘I AM 2003’ project can be seen as an important step towards achieving equality of rights and a self-determined life for persons with disabilities. • Basic qualifications and facilitating their access to further education, the "I AM 2003" project can be seen as a support measure for the integration of persons with disabilities in the labour market. • For successful integration in the labour market personal competencies are just as important as professional ones.

23. PASS IT ON - Alpha Transilvania • THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!