Iva Hiršl, mag.rehab.educ. Association for the promotion of quality education of youth with...

Iva Hiršl, mag.rehab.educ.

Association for the promotion of quality education of youth with disabilities “IMAGINE”

The 3rd International Conference “Education for All”Warsaw, Poland

Thursday, June 30, 2011

The vision of IMAGINE is satisfied youth with disabilities involved in the education system with assured transportation support, class attendance, learning and work

The 3rd International Conference on Education for All

IMAGINE is an association for youth which acts on promoting possibilities for young people with disabilities and influences on providing quality to their life and education through programs of educating, informing and counseling, technical support, international cooperation and pointing at different needs of young people with disabilities.

The Association works with young people, people with disabilities, civil society organizations, profit organizations and institutions of governance at local, regional and national level.


Croatian Public Health Institute - on 31st December 2010. – 529.103 persons living with disabilities, about 11.9% of the total population of Croatia

69% - did not finish primary school or have only primary education

24% - secondary education 3% - high or college degree The most common professions: unskilled workers,

traders, economic technicians, auto mechanics, waiters, cooks, drivers and farmers

According to the census of 2001 - 19,877 young people that are faced with disabilities or 4.63% of the disabled, or 2.21% of the population of young people


higher education is based on the Law on Scientific Activity and Higher Education Act, enacted in July 2003

policy towards people with disabilities is defined through the National Strategy for Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in the period from 2007. to 2015.


students with disabilities achieve individual rights based on the degree of disability. For the achievement of rights the type of disability (vision, hearing, etc.) doesn’t matter and thus the right is not specifically defined with respect to the need.

National policy for students with disabilities is not developed.


positive discrimination is widely spread medical-model approach to disability Social approach to disability is still a

coincidence the attention is focused on inclusive

education there is no system of support in

attending the class, studying and career choice


lack of information of the existence of any services of assistance that are offered during the study the program of the Centre for small mobile services of help for persons with disabilities (CSMSHPWD)

unites the minimum of necessary services needed by the youth to get access to higher education

government institutions must provide quality services

a need to raise the criteria for the basic needs of students with disabilities


the program provides information and communication system with young people with disabilities. the minimum conditions the individual approach: a program of organized help and assistance and support to students with

disabilities – the Center for small mobile services of help for persons with disabilities


the principle of Universal design - The National Strategy for Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities from 2007 to 2015

design of services to be used by all people, without the need for adaptation or specialized design

built environment becomes more accessible, thus avoiding the creation of new barriers.


Main objective: to foster the involvement of young people with disabilities in higher education and the labor market, and preventing and combating social and personal problems among the young people with disabilities

Specific objectives of the program:- motivating and empowering secondary school graduates and young people with disabilities who have completed secondary education to get involved in higher education programs and labor market- providing support and aid in education- systematic information- preparing for labor market


practical workshops - through interaction, practical exercises, case studies and personal stories

users: a) high school students with disabilities (2nd, 3rd and 4th grade) b) young people with disabilities registered at Croatian Employment Service c) young people with disabilities, users of the Centre for Social Welfare Zagreb

meetings will be held with each group during which they will be familiarized with the activities of the program, and find their interests and preferences

according to the expressed interests and preferences an action plan will be prepared for thematic workshops with the aim of their strengthening

the choice of thematic workshops: building self-esteem, perception of personal resources and talents


a) Organization of transport with a specially adapted van

b) Customized literature for blind and visually impaired students and those with dysfunction of the upper extremities

c) Securing the assistance of another person – assistant for students with disabilities

d) Ensuring captionists for students with hearing impairments

e) Counseling (individual and group work - a team of professionals and young graduates with disabilities)


The Association has a van that transports members and users in two shifts

The line drives are organized from the place of residence to the venue of education and are done for the whole week (it is necessary to send the schedule of lectures on e-mail)

Special drives are ordered on the mobile phone number by 2 pm for the next day, and on Friday by 2 pm for the next Monday

Other drives depend on the needs of the Association

The line drives are in advantage in relation to the specific drives and the needs of the Association


To adjust the literature, and because of copyright an email application should be sent and it is necessary to bring the required book to the Association.

It is important that the content given to adjustment is not underlined, otherwise it can not be well adjusted. In case you can not get a nonunderlined copy, the volunteers of the organization will help by erasing the underlined content.

The Literature is in the vast majority digitized and Jaws program helps students with visual impairments read the text on the computer. A part of the text is printed on Braille alphabet, according to the need.

The users are from all over Croatia


Activities of assistants for students with disabilities :

- help in motion- reading literature- taking notes- typing term papers- monitoring the message boards- obtaining literature- going to student canteen, library, lecture- further explanation of certain parts of the material


each assistant shall keep a daily report ASWD are not determined by law or

regulation on the official level, but are important because it allows students with disabilities equal participation in the educational process.

all the assistants underwent training prepared by the Association Imagine. They are acquainted with the assessment of user needs.

the Association has defined the conditions by its internal regulations, the Rules of assistants.

at the end of each month a supervision for persons who are hired as assistants for students with disabilities is provided.


The way it looks in practice


The service is also derived from individual needs and common assessment with the user

Students with a hearing disability are enabled with access to information and equal opportunities to participate in attending classes (lectures, seminars, exercises)


aim - providing information, providing advice and assistance to young people with disabilities, regarding the obtaining of student rights, information regarding the status, moral support before or after the exam …

The most common areas of interest of users of counseling were related to informing and raising awareness in the areas of achieving rights of welfare system, pension insurance, education, employment, and support was provided in meeting students' commitments, motivation through the provision of information to enter the desired program, participation in the cultural and social life of the community and the empowerment of users in terms of strengthening their personal capacity.

The consulting services are provided by a social worker, employed in the Association.


There are 3 types of counseling:1.individual counselingIt is possible to come to the Info Centre for Young Zagreb. Psychologist is available, too, you just previously need to ask for his help and make an appointment via e-mail address of the counseling center. 2. group counselingThe design of group workshops according to the expressed interests and preferences of youth with disabilities, and motivational meetings with high school students with disabilities.

3. electronic counselingProviding information, giving advice or the provision of various types of assistance via e-mail.


e) Counseling

An exchange of information through e-mailing lists, publishing on the web site, printed materials (print and Braille), text messages, phone calls, letters, posters and leaflets

This activity is carried out at the administrative level and consistently from year to year

An information program through: Info Centre for Young Zagreb is separately developed , www.icm-zg.info


preparatory workshops for the Labour Market in collaboration with partners (Croatian Employment Service) and co-workers, designed for students (final year of study) and secondary school graduates who wish to participate in the labor market

between the workshops the participants will have the option of voluntary involvement in activities of the Association with the aim of acquiring work habits and practical knowledge

ability to obtain referrals for job search


The Centre for small mobile services of help for people with disabilities is founded with the support of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which provided financial support from June, 1st, 2010. to May 31st, 2013.

The Association for the promotion of quality education for young people with disabilities IIMAGINE conducts a program in collaboration with partners: the Centre for Social Welfare, Croatian Employment Service, Regional Office Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and social sciences and Faculty of Economics Zagreb


Association Imaginewww.zamisli.hre-mail: [email protected]

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