newsletter "pentru voi" december 2009

8/14/2019 Newsletter "Pentru Voi" December 2009

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0256 228 062 | [email protected] | www.pentruvoi.ro | www.autism.info.ro

We celebrate 10 years since the establishment of the firstprotected house for adults with intellectual disabilities inRomania: DINA! Established in 1999 by the Foundation PentruVoi, with the support of a donor in the Netherlands, DINA wasthe first protected home of our Foundation and the first of thiskind in Romania.The house DINA arose in response to the acute need of theRomanian society to provide community-based residential ser-vices for young people with intellectual disabilities. The Roma-nian state offered only hostel hospital type residential institutions- segregation structures, where quality of life was very low. DINA became a home for six persons with intellectual disabili-ties, out of which four were from institutions; they are the livingproof that people with disabilities, labeled as irrecoverable, canlearn and can live a dignified life within the community.

10 years anniversary: DINA,the first protected home in Romania

A new international project called Pathways to work waslaunched in November.

The project is coordinated by Vocational College Keskuspuistofrom Finlanda, and implemented by the Foundation Pentru Voiin partnership with the Finn NGO, the College Gorseinon fromGreat Britain, Foundation Salva Vita from Hungary and theCenter for Vocational Rehabilitation Astangu from Estonia.The project is financed by European Union through the programLeonardo da Vinci and aims to facilitate an experience exchange

and the development of a recruiting model which will improve andwill enhance the chances of employment for people with specialneeds.

The next meeting will take place in March 2010 in Great Britainwhen the project partners will elaborate the recruiting model.

International partnership for theemployment of people with disabilities

Pentru Voi Foundation organized on 4 December 2009 the 5th edition of theGala "Pentru Voi". This year's Gala awarded the "Pentru Voi" prizes to thecompanies and the institutions which have made the greatest contribution tothe social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities during 2009:

* The Great Award of the Gala Pentru Voi 2009 for Social Responsibility,was offered to Vodafone Romania Foundation* The Prize for supporting the development of the Protected Pentru Voi, was

awarded to OC Software Timisoara* The Prize for long term partnership for the employment of people with intellectualdisabilities, was awarded to Kromberg & Schubert* The Prize for Long-term Public-private Partnership, was awarded to the City Hallof Timisoara and to the Local Council of Timisoara* The Prize for active participation to the building of Cristian Protected Home, wasawarded to Mr. Morten Jensen, CEO Smithfield Prod

The event included an exceptional recital performed by the Cords Quartet of the Faculty of Music Timisoara, and also a recital per-formed by two talented young people with autism, members of the vocal-instrumental "Pentru Voi". This year has been organized forthe first time an auction to raise funds, which will be used to carry out projects in 2010.Also for the first time at Timisoara was presented the short-movie Work mates - the suc-cess story of four people with intellectual disabilities, clients of our Foundation and com-ponents of the Pentru Voi Mobile Team.The event is organized every year with the occasion of the International Day of Peoplewith Disabilities, to thank those who supported the mission of the "Pentru Voi" Foundationand promoted the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. This year theGala was organized in collaboration with the Foundation INTERART Triade.

Main sponsors: Vodafone Romania Foundation, Life CareSponsors: Foamotive, Ursus Bruweries, Coca-Cola Hellenic, OttimaPan, ADG Fruct,NovaTimMedia partners: Realitatea TV, Ziua de Vest, Timi Expres, Timioreni.ro, TION.ro

GalaPentru Voi 2009, The 5th

edition

Foundation Vodafone Romania


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Symphonic Concert performed by the Phylarmonic Banatul TimioaraThe official opening of the conference was on 11 Octomber, at the Phylarmonic Banatul from Timioara, with a symphonicconcert meant to draw attention to the particular case of autism. The opening word was delivered by Gheorghe Ciuhandu, theMayor of City Hall of Timioara, Laila Onu, CEO of Pentru Voi Foundation, and Joszef Katos, president of the International

Federation SOFT. The concert was financed by the City Hall of Timioara and the Local Council of Timioara.

The start point for this research was the work with adultswith autism, clients of the Center for Social ServicesPentru Voi, and also the analysisof their peculiarities andneeds. We conducted an exploratory approach, with attention forthe research of mental and somatic health status, the quality oflife of 30 adults diagnosed with autism in childhood, the health

condition of their families and the impact of disability for thefamily, but also a concrete analysis of the support and socialservices needs.The report was ellaborated and printed in 300 copies to bedistributed to the national NGOs and institutions in the field.

The first study on the needs ofadults with autism in Romnia

International Conference: Its time for change! Autism and social inclusion

Over 150 Romanian and foreign specialists have met on 12 - 13 October at HotelTimioara, in Timioara, to debate the context of the adult autism in Romnia.The conference was organized by Pentru Voi Foundation and SOFTInternational Federation. The conclusions of the conference are: The change of the current legislation regarding the rights of persons with intellectual

disabilities and implictly the rights of persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) The development of social services for persons with developmental disabilities by

providing financial resources from the state budget and from external sources as well The development of training programs adapted to the needs of people with

developmental disabilities

Training session on autism

Foundation Pentru Voiorganized between 25-27November a training sessionat Hotel Continental,Timioara, which is part ofthe project Autism doesntdisappear at 18!.The training was held by Phd. Julie Beadle-Brown, SeniorLecturer at University of Kent, Great Britain, and Manuela Oprea,Psychologist at Pentru Voi. The 25 participants learned aboutthe characteristics, diagnosis, causes and theories of autism,

approaches regarding the support for people with ASD, aspectsof quality of life, and methods of work with adults with autism.

Foundation Pentru Voiorganized on 20November at HotelDelpack, a round table onThe Social Inclusion ofAdult Persons withAutism, from desideratum

to practice. The event is part of the project Autism doesntdisappear at 18!, financed by EU through the program PHARE2006. The event aimed to initiate an advocacy group to proceedfor the development of inclusive social policies for people with

autism. The advocacy group also aims to develop new servicesfor people with intellectual disabilities and tehir families.

Round table and advocacy group

The project launched in November is financed by theFoundation United Way Romania and aims to approach anew facet of the employment of people with disabilities -preparing for work through practice, conducted withincompanies on the open market.

Through the meetings organized in the framework of this oneyear project we will promote the following step the employment of people with intellectual disabilities,on the open market as well within the Protected Unit Pentru Voi.

Professional startfor people with intellectual disabilities

Foto: Cristian Tzecu


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Foundation Pentru Voiorganized on 2-3 September at Mamaia, the 4thedition of the National Conference for Self-advocates with the themeEmployment of persons with intellectual disabilities. The event is part of theproject The Social Economy - a chance for people with intellectual disabilities,cofinanced by the European Social Fund through the Operational Program HumanResources Development 2007 - 2013 - Invest in People. The conferenceaccommodated 48 persons, out of which 24 persons with developmentaldisabilities and their supporters, as well as representatives of the NGOs active inthe disability field in Romnia.

National Conference for Self-Advocates, The 4th edition

The event is part of the project Autism doesnt disappear at 18!, financed by the EU and the Romanian Government through PHARE 2006 -Support for the development of the mental health community-based services and deinstitutionalization of persons with mental illness.

Foundation Pentru Voi was awarded forits promotional materials on socialinclusion, within the Regional Conferencefor the Promotion of the Dialogue in the

Field of Social Inclusion, between 22 23October at Timisoara.

Award for Pentru Voi

The website was created as part of theproject Autism doesnt disappear at18!* carried on between November2008 - December 2009. The website

includes information about autism, inforegarding the project, and info useful andrelevant for the field of autism.

www.autism.info.ro

Access our Christmas Catalogue at www.pentruvoi.ro

2009 was a good year for the Protected Unit Pentru Voi: there are now over 40signed partnership contracts and a maximum of66 employees. Beside the activitiesran since 2007 - when the Protected Unit was established, we opened in 2009 theBakery Pentru Voi, more modern and equipped.

In 2009 the Protected Unit had 7 mobile teams formed of employees, persons withintellectual disabilities, out of which 3 functional teams throughout 2009. The teamsworked for a number of companies: to pack socks (Laura Baldini), to make paperpackages (SCA Packaging), to do parking mentenance (Contitech), to clean (Temeco),to sort, pack and label products (Continental), to make Christmas decorations and tohelp with outdoor design (P&G) and to help with garden design.2009 was for the employees of the Protected Unit Pentru Voi a year of hard work andsucces. We thank our clients for keeping us busy and we hope that 2010 will also be a prosperopus year for us!

Elisabeta Varga, Coordinator of the Protected Unit Pentru Voi

The Protected Unit Pentru Voi in 2009

Foundation Pentru Voi invites you toaccess two new video clips on our websitewww.pentruvoi.ro:* Tavi - the story of the only person with

autism in Romania who is employed.* Work mates - presents a working day of themembers of the Mobile Team Pentru Voi.

New videoclip Pentru Voi

Foundation Pentru Voi and the Institute for Public Policiessolicit to the Romanian authorities to implement theprinciples assmued by signing the United NationsConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

With 143 signatories and 74 ratifications only just 32 months af-ter opening the Convention for signatures, the UN CRPD sets anunprecedented record of commitment by the international com-

munity. As a country that has signed the UN Convention on theRights of Persons with Disabilities, Romania has the duty to final-ize this process by ratifying the UN Convention in the next legis-lative session.

The ratification of the Convention

The project is implemented by the Centre of Resources forPublic Participation in partnership with Foundation PentruVoi and the Association Support the Children.

The project aims to develop the capacity of the NGOs socialservices providers, to determine the authorities to allocate moreof the public resources to the social services publice provided bythe NGOs, therefore to create public-private partnerships. One of

the roles that Pentru Voi plays in this project is to promote thegood practice model and the experience of its public-privatepartnership with the Local Council and the City Hall of Timioarain the last 13 years.

Partnership for community


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Foundation "Pentru Voi" organized on 17th October a one-day trip to the Corvins Castle in Hunedoara, for 28 beneficiaries ofthe program "A Friend for You!". The event is part of the project Social Economy - a chance for persons with intellectual disabilitiesco financed by the European Social Fund through Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007 - 2013 Invest in People!.The trip aimed to develop mentoring activities and to promote social interaction between people with and withoutintellectual disabilities. The participants had a great time and are looking forward to other similar activities.

A trip for the participants of the program A Friend for You!

Throughout this project we wanted to emphasize the artisitic gift of the personswith autism, to bring joy into their hearths, making another step toward their socialinclusion. declaired Laila Onu, general executive director of FoundationPentru Voi.

The beneficiaries, dressed in funny costumes performed a great show and gave theirbest to win the big prize of the event - the King and the Queen of the Ball.

The participants were 30 persons with autism, youngsters with intellectual disabilities,clients of the services provided by Foundation Pentru Voi, and volunteers.

Autumn Festival for persons with autism

Christmas is that wonderful celebrationWhich reminds us to be better,

Much more noble and kind.

To dare to dream and hope for the best,To strongly believe that the new yearWill be a rich and happy one but also

To be gratefull for what we aldready have.

Pentru Voi wish youMerry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

On 4th December2009, ProVobis released the annual publicationPortrait of a Volunteer, which aims to draw attention upon the diversityof volunteers and the activities they run in the nongovernmental organi-zations in Romania. Alexandru Marcovici, one of the volunteer ofFoundation "Pentru Voi" has been with us for two years now, and hisstory can be read in the content of this edition.

We would like to thank all ourvolunteers for their involvement anddedication in the work with people withintellectual disabilities, clients of Foun-dation Pentru Voi.

You are a valuable resource for thedevelopment of our organization!

Portrait of a Volunteer 2009

The Foundation PentruVoi offered to MortenJensen, CEO SmithfieldProd, the distinctionVolunteer of the year,for the active involvmentin the building of theProtected Home Cristian.The distinctions wereoffered with the occasionof the Gala Pentru Voi,

organized on 4thDecember at Timisoara.

Volunteer of the Year at Pentru Voi

newsletter "pentru voi" december 2009

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