Tuesday, January 29, 2013
A long long trip to Korea. Left the house at 6:30 AM to get to Dulles, and allowed myself 2.5 hours to get there. There was snow and sleet and, as a result the Federal government opened late and schools were closed, so got there in less than an hour. There was then a 2 hour wait for Korea Air to open but got my seat, got to the gate, drank water and eventually got on the plane. Decent if long flight and the Seoul Airport is the nicest one I have ever been to, to date.
By the time a 2.5 hour bus ride to Pyeong Chang, in the mountains, and the search for registration and my room, got there about 30 hours after leaving.
Off to the Development Summit this AM. Looks like an excellent program. More later.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Visiting programs and interesting people
I spent most of today visiting programs of both the Nairobi branch of the Kenya Association of the Intellectually Handicapped. I was accompanied by the National Chairperson, Stephen Kaboi Burugu, a forceful and wise family member and leader. Some photos of the day are posted. We started with a meeting with a half dozen families. Their concerns echo the concerns of families I meet everywhere, the US included: 1) Inclusive Education; 2) Meaningful work for their adult children; 3) What will happen for their children after the parents are dead?: and 4) How to translate rights into action and programs. Quite impressive.
We then saw a program where young people are being taught some vocational skills. They make things with beads and hairdressing also seems to be popular. But there were no people with significant disabilities and the building is not accessible.
We then went to the Riabai Youth Polytechnic
, a vocational two year program, run by the government, for people with and without disabilities. Taking off my western frame of how facilities should be (these were condemnable) the program offered little in the way of meaningful traiing for anyone.
We were then off to a meeting of families getting training about government benefits for their children and rape prevention and reporting. Truly an inspirational group. Like other KAIH groups, and there are parent groups all over the country, KAIH works to teach and empower families, not to do it for them, though they do when families simply cannot. They also combine, with these parent groups, microenterprises so that the groups can be self supporting and the many poor families can derive some income.
Finally off to the KAIH national office where I saw a small program for self advocates run by two young people, both of whom are siblings. This was the best program of its kind I have seen in a long time. The Kenyan constitution grants and references people with disabilities specific rights. This program teaches people about their rights, responsibilities and how to make those rights truly a reality. Very impressive.
Off to a reception and then a midnight flight to Brussels.
Until next time.
We then saw a program where young people are being taught some vocational skills. They make things with beads and hairdressing also seems to be popular. But there were no people with significant disabilities and the building is not accessible.
We then went to the Riabai Youth Polytechnic
, a vocational two year program, run by the government, for people with and without disabilities. Taking off my western frame of how facilities should be (these were condemnable) the program offered little in the way of meaningful traiing for anyone.
We were then off to a meeting of families getting training about government benefits for their children and rape prevention and reporting. Truly an inspirational group. Like other KAIH groups, and there are parent groups all over the country, KAIH works to teach and empower families, not to do it for them, though they do when families simply cannot. They also combine, with these parent groups, microenterprises so that the groups can be self supporting and the many poor families can derive some income.
Finally off to the KAIH national office where I saw a small program for self advocates run by two young people, both of whom are siblings. This was the best program of its kind I have seen in a long time. The Kenyan constitution grants and references people with disabilities specific rights. This program teaches people about their rights, responsibilities and how to make those rights truly a reality. Very impressive.
Off to a reception and then a midnight flight to Brussels.
Until next time.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Inclusion Africa-Nairobi
Travel to Nairobi was uneventful if long, and we were met at the airport and transported to our hotel. Was somehow still awake, so we had dinner and I was, of course, the first one to leave and head to sleep.
The meeting on Wednesday with Inclusion Africa included representatives and participants from more than a dozen countries. There was simultaneous translation into French for participants from French speaking countries. After welcomes and short presentations from various dignitaries
, I did my usual discussion of Article XIX and then the meeting was mostly devoted to questions, discussions and planning among the participants.
A series of issues and ideas were presented and most of them will sound familiar:
1) Who will be there for my child when I am not there? There are no services and families spending $ out of pocket to provide supports for their children. This greatly disadvantages families who are poor and excludes people from any time of formal support.
2) How to get more children to grow up as adults to become more independent?
a. Making certain that children in early childhood development center go to mainstream schools
b. Making schools and governmental organizations fulfill their social responsibility to people with disabilities?
c. Educating children and families who have children without disabilities about disability and exposing them to children with disabilities.
d) Training people in school so they will have skills to work.
3) Use technology and networks to link families and people with disabilities.
a. Rapid social changes in developing countries that will impact on people with disabilities-the impact is not known or understood.
b. Where to start-different in Africa than in Eastern Europe as few people are in residential institutions and therefore few financial resources to be redirected.
4) How to interact with religious institutions?
5) Use children with and without disabilities to help educate adults about disability. Children can be more accepting than adults.
6) Parents resistant to allowing their children with disabilities to participate in self advocacy programs.
7) What can the child with intellectual disabilities do in a particular community? As children age must have vocational training so that adults with disabilities can be productive and accepted?
8) Undertake a stakeholder analysis with the whole community as to what the stakeholder needs and what they can contribute.
a. Form parent self help groups to share experiences and support each other
b. What contributions are there for people with disabilities?
9) Inclusive education challenges. What happens when child with disability becomes an adult at 21?
10) Projects in Malawi using mothers to support other families.
11) Changing education laws to support inclusion.
a. Training of teachers
b. Funding
c. Some parents afraid or unwilling to send their children with disabilities to school
12) Coordination of implementation of convention. Which ministry will be responsible? Governments are unclear.
a. Disability impacts all domains
b. Each ministry, not just one or some
13) Significant problems with both physical abuse and ongoing sexual abuse
14) Government has signed the disability convention but a national council on disability to coordinate and highlight issues has yet to be established. (Tanzania)
a. Even though government created a law to implement CRPD the law has not been implemented.
b. Projects to create awareness of issues and challenges among families and government officials
c. Deliver skills to both parents and self advocates
d. Work to move from medical model to more social model
15) Handicapped International – issue of rights should be a focus.
16) What does living in the community mean in the African context? This is the big question and calls for more exploration and work. And it is African contexts, not just a single context.
17) What are the other factors- political, economic, etc. that get in the way of living in the community within the African context.
18) Take into account different cultural practices. Who lives where? Families together and close is a tradition to be honored.
All considered the issues, taken in their totality could be overwhelming, yet there is a sense of optimism from most of the participants.
The meeting on Wednesday with Inclusion Africa included representatives and participants from more than a dozen countries. There was simultaneous translation into French for participants from French speaking countries. After welcomes and short presentations from various dignitaries
, I did my usual discussion of Article XIX and then the meeting was mostly devoted to questions, discussions and planning among the participants.
A series of issues and ideas were presented and most of them will sound familiar:
1) Who will be there for my child when I am not there? There are no services and families spending $ out of pocket to provide supports for their children. This greatly disadvantages families who are poor and excludes people from any time of formal support.
2) How to get more children to grow up as adults to become more independent?
a. Making certain that children in early childhood development center go to mainstream schools
b. Making schools and governmental organizations fulfill their social responsibility to people with disabilities?
c. Educating children and families who have children without disabilities about disability and exposing them to children with disabilities.
d) Training people in school so they will have skills to work.
3) Use technology and networks to link families and people with disabilities.
a. Rapid social changes in developing countries that will impact on people with disabilities-the impact is not known or understood.
b. Where to start-different in Africa than in Eastern Europe as few people are in residential institutions and therefore few financial resources to be redirected.
4) How to interact with religious institutions?
5) Use children with and without disabilities to help educate adults about disability. Children can be more accepting than adults.
6) Parents resistant to allowing their children with disabilities to participate in self advocacy programs.
7) What can the child with intellectual disabilities do in a particular community? As children age must have vocational training so that adults with disabilities can be productive and accepted?
8) Undertake a stakeholder analysis with the whole community as to what the stakeholder needs and what they can contribute.
a. Form parent self help groups to share experiences and support each other
b. What contributions are there for people with disabilities?
9) Inclusive education challenges. What happens when child with disability becomes an adult at 21?
10) Projects in Malawi using mothers to support other families.
11) Changing education laws to support inclusion.
a. Training of teachers
b. Funding
c. Some parents afraid or unwilling to send their children with disabilities to school
12) Coordination of implementation of convention. Which ministry will be responsible? Governments are unclear.
a. Disability impacts all domains
b. Each ministry, not just one or some
13) Significant problems with both physical abuse and ongoing sexual abuse
14) Government has signed the disability convention but a national council on disability to coordinate and highlight issues has yet to be established. (Tanzania)
a. Even though government created a law to implement CRPD the law has not been implemented.
b. Projects to create awareness of issues and challenges among families and government officials
c. Deliver skills to both parents and self advocates
d. Work to move from medical model to more social model
15) Handicapped International – issue of rights should be a focus.
16) What does living in the community mean in the African context? This is the big question and calls for more exploration and work. And it is African contexts, not just a single context.
17) What are the other factors- political, economic, etc. that get in the way of living in the community within the African context.
18) Take into account different cultural practices. Who lives where? Families together and close is a tradition to be honored.
All considered the issues, taken in their totality could be overwhelming, yet there is a sense of optimism from most of the participants.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Inclusion Africa-Nairobi Day 1
Greeting. Actually day 1/4 as we got to Nairobi around 7 PM. I met with with Inclusion International Executive Director Connie Laurin-Bowie and staffer Anna MacQuarrie in Zurich and we had an uneventful trip to Nairobi. Swissair is very nice. To car chase type movies and read a lot.
The hotel is on the border of a game park about 10 minutes away from the airport.
I am meeting with someone with the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development this AM and then United Disabled Persons of Kenya Executive Director Helen Obande and Phoebe Nyagudi, the Executive Director of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities leter in the day.
More tonight or tomorrow depending o how long I can stay awake.
The hotel is on the border of a game park about 10 minutes away from the airport.
I am meeting with someone with the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development this AM and then United Disabled Persons of Kenya Executive Director Helen Obande and Phoebe Nyagudi, the Executive Director of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities leter in the day.
More tonight or tomorrow depending o how long I can stay awake.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The ADVANCE Conference - The Ruderman Jewish Special Needs Funding Conference
On December 6th I had the opportunity to once again participate in the conference, designed to help Jewish philanthropy increase its attention and commitment to programs for people with disabilities. Jay Ruderman, the President of the Ruderman Family Foundation kicked off the conference by announcing the first ever prize for inclusive Jewish programs. See http://www.rudermanfoundation.org/news_and_events/RudermanDisabilityPrize.pdf
The Ruderman Disability Prize is intended to encourage innovating and inclusive programs for people with disabilities in the Jewish Community. I am helping review the applications and am hoping to read about some wonderful programs.
There were many terrific speakers. Marlee Matlin the Academy Award winning actress spoke of growing up deaf and Jewish in Chicago, and how her career and her advocacy for people who are deaf coincided. A great quote from her presentation, when speaking of her parents' desires for her to explore, on her own, her physical community... "If I could not explore the neighborhood, how could I be expected to explore the world?" Needless to say, she was fantastic.
Tim Shriver also did his usual job of motivating and inspiring people He showed a short video that is worth watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iSlok6muY0 It was produced by a 16 year old girl who has a younger brother with Down Syndrome. Such talent at an early age.
There were many interesting breakout sessions. I got to do one with Arlene Kanter, the Director of the Disability Law and Policy Program at Syracuse University School of Law. Though I have read her stuff for years I had never actually met her. I was surprised at some of the strong negative reactions I got to issues related to Article XIX, especially people choosing where they live, as compared with their parents choosing for them. Lots of work remaining.
Isaac Herzog, a Member of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and son of the former President talked about fairness and justice in Israel. Barry Shrage of Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Boston gave an affirmative presentation on the role and responsibility of Jewish Federations in causing change for people with disabilities and other marginalized populations.
The final speaker was journalist and author Tom Fields-Meter, the author of Following Ezra, a book about raising his son Ezra who is autistic. He is a great storyteller. One segment in participial-when a therapist said they should go home and mourn for the child they did not have-a "normal" child. He said they decided to celebrate the child they did have, and went on to tell some stories about what Ezra could do, what he was learning and how he was growing. I am going to buy the book.
Jay Ruderman ended, briefly and succinctly, saying that including people with disabilities is about justice.
Until next time......
The Ruderman Disability Prize is intended to encourage innovating and inclusive programs for people with disabilities in the Jewish Community. I am helping review the applications and am hoping to read about some wonderful programs.
There were many terrific speakers. Marlee Matlin the Academy Award winning actress spoke of growing up deaf and Jewish in Chicago, and how her career and her advocacy for people who are deaf coincided. A great quote from her presentation, when speaking of her parents' desires for her to explore, on her own, her physical community... "If I could not explore the neighborhood, how could I be expected to explore the world?" Needless to say, she was fantastic.
Tim Shriver also did his usual job of motivating and inspiring people He showed a short video that is worth watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iSlok6muY0 It was produced by a 16 year old girl who has a younger brother with Down Syndrome. Such talent at an early age.
There were many interesting breakout sessions. I got to do one with Arlene Kanter, the Director of the Disability Law and Policy Program at Syracuse University School of Law. Though I have read her stuff for years I had never actually met her. I was surprised at some of the strong negative reactions I got to issues related to Article XIX, especially people choosing where they live, as compared with their parents choosing for them. Lots of work remaining.
Isaac Herzog, a Member of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and son of the former President talked about fairness and justice in Israel. Barry Shrage of Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Boston gave an affirmative presentation on the role and responsibility of Jewish Federations in causing change for people with disabilities and other marginalized populations.
The final speaker was journalist and author Tom Fields-Meter, the author of Following Ezra, a book about raising his son Ezra who is autistic. He is a great storyteller. One segment in participial-when a therapist said they should go home and mourn for the child they did not have-a "normal" child. He said they decided to celebrate the child they did have, and went on to tell some stories about what Ezra could do, what he was learning and how he was growing. I am going to buy the book.
Jay Ruderman ended, briefly and succinctly, saying that including people with disabilities is about justice.
Until next time......
A New Tool
The Community for All Checklist, and accompanying guide has been published by the Open Society Mental Health Initiative (that includes people with intellectual disability) and the Law and Health Initiative of the Open Society Public Health Program. Authored by our friend with the famous name - Camilla Parker - a human rights attorney in the UK. These tools should be helpful to policymakers, advocates and anyone interesting in seeing Article XIX fulfill its potential in their country. The link to these free publications can be found at http://www.soros.org/initiatives/health/focus/mhi/articles_publications/publications/community-for-all-20111202 or http://tinyurl.com/7fy64gv
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)