The first meeting of the Inclusive Network Advisors. “Motivation for cooperation in the network.”
19.08.2019
Events
The first meeting of the Inclusive Network Advisors took place in Sievierodonetsk. “Motivation for cooperation in the network. Why to unite and how to act”
Mykola Nadulichnyi, Head of LAOI, welcomed the team of Advisors. He presented the results of visits to the communities of the Luhansk region (Popasna, Zolote, Hirske, Shchastia, Stanytsia Luhanska, Bilovodsk), which were aimed at monitoring the barrier-free environment. We analyzed the life situation of people with disabilities in the districts. Unfortunately, I was very confused by the inaction of the authorities in this area. After all, this is their competence, their area of work, and they should be responsible for it. Therefore, at the end of the visits to the communities, for more effective work to change the situation on the ground, for better control, it was decided to create an Inclusive Network of Public Advisers of the Luhansk region.
These are leaders in communities who take an active civic position and who, to a certain extent, are able to determine the future of social groups in the community. “Our common task is to take active and targeted actions to eliminate barriers to equal accessibility in communities. This will allow everyone to participate in community life as equal members who are respected and contribute to the development of the community and society. We, as advisors, are responsible for creating unity and harmony in the community,” emphasized Nadulichnyi. “Our ultimate goal,” continued Mr. Nadulichny, ”is for everyone to have equal access to different spheres of life. At the meeting, an action plan was developed for:- a deeper analysis of problems (needs) in communities regarding inclusion in various spheres of life;- establishing cooperation with authorities, NGOs, business, international organizations in this area;- possible steps to improve a particular situation;- and how further communication between the Advisors will take place within the Network.Meeting “Motivation for cooperation in the network. Why to unite and how to act”
on social cohesion in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts is organized within the framework of the UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Program with the financial support of the governments of Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. The UN Recovery and Peacebuilding Program is implemented by four UN agencies:
- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
- The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The program is supported by eleven international partners: The European Union, the European Investment Bank, as well as the governments of Canada, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
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Barrier-free accessibility is tested in motion, not just on paper
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From a single training session to community-wide change
From a single training session to community-wide change: how LAOOI fosters a culture of barrier-free accessibility Barrier-free accessibility does not begin with a ramp, nor does it end with an accessible building entrance. It starts with people—with how professionals perceive another person's needs, how they communicate, how they respond to challenging situations, and the assistance they can offer. That is precisely why professional training is one of the key avenues through which the "Luhansk Association of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities" (LAOOI) systematically drives societal change. Recently, the LAOOI team conducted a three-day training session in Dnipro titled "Barrier-Free Accessibility in Action: Inclusion. Protection. Resilience" for healthcare professionals from the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region. Yet, for us, the training itself is not the only thing that matters; what follows is equally important. Each participant returns to their facility—to their patients, colleagues, and daily routine—and the knowledge gained over those three days begins to make a difference right there. This is how change happens: one trained individual alters the approach within their workplace; a team transforms the facility's operations; and dozens or hundreds of trained professionals gradually reshape the entire system. Over the course of LAOOI’s work, dozens of people have completed training on barrier-free accessibility, inclusion, and protection. These are professionals from various fields who work with people daily and can translate the knowledge they have acquired into concrete solutions within their communities. For LAOOI, therefore, each such training session represents far more than just three days of instruction and a certificate of completion. This is an investment in an environment where individuals do not have to constantly prove their right to accessibility, respect, and support. The training took place as part of the project "Integrated Protection, Health, and Inclusion for Vulnerable Newly Displaced Persons, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and Particularly Vulnerable Groups in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk Regions (Priorities 1, 2, 4)." The project is supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF) and implemented by the "Luhansk Association of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities" (LAOOI) and Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (VIS). Removing barriers becomes a reality when knowledge translates into daily practice. And that is precisely the kind of change we strive for.
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