easpd annual report 2010
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What kept us moving in 2010TRANSCRIPT
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"Disabilities are yet another manifestation of global diversity. Let us always be committed to the fundamental principles of dignity and equality for all human beings." Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations
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What kept us moving in 2010 In times of crisis it is even more important to remember what is essential -‐ meaningful and fulfilled lives for everyone. EASPD’s knowledge, dedication and responsiveness play a vital role in defending and improving the range and quality of services to people with disabilities that they want and need. We represent over 9000 members in 30 countries and we are passionate to remain a strong and human voice. This report highlights some of our major activities during 2010. We are really grateful for all the contributions of our staff, members and partners. We look forward to continue working together in the future. There is much to be done.
IMPACT
• Implementing the UN Convention
• Impact in Europe
INNOVATION
• Conferences • Projects • Working Groups
INFORMATION
• EASPD's services
• Members • Provider Fora
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Impact, Innovation and Information The aim of EASPD is to facilitate the full citizenship of persons with disabilities by the provision of the right services in the right way. To achieve this, EASPD has based its work on 3 pillars of activities: Impact, Innovation and Information. This annual report shows what EASPD has done in 2010 in these three areas.
It has been a positive year in many ways. We have been able to foster and connect knowledge, dedication and expertise in the disability sector across countries and disciplines. The conference in Helsinki in June concerning the inclusion of people with multiple disabilities and the subsequent Declaration was a major contribution to the full realization of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Similarly, the conference in Skopje in October was a significant opportunity to share best practice in Eastern Europe and to develop new collaborative networks. With kind regards, The EASPD Executive Committee
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Words of the President In 2010, the European Union concluded the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Many people with disabilities need services to help them realize their rights in their daily lives. So EASPD will set its agenda in line with the Convention. We will use this powerful tool to make concrete improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities. Our work will also contribute to the new and complementary European Disability Strategy 2010-‐2020. At the same time, in most of the EU member states the financial crisis is being used as an excuse to decrease funding for services for persons with disabilities. In many countries this has meant a major deterioration in the quality of life of persons with disabilities and indeed in some countries we have even seen an increase of institutionalization. We have worked, and will continue to work closely with others to combat this, with particular reference, in 2010, to it being the European Year on Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Good services remain essential to fight poverty and exclusion, and this will be one of our core goals. .
Franz Wolfmayr President
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Information •EASPD's services •Members •Provider Fora
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The EASPD Website The main EASPD website www.easpd.eu is regularly updated with key information on EASPDs activities and its members, European social policy, European projects etc. An Easy to Read section has also been added to the website. This reflects our commitment to effective communication. EASPD’s group on Facebook has been regularly updated and promoted leading to increased visibility. EASPD FACEBOOK LINK FAN Page & Friends page
Newsletter & Newsflashes In 2010 EASPD issued 9 Newsflashes and 1 Newsletter. The topic of the newsletter was how to break the link between poverty and disability. In 2010 EASPD also issued 5 press releases. The Newsletter and press releases can be found in the news section of the EASPD website: http://www.easpd.eu/News/tabid/3532/Default.aspx
EASPD’s services
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EASPD represents over 9.000 member organizations in 30 countries. In 2010 we welcomed 9 new members, both umbrella organizations and single agencies.
Members
WHAT MEMBERSHIP MEANS TO ME “The creation of NASO as a respected Bulgarian organizational structure is entirely due to EASPD. This began in 1997 with the first of the annual service Provider Fora for people with disabilities. With the participation and support of EASPD, NASO is now recognized by the national government as a key player in development and delivery of policy.
NASO has also earned the trust of the Bulgarian Municipalities and the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, representing all municipalities, who now are members of NASO. Work is also underway to involve leading corporations and employers to develop a model partnership between Civil Society, Municipalities and business. We hope that the implementation of this model can be popularized for other stakeholders via EASPD.
The participation of EASPD staff and representatives in the Forum and via EASPD experts in The Pass it On and Snowball projects on employment have raised state and municipal government awareness of the needs and contributions of people with disabilities and disability-‐related organizations.
EASPD is also significantly supporting NASO’s contribution to the Bulgarian government’s deinstitutionalization strategy. It’s very important for Bulgaria that all fora are held with EASPD representatives. EASPD’s authority, expertise and commitment have been and will be essential.”
Georgi Georgiev: President National Alliance for Social Responsibility (NASO)
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EASPD Provider Fora are country based events organized in co-‐operation with local service providers and umbrella organisations. The aim is to set up umbrella structures so that provider organizations can support each other, be informed about and contribute to policy and exchange and develop models of good practice amongst themselves, at a national level and across Europe.
Croatia, March 12 -‐ 13 Around 45 people attended this Provider Forum organized in Rijeka in cooperation with the Croatian service providers Centar Fortica, Centar Stančić and Centar Val. This rare opportunity to bring together all stakeholders of the disability sector was much appreciated by participants. In Croatia, services for people with disabilities are mainly provided directly by governmental organisations. However, there are
New Staff Member
In 2010 Helene Konopski joined the team. She is an experienced accountant who made a very positive contribution to our organization.
Provider Fora
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also many NGOs which are very active in the field. The need for a closer and balanced cooperation was strongly expressed, as well as the necessity to ensure sustainability of associations, whose activities are too reliant on short term funding. Participants also had the chance to learn about potential European funding opportunities and about key success factors in the development of a national network of service providers for people with disabilities.
Bulgaria, April 21-‐ 23 The Fourth National Forum on services for people with disabilities in Bulgaria was held in Sofia from 21st to 23rd April. The Forum was a part of the project Snowball, a partnership between VISION, EASPD, NASO and PPG (Flemish Umbrella of Disability Care Sector in Flanders), co-‐funded by the Flemish Authorities. Over 100 representatives of municipalities, service provider organizations for people with disabilities in Bulgaria, employers, and representatives of national institutions which support people with disabilities took part. There was active participation by Belgian experts, representatives of the Flemish authorities and NGOs from Flanders, as well a large number of Bulgarian representatives of state and local authorities, NGOs, municipalities, socially responsible corporations and other entities.
Poland, November 23 This second Polish forum for service providers took place in Krakow at the invitation of the Social Department of the City of Krakow. The purpose was to become more informed on the standards for supporting people with disabilities in education and employment according to the UN Convention and the EU Disability Strategy 2010-‐2020. The Social Department also wanted information on how to submit European projects and to explore strategic options for the future. 24 managers from different types of services in the Malopolska region, and also representatives from GOs or NGOs and the municipality of Krakow, including the Mayor of Krakow, Mrs. Chrapek, participated in the event.
The Forum was very successful. Most of the participants, including the Municipality of Krakow, were interested in future co-‐operation with EASPD and its members on European projects. Another forum is being planned.
Romania, November 25-‐26 The Provider Forum 2010 in Romania was a great success, showing the continued growth of DISABNET, the Romanian network of service providers for persons with disabilities. A significant sign of the importance of DISABNET was the fact that the Academic Network of European Disability experts (ANED) had asked it to contribute to its report on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in European Member States. Almost 50 stakeholders attended the event and their expertise was gathered through workshops in order to fulfill ANED’s request. The event was also an opportunity to discuss the huge impact of the global crisis and related austerity measures on the
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disability sector in Romania, severely endangering the activities of NGOs working in that field. All concerns were brought together and resulted in the development of a position paper.
Slovenia, November 4-‐5 The 3rd Provider Forum in Slovenia took place in Ljubljana and was co-‐organized by SOUS, a network of Organizations for Training of Persons with Disabilities. There was an active participation of representatives of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, directors and managers of Slovenian service provider organisations as well as teachers and specialised professionals in special and regular schools and institutions. The focus was Inclusive education, which is of high importance in the Slovenian political agenda as Slovenia is currently adopting amendments of legislation in the field of education to promote an inclusive education system to allow pupils with disabilities to be included in mainstream schools. Models of good practice from Belgium, Malta and Slovenia were presented, as well as an overview of the developments at European level.
Preparatory visit in Turkey, November 12 A preparatory visit, to Eskisehir, Ankara and Izmir, sponsored by the Dolunay Association, was held to explore the setting up of an ongoing cooperation. The visit led to an agreement on the following issues:
• Starting the process of EASPD’s membership in Turkey • Organizing a provider forum in Eskisehir in 2011 • Continuing collaboration with Members of Parliament in Turkey and with the officers of the
Administration of Disabled People based in Ankara through the support of the Dolunay Association.
The visit marked an important step towards strengthening links between service providers of Turkey and the rest of Europe.
Austria For the first time ever, Austrian service providers for persons with a disability have met at national level. The very fruitful meeting made clear that due to the division of competences in Austria only co-‐operation at regional level (Länder) is well organized. The main conclusion of the meeting is that a structure should be set up facilitate co-‐operation and dialogue on a national level to allow providers to tackle common problems. .
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Innovation -‐ Conferences -‐ Projects -‐Working Groups
“We believe in interdependence and partnership of user organizations, providers and authorities at all levels to tackle the challenges ahead.”
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“What about me? –Including the most excluded” Conference on improving the quality of life of people with profound disabilities
The European Commission recognizes that people with profound disabilities and and/or high support needs are one of the most excluded and most vulnerable groups of citizens in the European Union. Even though the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states in its article 1 that it “must apply equally to all people with disabilities”, the particular needs of persons with such disabilities are not specifically mentioned in the UN Convention. Therefore, the above Conference reflected EASPD’s determination and commitment to make a difference by developing policy recommendations on the specific needs of persons with profound disabilities for action on European and national level, exchanging good practice and building networks. The conference had three main themes: communication and interaction, active support and citizenship and inclusion. The full Helsinki Manifesto can be found here The full conference report can be found here
Conferences
3rd and 4th June 2010 in Helsinki, Finland
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“Towards community-living: current realities & future challenges “ The EASPD conference in Skopje saw the active participation of over 200 people from 25 countries including people with disabilities, their families, service providers, researchers and representatives of the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe. It was an exceptional networking opportunity in this region, but also an excellent way to build bridges between the different regions of Europe. The conference was also the occasion to issue a strong political message against austerity measures observed all over Europe. There is widespread political commitment by governments to the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Yet much needs to be done for it to be fully ratified and implemented.
Skopje Manifesto
“In order to achieve the objectives set by the UN Convention, delegates called for:
• The immediate ratification of the Convention and its optional protocol by all governments in Europe, with the government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia leading by example after having hosted this very successful conference .
• The participative elaboration by National Governments of comprehensive action plans aimed
at implementing the Convention in each European country, including measurable objectives, supported by realistic budgets and accompanied by independent monitoring mechanisms
• A clear focus of European governments on the sustainability of services for persons with
disabilities, which can only be achieved through appropriate regulation and funding systems
…”
The full Skopje Manifesto can be found here
The full conference report can be found here
7th and 4th of October 2010 in Skopje, Fyrom
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Projects EASPD manages
Pass It On (01.01.09 -‐31.12.10) The Pass It On project ended in 2010. It was coordinated by EASPD and aimed to synthesize the best of well tested materials from previous projects dealing with supported employment of persons with disabilities. The materials were translated into Hungarian, Bulgarian, Romanian and Czech. A pool of international experts supported partners from these countries and Malta so that they could raise awareness about the methods of supported employment, disseminate the translated materials and further promote a shift in mindsets around this thematic issue. The overall goal was to contribute to the implementation of Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Much was achieved during the 2 years of the project. The effort will continue in 2011, with amongst other things the continuation of the web portal on the employment of persons with disabilities, created and updated by the EASPD. More information can be found on www.employmentforall.eu
Pathways to Inclusion (P2i) (01.10.10-‐ 30.09.12) The Comenius funded project ‘Pathways to Inclusion’ (01.10.2009 – 30.09.2012) is being carried out by 11 different partner organizations across 10 EU member states, and will develop a European network and a Knowledge Centre on Inclusive Education. These will be ongoing.
In the past year much has been done to get a clear overview on the
real situation regarding inclusive education in the different partner countries. Research, led by the University of Siegen in close cooperation with all project partners, will result in a “Barometer Summary”, showing how far the partner countries are in their journey towards inclusive education. A final version will be ready by the summer of 2011. In
2011 the partnership will also develop a self-‐evaluation tool for individual schools, based on the Index for Inclusion and other useful
self-‐evaluation instruments. The final conference of the project will take place in Debrecen (Hungary) on 13th -‐14th September 2012. More information can be found on www.pathwaystoinclusion.eu
Projects
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ImPaCT in Europe (01.01.09-‐31.12.11) The Project ImPaCT in Europe – Improving Person Centred Technology in Europe is a networking project in the field of Assistive technology. Its objective is to raise awareness of “person centred technology” (PCT) and the benefits it can bring to people with disabilities and their carers. Key messages that the partnership voices are:
• PCT should become part of the core way of supporting people;
• A fruitful and engaged dialogue with all stakeholders is required; • There should be more sharing of information on available assistive technology; • Training of professional care staff should include use of assistive technology, so that they can
become key partners in delivery; • Use of assistive technology can also bring about important savings, so that limited resources can
be directed where they are most needed; • Technology can help learning, thus contributing to increased quality of life and independence
for persons with disabilities. More information can be found on www.impact-‐in-‐europe.eu
Projects in which EASPD is a partner
-‐ Rose (01.09.08-‐ 31.10.10) ROSE is a Leonardo da Vinci funded project aimed at reducing stress and burnout amongst people working in the mental health and intellectual disability occupational support sectors. The project was carried out by 9 different partner organizations across 6 EU member states. During the project’s lifetime, an accessible and user-‐friendly online stress management programme has been developed. More information can be found on www.leonardorose.eu & www.roseproject.eu
Inclusion Galileo (16.02.10-‐16.04.12) The INCLUSION project will open a world of possibilities for persons with reduced mobility. Using the most advanced satellite navigation technologies (Galileo, EGNOS, EDAS), it will lead by 2012 to the creation of a tool, which will
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enable its users to enjoy greater mobility in urban environments.. EASPD’s contribution focuses on person centered needs assessment.
SNOWBALL (01.01.09-‐ 31.12.10) EASPD and the Flemish umbrella PPG, together with the Bulgarian partner Agency
VISION, delivered the SNOWBALL Project in 2009 and 2010. It was co-‐funded by the Flemish Authorities.
The overall aim of this 2 year project was to empower the Bulgarian network of providers for people with disabilities (NASO), to voice
the concerns of the sector, to offer legal advice to members, to lobby authorities , to facilitate innovation by organizing exchange and training and to offer custom made support needed in order to provide good quality services. There were a series of provider seminars and twinning initiatives between Flemish and Bulgarian organizations/agencies, and the establishment of a helpdesk during the project’s lifetime. More information can be found on www.naso.bg
National Qualification Framework Inclusive (NQF)(01.10.09-‐ 31.10.10) NQF Inclusive is a Leonardo da Vinci funded project, coordinated by Chance B from Austria. The project is a follow up of the project “Happy Farm” and started in October 2009. The project will finish in September 2011.
The aim of this project is to develop a model for accreditation and certification of training courses using the European and National Qualification Frameworks (EQF and NQF) to create a greater transparency and transferability across the European educational system. EQF is a generic system consisting of 8 levels. All members of the European Union are requested to develop their “National Qualification Framework” (NQF) along these lines. More information can be found on www.nqfinclusive.org
IBB2 (Integrative Berufsausbildung zum/zur BehindertenbetreuerIn-‐ pädagogische AssistentIn) (01.10.10 – 30.09.12)
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IBB 2 is the continuation of the EU project IBB the developed an inclusive training model in order to train people with disabilities to become disability care workers. With this training model, people with disabilities were able to participate in a vocational training in the social sector for the first time. In this follow up project, IBB2, six organizations from five countries started a co-‐operation in October 2010 to implement this two-‐year-‐project. More information can be found on www.lebenshilfe-‐guv.at/ibb2
IGOS – Quality Work Settings for all (01.08.09 – 31.07.11) The project ‘IGOS – Quality Work Settings for All’ began in 2009. This project is a partnership project –funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme-‐ which will help finance the face to face meetings of the Interest Group in order to work intensively on their objectives. The purpose is to share and exchange expertise, to compare the different occupational service models and national systems in the partnership countries and then to develop common frameworks and tools to enhance the employment competence and skills of people with disabilities, to facilitate entry to the labour market. More information can be found on www.igosproject.eu
Creating a Common Foundation in Care using the European Care Certificate (01.10.09-‐ 30.09.11) This two-‐year project directly follows on from the European Care Certificate (ECC) project. EASPD is working with thirteen partners from twelve different countries in the European Union. The project began in 2009 and two meetings already took place in 2010 -‐in Cyprus and Brussels. The project’s main aim is to embed the European Care Certificate throughout the partner countries that will be using it, make adjustments or improvements to the certificate, to translate all materials and exams in the different languages of the project partners and add it to the respective National Qualification Frameworks. The ECC will also be directly referenced to the European Qualification Framework. An online version of the ECC is in development. By the end of the project in October 2011 at least 1000 candidates across the EU countries will have achieved the qualification. More information can be found on http://www.eccertificate.eu/
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Connecting Citizens in Europe Connecting Citizens in Europe is a project aiming at bringing together committed citizens working for organizations providing services to persons with disabilities, local, regional and national authorities and people with disabilities to set up stable national networks in the partner countries. Thanks to the support of the funding by the Europe for Citizens programme, EASPD was able to organize, together with its local partners, four Provider Fora in Romania, Estonia, Slovenia and Slovakia and an international conference on “Towards Community Living” in Skopje, FYROM Macedonia. The Provider Fora and the international conference offered an excellent platform to strengthen capacity of local, regional and national organizations by mutual learning, sharing information, exchange of good practice, cooperation and networking in the disability sector throughout Europe.
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Working Groups Our working groups include Interest Groups and Standing Committees. Each group focuses in more depth on a key topic, namely Mental Health, Education, Employment, ICT and Assistive Technology, Occupational Services, Enlargement and Policy Impact. Members strive to disseminate and develop best practice and to work closely with other key stakeholders. All groups are supported by EASPD staff members.
Standing Committee on Enlargement The Standing Committee on Enlargement acts as a platform for exchange of information, ideas and cooperation opportunities. 2010 was a key year in the short history of the SC on Enlargement, thanks to the great success of the EASPD Conference organized in Skopje at the beginning of October. Based on the achievements of the past the conference strengthened the capacity of the Standing Committee to act as a watchdog, able to raise awareness and to influence governments with the continuing objective to help correctly implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through high-‐quality services. This role will be further strengthened in the years to come The conference was also used as an opportunity to think of the orientations of the Standing Committee in the next years, based on the achievements of the past. The group decided to keep its role as a platform for exchange of information, ideas and cooperation opportunities. Chair: Mr. Ákos Pordán, Hungary For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator:
Standing Committee on Education
Working Groups
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Europe can only reach its goal of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-‐based economy in the world, if the right to good quality education is guaranteed for every European citizen. EASPD is committed to supporting the fundamental right of people with disabilities to high quality education and Life Long Learning in inclusive settings. In order to better respond to and influence policies in the field of education for people with disabilities and developments in this regard at European level, EASPD established in 2004 its Standing Committee on Education. In 2010, the focus has been mainly on the Comenius project ‘Pathways to Inclusion’ (see above under Projects). The Standing Committee is also continually working on a stronger cooperation between different stakeholders working in the field of education. There is a growing database of over 400 stakeholders who are being kept informed on a regular basis about the European developments regarding inclusive education and special needs education. Chair: Mr. Phil Madden, United Kingdom For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator:
Standing Committee on Employment Employment and job opportunities are a key priority for all governments in Europe. With a considerable part of the EASPD membership providing job-‐related services or employment to people with disabilities, these issues are also high on the agenda of the service providers throughout Europe, especially in these times of economic recession. In order to follow more closely the relevant policy developments at European level, EASPD established its Standing Committee on Employment in October 2003. The main tasks of this Standing Committee are to actively follow-‐up relevant employment-‐related issues at EU level; to draft replies and act as a vehicle for EASPD on employment issues and to disseminate important national/regional employment issues among our members. The Standing Committee has been working on a stronger cooperation between different stakeholders working in the field of employment, which has resulted in stronger partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Gladnet, the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID) and the World Association for Supported Employment (WASE).
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Chair: Fabrizio Fea For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator:
Interest Group on Mental Health Mental health is a discrete and important disability. There is also a disproportionate incidence of mental health issues amongst people with other forms of disability. The Interest Group on Mental Health was established in 2006, and has led or participated in several projects, with a particular emphasis on “Dual Diagnosis”. Chair: Dr. Fabrizio Fea, Italy For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator: Ms. Goedele Avau -‐ [email protected]
Policy Impact Group A considerable percentage of national legislation is a product of original deliberation and action at the EU level. In addition the Open Method of Coordination plays a key role in developing practice across the European Union. This is why it is vital for EASPD as the voice for disability service providers to be involved in policy work at the European level. The Policy Impact Group is the platform that enables EASD members to do just that: follow important developments happening “In Europe” and make their voices heard by EU decision makers. So what did we work on in 2010? EASPD was busy in several areas:
• Non–discrimination and fundamental rights: we contributed to the consultation on the new European Disability Strategy 2010-‐2020.
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• General EU strategy: we provided inputs on the new overall political strategy of the EU: Europe 2020, as well as on key initiatives like the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion.
• Social Services of General Interest: we continued our work on quality of social services, through discussions with members and participation in EU initiatives (a European Voluntary Quality Framework, Common Quality Framework for Social Services of General Interest).
• Employment in the care sector: we wrote a paper on the situation of “Employment in the Care sector” in Europe, describing areas of concern and putting forward possible solutions.
The thematic focus in 2010 was on the intercausal link between poverty and disability: this was the topic of the annual policy seminar during which we analyzed the factors linking poverty to disability, and tried to understand the role that service providers can play in making things better. Finally, we continued monitoring the impact of the financial and economic crisis on social services for people with disabilities and warned authorities of the negative societal consequences of the austerity plans. Chair: Mrs. Mineke Hardeman, the Netherlands For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator:
Interest group on Occupational Services This subcommittee, established in 2006, works under the supervision of the Standing Committee on Employment. The goals of this Interest Group are exchange of information, giving advice to researchers and looking for topics with regard to workshop matters and advising the Standing Committee on Employment on political positions and lobby work. For 2010 all partners of the IG were involved in a partnership project called “Quality Work Settings for All”. Chair: Mr. Thomas Umsonst, Germany For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator:
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Interest Group on ICT and Assistive Technology EASPD has a special Interest group on ICT and Assistive Technology, created to look at all the benefits that new technologies can bring to disabled people in areas such as communication, employment, commerce, learning, independence, safety and free time. Its purpose is to achieve more and better information on technologies and their benefits; to exchange best practice between organisations across Europe, and to ensure the needs of people with disabilities, their families and carers are taken into account in e-‐Inclusion strategies. The work of this group has been mainly developed through the ImPaCT in Europe project in the past 2 years, but a strategic meeting in Skopje outlined plans to better share the findings of the project with the broader EASPD membership. Chair: Mr. Steve Barnard, United Kingdom For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator: Ms. Miriana Giraldi – [email protected]
Interest Group on Workforce Development The initial work of this interest group has been focused on delivering the LEONARDO project "Creating a Common Foundation in Care." (See above under Projects). This is a follow up project to the European Care Certificate (ECC) and expands the use of the ECC to at least 13 EC countries. The first meeting of the interest group took place in November 2009 in Brussels as part of the new project. The goal is to explore how its National Qualification Framework (NQF) is being implemented in each partner nation, and in particular what impact this is having on the access of unqualified staff to qualifications. Our intention is to secure the use of the ECC as a minimum entry award in as many member states as possible. This will be closely linked to the development of the EQF (European Qualification Framework).
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Chair: Mr. James Churchill, United Kingdom For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator:
Interest Group on Independent Living The interest group on Independent Living had its first meeting in October 2010 in Skopje, FYROM Macedonia. Its focus is on innovation and the supported housing sector. Independent living for people with disabilities is only possible if the right support is available. This interest group will reflect on the exact meaning of UNCRPD article 19, collect and exchange models of good practice, support the development of instruments facilitating user involvement and independent living, draft policy recommendations for authorities at all levels, share experiences, explore the future challenges in residential accommodation, deepen the cooperation between daily services such as education and, employment -‐ and housing and create networks of people with and without disabilities. The members of the interest group will support the organization of the next EASPD conference “Old? So what? Independent Living for seniors with Disabilities” on 30th June and 1st of July 2011 in Linz. Chair: Mr. Stefan Pimmingstorfer, Austria For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator: Ms. Charlotte Boetticher – [email protected]
Cooperation agreement with BAG and UNAPEI In August a cooperation agreement was established with BAG and UNAPEI. From 2011 onwards a staff member, funded by the two organizations, will work on the role and contribution of occupational
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services when implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities article 26 and 27. For more information please get in contact with our EASPD Facilitator: Ms. Sabrina Ferraina -‐ [email protected]
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Impact -‐ Implementing the UN Convention -‐ Impact in Europe
“Good services help facilitate the correct implementation of rights in all aspects of life. Ignoring this will bring even more discrepancy between the rights people have on paper and the day to day enjoyment of these rights”
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EASPD is committed in all that it does to supporting the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and to an inclusive Europe, where people with disabilities are fully integrated as equal citizens with full enjoyment of their rights... In 2010 EASPD contributed to the following initiatives and policies that strive to enhance the implementation of the Convention: More information can be found on http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=150
EU Disability Strategy 2010-‐2020 The aims of the EU Strategy are to create a barrier-‐free Europe for all and to empower people with disabilities to enjoy their full rights. The Strategy reflects the EU’s signatory commitment to implementing the UNCRPD.
Europe 2020 Full economic and social participation of persons with disabilities is essential for Europe 2020 to succeed in creating smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Especially the flagship initiative European Platform against Poverty has the goal of ensuring that 20 million fewer people will be in poverty (a reduction by 25%) by 2020.
Implementing the UN Convention
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The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The UNCRPD is a set of rights to ensure independence, social and occupational integration and equal participation of persons with disabilities in the life of the community. The rights recognized by the Convention cover all key aspects of life (accessibility, employment, education, health, independent living, participation in culture and sport, civil rights). The EU and Member States, to the extent of their competences, have to comply with the obligations to ensure the rights recognized in the Convention.
The full UN Convention can be found here
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European Commission In their work on disability, the European Commission focused on 3 key elements during 2010:
• The development of a reporting practice with regard to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at member state level;
• The conclusion (ratification) of the UNCRPD by the EU. This process was successfully completed
at the end of the year. The EU is the only other body in the world besides national states to do so. The Convention is also the first human rights treaty ever concluded by the EU. One of the first effects of this is that the Disability Unit moved from DG Employment to DG Justice;
• The launch of a new Disability Strategy 2010-‐2020: EASPD actively participated in all 3
processes. The concern of EASPD and other service provider networks is that the European Commission must develop a more coherent approach to ensure the UNCRPD becomes a reality. The declaration of human rights is not enough in itself. Amongst other things there must be a clear and positive recognition of the role played by services in enabling people with disabilities to enjoy real, day to day rights.
European Parliament In 2010 EASPD continued its involvement in the work of the European Parliament. In January it organised a meeting with MEPs involved in disability issues to discuss employment of people with disabilities. EASPD also participated actively in the regular activities of the European Parliament, particularly as a stakeholder in various Intergroups, such as those on Public Services and the Social Economy.
Council of Europe EASPD took part in the disability specific activities of the Council of Europe as it strives to deliver its Disability Action Plan – for example by participating in the European Co-‐ordination Forum for the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan (CAHPAH) and by speaking at conferences and making its expertise available in different working groups and taskforces. Representatives of the Council of Europe at civil servant, parliamentary or member state levels participated and contributed to our events organized in Finland and Macedonia.
Social Dialogue EASPD continued its work with other key players to promote the involvement of employers of the non-‐profit social services as social partners in the social dialogue at European level. This involvement will lead to greater participation in the realisation and definition of social policies at EU level, as social partners are consulted on issues related to social policy and working conditions.
Impact in Europe
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Quality of social services In recent years, the Policy Impact Group has particularly focussed on the quality of social services –defining key components and contributing to the development of European frameworks and standards’. In 2010, we organised an internal Roundtable on Quality of Social Services to discuss this topic within the Policy Impact Group and Executive Committee members to clarify the situation in different countries and launch a debate to reach a common understanding of quality of social services. We now plan to carry out a survey across EASPD members to understand their current knowledge, practices and systems in terms of quality assurance and management within their organisations. The information collected through the survey will be used as the starting point for the creation of a “toolbox” for managing quality within service organisations, which will be made available to members.
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Back to basics – but at what price? The financial and economic crises have hit social services and the people with disabilities they support since 2009, in a number of ways: from a decrease in employment both of people with disabilities and social sector staff, to cuts in funding available to services and a freeze in modernisation plans. The austerity plans put in place by many European Governments, which often include drastic reductions in funds available for social policy and the social services sector, have caused grave concern. Fewer people are receiving services. Such services as are provided are often minimal. Innovation, long term planning and sustainability are under threat. In many countries, cuts to the social sector are so deep, and decided without due account being paid to the long term effects, that the social infrastructure is itself in danger of being demolished and doubts are being expressed about the ability to re-‐build services after the worst of the crisis has passed. Yet the recession could offer an opportunity to re-‐configure services that are provided, by making efficiencies and improving planning to make money go further, for example by making use of solutions provided by person centred technology. Another huge concern is that the process of deinstitutionalization will grind to a halt, and even lead to re-‐institutionalisation – turning backwards the positive work carried out in recent years to facilitate the transition towards individualised, community-‐based services. The purpose of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is “to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.” But these objectives cannot be achieved without an available and well-‐functioning services infrastructure that can support all people with disabilities to self-‐determine their own lives. For this to exist, good legislation and sustainable levels of funding must be guaranteed. EASPD has brought this message to the attention of European decision-‐makers in 2010, and will continue this work in the future.
Disability brings poverty. Poverty brings disability. This was one of the main reflections that emerged during our annual policy seminar, which in 2010 focused on the link between poverty and disability. Our debate benefited from a great variety of inputs and perspectives that helped us understand that poverty is not only a financial concern; it is equally about emotional wellbeing and quality of life. Poverty brings misery to the lives of many people and constitutes a direct attack on people’s fundamental rights. It brings a daily struggle of isolation, stress, discrimination and ill health – both mental and physical. Additionally, poverty brings high societal costs and hinders a sustainable economic growth. Altogether, poverty causes vulnerability and social exclusion which leaves poorer people trapped in a vicious circle. What needs to be done? Understanding the causes and consequences is the start. Those in poverty need clear representation and involvement. From the service providers’ perspective, it is essential to put the users at the very centre and provide a high level of “secure independence”. The commitment of governments and of the European Union is also essential -‐we need clear policy objectives, political will and financial resources.
The crisis and the social sector
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Conclusion EASPD began in 1996. We will celebrate our 15th Anniversary in 2011. Since the very first day EASPD has advocated for quality services as a means to facilitate the full engagement of the human rights of all persons with disabilities. We are robustly addressing the challenges of the recent financial crisis. We are determined to overcome setbacks and see a continuing improvement in the range and quality of the services needed to make the UN Convention a reality.
Luk Zelderloo -‐ Secretary General -‐
ANNEX
EU Toolkit • EU 2020 Strategy • Deinstitutionalization
report • Council of Europe Action
Plan • EU Disability Strategy
2010-‐ 2020
EASPD • Newsflashes and newsletter 2010 • Declaration Helsinki and Skopje
Conferences • Policy Documents • PR documents • Projects
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Who is EASPD? European Association for Service Providers for Persons with Disability EASPD is the EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES and represents close to 9,000 social service provider organisations across Europe and across disability. The main objective of EASPD, based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), is to promote the equalisation of opportunities for people with disabilities through effective and high quality service systems. We believe in interdependence and partnership of user organisations, providers and authorities at all levels to tackle the challenges ahead. EASPD plays a key role on a European level as a representative of disability service providers, working for an inclusive Europe. Knowing that 50% of national legislation comes from the EU, EASPD wants to significantly influence European disability & socio-‐economic policy by having a permanent presence in Brussels and by working with other European and international networks. The principles of EASPD are aiming at high quality of services facilitating full participation and inclusion in society in an appropriate way for persons with a disability. To achieve this EASPD is committed to:
• User participation in the development and delivery of services • The implementation of governance principles • Active lifelong learning opportunities for staff • Focus on Accessibility, availability, affordability and adaptability of services
Avenue d'Auderghem 63, 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 282 4610 Email [email protected] Websites www.easpd.eu
This Annual Report was compiled and designed by our Communication Assistant Nikolas Papageorgiou