Handbook edu b-vip 2015 word

EXPERIENCES OF ADULT EDUCATION IN
EUROPE FOR BLIND OR VISUALLY
IMPAIRED PEOPLE
EDU-B-VIP
LLP Grundtvig partnership project
HANDBOOK
Methods, experiences and stories
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EXPERIENCES OF ADULT EDUCATION IN EUROPE,
FOR BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE – EDU-B-VIP.
LLP GRUNDTVIG PROJECT
Project Handbook
Methods, experiences and stories
Project blog:
http://educationeuropeblindvisuallyimpaired.blogspot.it/search/label/Czech
%20Republic
"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This
publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be
held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained
therein."
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
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INDEX
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The project
Paragraph 1- Objectives of the project.
Paragraph 2- Activities realized.
Chapter 2 - Learning process in non-formal and informal
context.
Paragraph 1- Best practices.
Paragraph 2- Experiences.
Chapter 3 - Blind people - social and working inclusion.
Chapter 4 - Active citizenship in the learning process of blind
people.
Chapter 5– ICT tools for blind and visually impaired people.
Chapter 6 - Appendix
Paragraph 1- Partner Organizations.
Paragraph 2- Handbook authors.
Paragraph 3- Other Organizations involved.
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Introduction
The project “Experiences of Adult Education in Europe for blind or visually impaired
people, Edu-B-VIP”, has been realized with the participation of different kind of
organizations. On the one hand organizations working specifically for blind and
visually impaired people, as ANPVI (Italy), which is the coordinating organization
that initiated the project, and the Latvian Society of the Blind. By the other side
there are organizations that are involved in training and adult education both in the
broadest sense as Stowarzyszenie Trenerów Organizacji Pozarządowych (Poland),
Transformando (Spain), and is in a specific sense as the Centre for Visualisation and
Interactivity in Education, CVIV (Czech Republic), which deals with the creation of
educational activities related to the world of disability with special attention to ICT.
We started this adventure with the idea that these differences in the partnership
would represent, as happens in these kinds of projects, an important value in terms
of interchange, and after two years we can confirm this expectation.
Many images come up to my mind thinking of the two-year project. An
unforgettable moment of the first meeting was certainly when we visited the
Capitoline Museum in Rome; on this occasion we had a chance to take a guided tour
where blind and visually impaired could touch some of the statues, and I will never
forget the image of some blind participants caressing the famous statue of the she-
wolf who according to legend brought up the two founders of Rome, Romulus and
Remus.
In Poland, in Warsaw, we had the opportunity to know the Polish national
organization of blind people and many other organizations that deal with support
for blind people. At the end of the meeting we took a group photo around a tactile
map of Europe, which is now in the presentation of our blog; but among the most
vivid personal memories was seeing the confidence with which a participant of the
Polish group, a young blind man who created his own private company, quiet and
safely moved across Warsaw, with an enviable self-confidence.
We visited Liepaja in Latvia, a small town on the shores of the Baltic Sea, that is a
excellence regarding accessibility for the disabled, including accessibility for the
visually impaired. And it was a great emotion to be guided in the visit of the city
right from a blind guy accompanied by a visually impaired boy through a tourist
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route for blind people. Among other things a system created by local tiflo-center
allows blind people to independently go to the beach, swimming freely with a
system of acoustic buoys. In Latvia we have had also the opportunity to attend a
dinner in the dark, prepared by a chef who is blind, who has decided to make of his
talent in the kitchen a profession, giving life to evenings in which participants can
make a special experience.
In the Czech Republic, we have deepened the aspect of ICT tools for the blind, really
improving our knowledges in this field.
In Spain we explored in particular the issue of the work dimension, thanks to a visit
to the Spanish national organization, at the forefront in many respects.
Finally, returned again to Rome for the final meeting, we had the pleasure of being
accompanied in the Vatican Museums, in a path for the blind, with the privilege of
being the first to touch a new masterpiece, the bronze replica of Our Lady of Bruges,
of which there are only three copies in the world.
These fragments of memory are really just an example of the wealth of experiences
and encounters that we could live in this project. Also important to say that, since
the beginning, have been focused four content areas, relevant for the project:
- Learning process in non-formal and informal context.
- Blind people's social and working inclusion.
- Active citizenship in the learning process of blind people.
- ICT tools for blind and visually impaired people.
The project has enabled us to make a direct experience of how adult education,
especially in non-formal and informal contexts, represents a huge opportunity for
all. We explored the enormous possibilities of learning contexts for blind and
visually impared people, related to art, to ICT, the development of soft skills,
mobility...
The learnings we experienced in this project do not regard only blind people, but
everyone. An important learning, in fact, concerns how to interact with people who
are blind, very important, because there is a big lack of knowledge about the life and
the great potential of blind people.
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Finally, we discovered how the educational methods that were created to allow
blind people to experience art, can teach much at all; another example of a happy
interchange that was born from the differences.
Among the products of the project here is this handbook, which contains
educational practices and experiences organized according to the four thematic we
used as a map in our path; we hope this product will be useful for many others.
Andrea Ciantar
(Project coordinator)
Image n. 1. Group photo around a tactile map of Europe, Warsaw.
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Chapter 1 - The project.
Paragraph 1- Objectives of the project.
Project’s objectives were:
- to compare different ways to organize adult educational activities and training for
blind and visually impaired people in Europe, with a particular attention to non
formal an informal learning contexts;
- to compare different ways and methodologies aimed to improve non formal and
informal learning experiences for blind and visually impaired people in Europe;
- to compare and enhance approaches and methods for the enhancement of
professional skills of blind and visually impared people, also in order to help them to
be actively involved in citizenship.
Paragraph 2- Activities realized.
Many activities have been organized during the two years of the project. But before
all is important to say that, since the beginning, have been focused four content
areas, relevant for the project:
- Learning process in non-formal and informal context.
- Blind people’s social and working inclusion.
- Active citizenship in the learning process of blind people.
- ICT tools for blind and visually impaired people.
According to these thematic areas, several type of activities have been set up:
- six international meetings (one kick off meeting, four thematic meetings, and a
final meeting); during each meeting we have shared good practices and experiences;
- local activities, like workshops, seminars, collection of experiences, dissemination
activities;
- management activities, like staff meetings, creation of the project products and
tools, reporting, and all the actions requested by the project management.
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Chapter 2
Learning process in non-formal
and informal context.
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context.
FIRST PRACTICE.
1. Title.
Accessible Art – encounters with modern art for blind and visually impaired
people. Zachęta - National Gallery of Art in Poland
2. Short abstract.
Since 2012 Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw provides various services
entitled “Accessible Art” dedicated to people with physical disability. Among them
there are special ones for blind and visually impaired people. They consist in
preparing for every exhibition an audiodescription and typhlografic materials
(materials that can be touched), so that each of Gallery visitors can get to know each
piece of art by themselves. Members of the Gallery staff responsible for making
exhibitions accessible to people with physical disability, cooperate with many
organizations and institutions working in the filed of blindness. The effect of this
cooperation is growing popularity of “Accessible Art” meetings and, in long term,
increasing accessibility of art to blind and visually impaired people in Poland.
3. Target group.
The target group of these activities are mainly adult blind and visually impaired
people, although Zachęta is open also to other groups with different disabilities and
tries to integrate them in the meetings. Very important in that matter is the
integration of people with different disabilities and without disabilities.
4. Organizational information.
The Gallery is continuously establishing new contacts and working closely with
organizations, which are active in the field of blindness. These organizations
disseminate information about events which are part of “Accessible Art” project.
Moreover, Zachęta itself runs communication actions in order to reach as many
people as possible: website, mailing, creating events on Facebook, sending out their
newsletter to a continually growing number of interested people.
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5. Good practice-description.
“Accessible Art” has been a permanent activity of Zachęta since July 2012. First
event was preceeded by solid preparation: establishing cooperation with one of the
most active organizations in the field of making culture and education more
accessible for people with disabilities. After that, Zachęta started with the removal
of architectural barriers. Secondly, the Gallery improved its website, so that blind
and visually impaired people could use it. The next step was to improve the skills of
the team responsible for this project. Educators and coordinators took part in:
antidiscrimination workshops, audio description workshop and learned basics of
sign language.
The team which organizes these meetings is responsible for:
• coordination of the work of educators who show around the exhibitions and
conduct workshops;
• planning the activities, preparing contents of each meeting;
• preparing documentation;
• cooperation with NGO’s and other cultural institutions;
The aims and challenges of that team are:
• assuring audiodescription to all pieces of art which are in Zachęta collection
(including video arts with subtitles for deaf people);
• creating the list of pieces of art (in collections within Poland), which can be
touched by blind and visually impaired people (in cooperation with art
curators and conservators);
• creating the encyclopedia of art for deaf people.
„Accessible Art” meetings take place once a month and deal with the current
exhibition in Zachęta, which is no permanent exhibition. It means that there is no
prepared audiodescription and typhlografic for these exhibitions.
Each meeting is conducted by two people. One of them is responsible for
presenting the exhibition and each piece of art by using audiodescription. The
second person prepares touchable materials (typhlografics).
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This is usually a student of Fine Arts, who is able to find a way to present a piece of
art for blind or visually impaired people and has enough skills to create it. Each
typhlografic has to be sized and convex.
Zachęta also engages volunteers , who help blind and visually impaired people in
arriving to the Gallery from their houses or from the stops near the Gallery.
Until now, Zachęta has been organizing meetings which concentrated on
interpreting exhibitions and permanent collection of the Gallery but soon, they will
organize meetings with artist which will enable the blind and visually impaired
people closer contact with art and its creators
There is also a website: www.otwartazacheta.art.pl where people can find Gallery
resources, documentation from the meetings and materials about exhibitions in
form of audiodescription.
Members of the team responsible for the “Acessible Art” meetings claim that
people who visit the Gallery for the first time are very interested in Zachęta’s actions
and appear in the next meeting/workshops organized by Zachęta.
Special attention is paid to the way the people who run the meetings are prepared
for the cooperation with visually disabled people. They get a lot of knowledge
about this specific kind of disability, about audiodescription and openness to the
needs of a group.
6. Recommendation for implementation.
• Listening to people’s needs/demands and responding to them. The most
frequent questions regard insufficient information on the website, a person
needs to be accompanied by someone in order to arrive to the gallery.
Zachęta responds to this kind of demands. This tasks aren’t expensive and
their fulfilling makes art and this kind of meetings more accessible.
• Preparation of suitable program of the meeting, in which there is enough
time to discuss each issue with the participants and to use typhlografics and
audiodecriptions.
• Cooperation with other institutions, which are active in common field, so
that you can count on mutuality in activities, e.g. using special equipment
which you can borrow from others to prepare materials.
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• Being open for other groups in organizing meeting for blind and deaf people.
It can contribute to a better educational effect.
7. For more information.
Anna Zdzieborska
Paulina Celińska
ZACHĘTA – NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
Education Department
tel./phone +48 22 556 96 42
a.zdzieborska@zacheta.art.pl
pcelinska@gmail.com
www.otwartazacheta.art.pl
zacheta.art.pl/en
www.facebook.com/zacheta
Image n. 1. Three woman touching big piece of art in white gloves. Photo Zachęta.
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Image n.2. Two woman touching small version of sculpture. Photo by Paulina E.
Rutkowska, Zachęta
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SECOND PRACTICE.
1. Title.
The Educational Resource Centers (ERC) of ONCE (Spanish Organization for Blind
and Visually Impaired People).
2. Short abstract.
The Spanish organization of blind and visually impaired people (ONCE) signs
cooperation agreements in education to all education authorities of the
Autonomous Communities.
Through these agreements, students can access to all the resources of the regular
system and also specific ONCE’s through its Educational Resource Centers (ERC),
located in Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla and Pontevedra. These centers
provide direct support and complementary services.
The Educational Resource Center (ERC) located in Madrid (Spain) is the biggest one
in Spain and provides all educational services.
3. Target group.
Visually handicapped children, their teachers and families.
ONCE is the organization which gives services in Spain to blind and visually impaired
people.
Related to education services provided by ONCE, in Spain there are 7,500 children
affiliated to ONCE. 90% of these children make their studies in ordinary education
centres that do not belong to ONCE.
Going back to history, up to the 80’s it was a compulsory for blind children to go to
specific educational centres. After that, there was an integration law which allowed
to blind children started going to regular schools. From 2006, all laws in Spain have
token this direction, including blind and visually impaired children in ordinary
educational system.
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In those years when children must go to specific centres, there were only five
centres run by ONCE in Spain. With this change from specific to ordinary schools,
ONCE transformed these five schools into Educational Resources Centres (ERC) to
give special support to ordinary schools.
Due to administrative structure of Spain, which is divided into 17 Autonomous
Regions having all power decisions related to educational policies, the ONCE must
work with each Regional Government to provide services. To be able to provide
services in each of the 17 Autonomous Regions, there is an agreement of ONCE with
each of the 17 Regional Governments.
Through these agreements, ONCE establishes the functions of the support teams to
blind and visually impaired children. These teams are formed by teachers which are
in part public workers and others who are from ONCE. Their tasks are to go to
ordinary schools to make an evaluation of their blind and visually impaired needs, to
plan their necessary measures and to make activities with them.
This work has three main aspects: to work with children, with their family and with
the school. There are many specialise areas of intervention like maturational
development in very young children, technologies for education, Braille, etcetera; all
educational areas that are needed in education with blind and visually impaired
children.
As we explained before, there are 5 ERC that are located around Spain so each
centre is focused on some part of the Spanish territory.
The ERC located in Madrid is the biggest one in Spain. It has also the weightiest offer
of services; it is the only one that provides all educational services.
There are two main educational resources in the ERC of Madrid. One of them works
with deaf blind children to provide educational support. The other one is an
educational centre to provide formal education where matters of studies at the
ordinary school are taught but also other specific services are provided.
The most common it is that blind children spend here from 1 to 3 months. The
maximum is 3 schools terms. Within this period of schooling children can achieve
their skills to get a successful inclusion in the ordinary school such as reading or
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writing in the system that they need, social skills and other kind of pedagogical
needs.
For children whose families do not live in Madrid Region, they offer the possibility to
sleep in the Centre but maintaining the relation with the family. Due to this
residential condition, the educational support does not limit to classroom but also
from the beginning to get to bed.
In addition, they provide other services that complement the educational needs of
blind and visually impaired children. For example, they provide free time activities
like sports (team sports and adapted sports). They also combine schooling activities
and sports in some difficult matters like maths, technologies and some aspects daily
life.
The Centre also provide training and support to professional who take care of
children and education mainly in areas like early care or technologies.
It is important to point out that the aim of the Centre is the inclusion; to provide
support to blind and visually impaired children at the ordinary educational system
not get specific schools. Although in the Centre of Madrid there is a specific school,
it is only to use in some moments to cover specific needs of blind children and after
that, children go back to ordinary schools.
If you have any suggestions or questions relating to this theme, you can visit our
web page: http://educacion.once.es/
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Image n.1: photo of a classroom in the Education Resource Center of ONCE.
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THIRD PRACTICE.
1. Title.
Course of Braille writing
2. Brief summary :
Teaching blind and visually impaired people the dotted writing in a course of 30
days, by blind teachers.
3. Target group :
Students of the course are blind and visually impaired, young and adults, men and
women. About the age, adults are in the majority in relation to the young people
who normally learn the braille to school. In relation to the sex, women and men are
equivalent. For what concern the disability, prevail the sighteds in relation to the
blind; blind students are almost teachers who learn braille method for blind
students in their classes.
4. Organizational information :
The course is held in Giugliano in Campania, a town near Naples, in a school offer
free at Anpvi Onlus. Is a project of Anpvi Onlus and it is repeated in various
structures provincial of association. The course was held during 2013 and it has
been concluded with a public ceremony during which students have received the
certificates of attendance of course.
5. Description:
The purpose of the activity is to spread the braille system not only to the blind, but
also for the sighted, and in particular among teachers.
The course includes some issue very important about the needs of the blind:
• the information on education school activities;
• professional carried out by the blind.
This is a very important aspect as a good practice because it is rarely activity
performed by public schools.
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in fact in Italy there are not special schools for the blind, all students are included in
the public schools, with the help of teachers of support.
This activity 'project will benefit others, blind and visually impaired participants, in
different place, according to a preset model. The presence of blind teachers in this
project is very important.
Anpvi Onlus, http://lnx.anpvionlus.it/
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FOURTH PRACTICE.
1.Title
„The learning process of blind and visually impaired people in non-formal and
informal context”
2. Short abstract
In Latvia there are no constant specialized programs of training of visually impaired
persons. Temporary educational programs within different projects are organized.
These programs have certain objectives and terms. More often visually impaired
persons in Latvia choose by themselves a suitable future occupation. There are
several high schools and universities, which accept visually impaired persons and are
ready to adapt to their needs.
But the main and most important knowledge and skills people with visual
impairment can acquire through rehabilitation process. Latvian Society of the Blind
implements state delegated duty, providing social rehabilitation services. Services
are financed by state and do not require co-payment.
3. Target group
Blind and visually impaired persons, who are willing and ready to learn new skills
and knowledge.
4. Organizational information
The Rehabilitation centre of Latvian Society of the Blind is the only institution that
offers to teach main skills for independent living in daily life for people with visual
disabilities. Rehabilitation centre is located in the capital of Latvia- in Riga thus all
surrounding environment is adapted for these people.
5. Good practice description
The major activity in field of Social inclusion is social rehabilitation. A providing and
financing Social rehabilitation service for visually impaired persons is obligation of
the State. Latvian Ministry of Welfare delegates this obligation to Latvian Society of
the Blind. In turn, specialists at Rehabilitation Centre of LSB teach visually impaired
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persons independent functioning skills. At Rehabilitation Centre people with visual
impairment are provided with skills and services like:
• Psychological adaptation training
• Acquiring orientation and mobility skills
• Acquiring self-care skills
• Acquiring skills to apply Assistive devices
• Training specialized Computer technologies and information and
communications Technologies
• Developing interrelations skills
• Making wicker Handiworks
• Developing creative communication and self-manifestation skills
• Acquiring adapted sporting activities
• Consultation and support in solving client’s social problems
• Consulting and training client’s family members
Independent functioning skills facilitates blind and visually impaired persons actively
participate in public, cultural and sports life within already existing NGO`s or they
create a new ones.
6. Recommendation for implementation
It is very important to inform all society about people with visual impairment needs
and skills. It is not only the white cane that they need and use. Any visual handicap
wants to learn main skills to be more independent and integrate in society as one of
us. Each country should provide information about rehabilitation centers for visual
handicapped to social services, medical institutions, State Employment Agency and
other institutions. Also should be prepared special informational material about
every institution that offers help to visual handicapped person.
7. For more information…
…if you have any suggestions or questions relating to rehabilitation theme, you can
contact us: projekti@lnbiedriba.lv, visit our web page: www.lnbiedriba.lv or
Rehabilitation centre official webpage: www.lnbrc.lv
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FIFTH PRACTICE.
1. Title.
The learning process of blind and visually impaired people in non-formal
and informal context.
2. Short abstract.
1) The primary provider of non-formal education in the Czech Republic,
presentation of the company Tyfloservis, mission and goals of the organization.
2) Specifics of the activities that Tyfloservis offers.
3) Description of the methods and forms of work used with clients.
4) Case study – an example of integrating a blind client into society, the journey to
independence.
3. Target group.
Blind and visually impaired persons in the context of social rehabilitation.
Tyfloservis was established in 1991 as an outreach and outpatient rehabilitation
system for the blind and visually impaired. It consists of a network of 12 regional
outpatient centers with operations that cover the whole Czech Republic. Each
center offers professionally trained instructors, a few of whom are severely visually
impaired.
The services of Tyfloservis are designed both for people who have serious vision
problems and for those whose family, circle of friends or acquaintances includes
someone with this kind of disability.
The target group consists of people over 15 years old with visual handicaps. These
people are blind and visually impaired. Clients also include people with multiple
disabilities who are disadvantaged in addition to visual defects (auditory, physical,
mental disability, diabetes mellitus, etc.). The key activity is to support the
integration of blind and visually impaired people into mainstream society through
targeted rehabilitation services. Visually disadvantaged people, visually impaired or
completely blind, learn to become independent of the help of others to an optimum
extent and increase their ability to manage the necessities of life independently.
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Description of the methods and forms of work used with clients.
Due to the seeing disadvantage of our clients, the individual form of work is
preferred (group courses are also run on an exceptional basis). The complexity of
the services provided to clients makes it possible for them to become familiar with
an assortment of special optical, rehabilitative, compensatory and other aids, and
with the possibilities of acquiring them. Social rehabilitation is carried out both by
teaching and training courses as well as through one-off interventions. Interventions
are aimed at practicing the use of residual vision for reading, writing, spatial
orientation, and at easing the complications of the everyday activities of clients that
result from impaired vision. Critical problems, for example, include pouring liquids,
distinguishing means of cash – banknotes and coins, signature placement, etc.
Rehabilitation courses are typically run once per week in a two-hour block. Like
intervention, the courses can run in the outpatient form on the premises of
Tyfloservis centers, as well as taking place outside the center (at the client’s
residence, in his home or workplace, on routes that need to be learned, etc.). When
working with clients, the emphasis is on the individual approach and these principles
are further applied in the provision of services: punctual contact with the client,
training under real conditions, the availability of services, expertise in providing
services, preventing further harm, compensating vision, the continuity and
combination of services, and sufficient public awareness.
1. Financial and employment counselling with a goal to eliminate information
barriers for people with visual disabilities in the area of financial
management. The aim is to use the projects as a tool for getting a job.
Financial and employment counselling will be conducted by phone and e-mail
or in the form of regular consultations within regions.
This will include: Financial consultancy dealing with an adverse situation (e.g.
indebtedness, insufficient family budget etc.) or a situation where a visual
inspection of contract is required. Advice on how to manage finances,
recommending trainings and simulations such as using a talking ATMs. Advisory in
an area of financial literacy as a tool for positioning in the labour market and
employment counselling in general.
2. Basic training in financial literacy – designed for candidates who wish to
permanently improve their financial literacy and it includes:
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a) Household management (personal budget, needs, household budget and how to
create it, household income and costs, surpluses and shortages, one-off expenses).
b) Money, payments and commercial papers (e.g. types of payments, credit cards,
bank charges and interests).
c) Financial products.
d) Financial planning and its outcomes (solution to the household budget deficit,
consumer rights, over-indebtedness, foreclosures, personal bankruptcy).
3. Advance training in financial literacy – designed to deepen the knowledge and
it includes:
a) Prices and pricing policy.
b) Financial market.
4. Instructional and simulation program - use of modern payment methods
(online and phone banking, use of talking ATM machines for the blind).
5. Follow-up training and internship for financial advisors – with a goal to
increase employment opportunities for blind in the labour market. It includes:
training for financial advisors and 3 months long internship (under the
supervision of a financial and employment advisor) taking place at the SONS
branches, where the trainees will provide financial advice to clients.
6. Active campaign for financial advisors with visual disability which goal is to
engage into conversation with a potential employer in an inventive way and in
the form of active campaign that includes:
• Actively approaching employers using working portfolios.
• Telephone survey on job opportunities for financial advisors in the open
labour market (the goal is self-presentation using a maximum amount of
effort).
Wellbeing spas for the blind and visually impaired are partially subsidized by the
Ministry of Health. This Action Program is approved by a doctor, it is mandatory for
all the applicants and it must be focused on activities that help improve health
status of applicants:
• Physiotherapeutic activities such as rehabilitation exercises and swimming,
exercises with a fitness ball, walks focused on practicing walking with sight
assistant, orientation in unfamiliar environments a focus on helping improve
overall physical condition, massages et.
• Activities to improve fine motor skills and touch sensation – tyflography,
working with clay and modelling.
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• Recreational sport activities which purpose is to spend time meaningfully and
improve physical condition – biking, showdown (table tennis for blind),
bowling (learning to shoot straight) etc.
• In order to enhance the security of the blind, participants practice techniques
of walking with a white cane.
• Social and therapeutic activities such as organizing various quiz competitions
and playing board games with a focus on development of communication
skills, spatial intelligence, improving overall physical condition and exercises
to improve memory.
• Relaxation techniques – music therapy, aromatherapy, yoga etc.
Lectures on health, psychology etc.
If you have any suggestions or questions relating to this theme, you can contact
Tomáš Sokolovský, e-mail address: sokolovsky@free-art.cz or contact directly
authors of this text Lucie Skříšovská, e-mail address: skrisovska@tyfloservis.cz and
Martin Hyvnar, e-mail address: novyjicin-odbocka@sons.cz.
.
26

context.
FIRST EXPERIENCE
Nobody could have drunken of water description
Interview with representatives of the Foundation for Culture Without Barriers: Anna
Żórawska and Robert Więckowski.
The Foundation is leading actions which aim is creation of
conditions ensuring people with sight and hearing disabilities
comfort during a visit to the cinema, theater, museum and
gallery. These are the conditions which are making an
independent and competent reception of art.
How the Foundation was started- where from came the idea?
Anna: The project was found in 2007 when I read the article "Hear what is
invisible". He talked about the fact that in Bialystok was the first screening of
the film with audio description. It was interesting to me and I started to met
people from the Cinema “Peace” in Bialystok, who did this and so from
contact to contact, I started taking similar activities. Many people have
wondered why am I doing this, what is for cinema for blind? Then we got the
first grant from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. We did the
show, it was the film "Louise's Garden" at the Cinema Muranow. I expected
that for the show will come young people and middle-aged, and on the spot it
was found that the mean age was 50+ and not enough places! Then I
realized that it makes sense. Then there were new projects and Robert (ed.
Więckowski) joined us, and then we have accelerated. We decided to set up
a Foundation whose aim will be making culture accessible. Thanks to the
President of the Foundation for Children "Help on Time", Stanislaw Kowalski,
this dream could come true.
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• What kind of specialists you're working with within your action? In
which areas?
Robert: We are training in audio description and in services for viewer with a
disability, because it is very important. But above all, we show who it really is
the person with a disability. What kind of obstacles he will meet, and what
challenges will meet the team of cultural institutions, for what they have to be
prepared? How to approach person with disability, what questions are ok to
ask and what are not ok? How to start a meeting, what you should know and
what you can ask, but about what you shouldn't ask? How to help? Overcome
the natural fear among non-disabled and disabled people - so that the
communication can be clear.
No matter how much money we have, or architectural accessibility as
driveways, that we can manage to build, how much will the headphones
supplied in the institutions. Everything can be done, if people want it. This is
not secret knowledge. There is a Chinese proverb that captures this well:
nobody could have drunken of waters description. You can read all about
water, but unless you drink water, you do not know everything.
Audio description. Not everyone has the ease of writing, is able to use words,
but anyone can try. We learn also how to adapt cultural texts to the needs of
the deaf people. It is also not secret knowledge, but you have to know how to
do it. These are the basics that you need to possess, and then practice,
practice.
Anna: We train educators, museum professionals, people from the first line in
customer services, who should be ready to work with people with disabilities.
Additionaly, we try to inspire some groups to create activities for people with
disabilities, using what they already have. This way did ZACHĘTA Gallery,
they got from us only suggestions. We also care about breaking down the
barriers in people themselves and also to be an ambassador in overcoming
barriers to their institution.
• What standards do you apply in your training offer?
Anna: We conduct trainings on topics which we feel competent in. I do not
pretend to know everything. Often we receive questions from people
interested in a workshop on the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. I
28

honestly admit that this topic is beyond our competence and we direct this
people to organizations which are competent in this area.
Robert: Above all, we teach by experience. We don't say much how
something looks like. We offer exercise. Most of all, however, we want
people, after the exercise, to talk about what they felt in this experience, did it
convince them to something? Our assumption is that the participants founds
their natural reflex, and when they see a blind person, or a person moving in
a wheelchair, they knew how to behave. These people come to the
conclusions to which we went, learning from experiences from various
projects.
We don't give certificates. We learn throughout our lives, and for this we want
to raise awareness those who come to us. If someone really wants to learn
something, must be present at the workshop. At the same time you have to
give yourself a chance to make mistakes. Sometimes that what we think,
turns out that perhaps is not real. What is also needed is awareness on how
to fix this mistake. We operate in the area of interpersonal skills. It is difficult
to argue with the facts. Everone should teach themself humility, acceptance
and boundaries of people with disabilities.
Anna: Often we also have some concerns. For example, we were not entirely
convinced to join a group of blind and deaf people in one workshop, and it
turnes out that it worked well and that the participants were very active and
initiative. And it also is important to us - openness to combining different
groups, not creating ghettos.
Robert: Our workshops last usually three days. I do not think we agree on
this, to shorten them. You can not explore this knowledge in less time.
• What would you like to pass on trainers/educators? Do you have
any advice for them?
Robert: Knowledge. You need to think about what is true about the disability
and what is just a stereotype transmitted by the opinions of others.
Anna: Experience the situation similar to living with a disability, immersion in
this situation.
Robert: You need to know also how. So to know the solutions that enable
people with disabilities access to the arts and to knowledge. Look for good
29

practices. Another sphere are interpersonal skills. Do not allow everything a
person with a disability. We shouldn't treat people with disabilities leniently.
And often we are willing to. Hence the stereotype of the claim-disabled
person came to being. It is worth to think about the frequency of our behavior
when we allow the behaviors that exacerbate this demanding attitude.
If you work with blind and organize each meeting in a different location, it is
not surprising that at the last meeting, no one will come. If you do not ensure
help to move (or in this case the location constancy of meetings), which is the
most difficult thing for a blind person.
Anna: These are the keys to this for common work to succeed. Blind people
rather are not spontaneous. You need to give them time to be familiar with
everything, you can prepare the content of the invitation for some event was
exhaustive. People with disabilities must organize, access, perhaps help in
getting to the event.
• What else you should pay attention to, while working with blind or
visually impaired people?
Robert: Speaking about the colors. You always have to talk about the colors,
even if the blind person does not know them, they never saw it, but lives in a
world of colors and if the person will not be able to call them, what color are
leaves on a tree, the sky, it will be socially incompetent person. It must be
learned. Of course, the colors are falling out the life of a blind person, such as
foreign languages, which are not used. But you have to talk about it. The
blind see six colors.
Anna: What is important in this aspect, is the time, we need much time. We
should also pay attention to the amount of things that we want to pass, it can
not be too many of them. For example, one exploring the museum lasts one
hour and the half, we see three objects and then we're talking about them. It
works and then people are coming back. We should also shun the desire of
making people with disabilities happy during training or workshops. We treat
them like any other person, and that's what we pay attention to, facilitating
their access to content.
• Does in group of specialists with whom you cooperate are people
blind?
30

Robert: No, unfortunately. It is a pity, but in the culture in general, works not
many blind people.
• What is the "know-how" transferred to organizations / institutions
in the area of visual dysfunction?
Robert: We know how to do audio description, we know how to make the
picture, sculpture accessible. We advise what to do when the audio
description is not possible. We do audits of the organizations in cooperation
with experts of universal design. We advise on Brille, and if Braille, how many
of Braille? We provide contacts to audiodescriptors, to people who can do
typhlografics. We share our know-how. This knowledge must be spread.
Anna: Added to this is the knowledge of culture, which enhances the quality
of our actions. We assist in the preparation of the whole process of making
art more accessible, from the preparation of materials to the blind people to
the moment they leave the theater or a museum. That's what we pay special
attention to the presenter, who is reading audio description. Must be a
professional voice actor. On this it can not be saved.
Robert: Also advise how to bypass solutions that require large financial
outlays. Not always there are money for everything and the audio description
is worth to do, despite the lack of resources. It also turns out that everyone at
their own expense may even make typhlografics, provided that the person
wants to spend their time and energy to think about it.
• What is for you the challenge for the future?
Robert: We measure the world in dreams. It definitely is such that every
product of culture that arises, was immediately prepared in the version
available for everyone.
Anna: To the planning and design of budgets exhibitions, films,
performances, were entered costs associated to making these events
accessible to people with diffrent disabilities. To the representatives of these
institutions do not give up if you need to make cuts. And often we hear that
this is happening. Besides, we also wish to have a cultural place, which will
be 100% accessible to all.
• What are you proud of, what you want to share with other
organizations?
31

Robert: Products, what succeeded in ZACHĘTA, with films which failed to
include audio description. We look forward to the next meeting where the hall
is filled to the brim.
Anna: Once every movie that was bind up audiodescription was an event, for
which we got thanks. Today, our audience come and is critical, discussing
what is liked, which is not, what we should improve. They give us the spur to
develop it.
Robert: We are pleased with the Warsaw Cultural Week Without Barriers
(link to event website: Warszawski Tydzień Kultury Bez Barier). Event
conceived spontaneously, and now we will make the next step. Frequently
occurring complaint is such that some could not take part in everything,
because events overlap.
Anna: My dream has always been to give our customers choice, so as they
can decide as we can, whether they go to the cinema, theater or museum.
Paradoxically, complains about Warsaw Cultural Week without Barriers
events overlaped, for me is the realization of our goals. Today, our activities
include the new institutions, which we invited for years and they did not
always wanted to cooperate with us. Today they want.
Take chick (stick) to the cinema (in Polish language stick have also second
meaning - chic) (link to campaigne website: Zabierz laskę do kina) - this is my
dream came true. I've always dreamed about social campaign. I've always
wanted people to know that our audience want to enjoy the culture. People
joined for free and helped us carry it out. And it worked. We were in every
medium. It was extraordinary. It had a large extent – people cite on it by
contacting us.
Robert: We believe that it is worth doing. Maybe it won’t create more
positions on the labour market, but people will be happier.
32

SECOND EXPERIENCE
An interview with Ana Isabel Ruiz Lopez.
Director of Education, Employment and Cultural Promotion of ONCE, SPAIN.
Interviewer: Hello Ana. I am working in the Social Cooperative Transformando that
is the Spanish partner of the European Project “Experiences of Adult Education in
Europe for blind and visually impaired people”. This project is funded by the
European Commission through the Lifelong Learning Grundtvig Programme.
The project intends to deepen the role of educational activities in blind and visually
impaired people in Europe, especially in relation to non formal and informal learning
opportunities.
There are other 4 European countries involved in the project: Italy, Poland, Latvia
and Check Republic.
As an output of this project, we are going to elaborate a handbook including
different good practices and interviews to share. We decide to interview you, Ana,
as the Director of Education, Employment and Cultural Promotion of ONCE (The
Spanish Organization of Blind People) in Spain. You are also the responsible person
of ICEVI (International Council for Education of People with Visually Impairment) in
charge of South Region of Europe.
What is the aim of the ONCE Directorate of Education, Employment and Cultural
Promotion?
The first responsibility of the Directorate is Education. Everybody is legally entitled
to an Education as The Spanish Constitution states. Everybody ought to access to
Education on equal terms. In Spain we have a legislation that supports the inclusion
of children with disabilities in regular schools. In fact, the inclusion has not been
achieved 100% but a lot of efforts are being made to reach it.
The second responsibility of the Directorate is Employment. A person can study
hardly; can be deeply trained but finally if this person does not have the chance of
working, will not be developed as a person.
We use to talk about social inclusion, not only educational inclusion. Social inclusion
implies to develop as a person and integrate into society under equal conditions. We
also work in both areas (Employment and Education) at the same time so that
visually impaired people can choose which graduate courses study to find a
particular job in the future. We also provide support to visually impaired people in
33

order to facilitate their access to an ordinary company. Our objective is always the
inclusion.
The third responsibility is Cultural Promotion and Braille. Braille is very important for
ONCE. The Spanish Braille Commission is the body that determines all the rules for
writing Braille.
We also carry out other programs that promote social inclusion of visually impaired
people. This Directorate is not in charge of leisure and sports programs but cultural
ones such as promoting artists (writers, painters, sculptors, photographers and
musicians who make classical music, pop and etcetera). We value their level,
prepare concerts, edit books or publish a music CD. In addition, we financially assist
several cultural associations related to the world of theater and music activities.
Interviewer: With which people do you work (for example, visually impaired people
or their families)?
The final beneficiary of ONCE is always the person with visual impairment. However,
in the field of Education there are three pillars: the child, family and school. If we
work only with children we are making a mistake. It is necessary to involve also
schools and families.
If a visually impaired child is integrated into a school, we work with the school to be
a receptive center, from the Manager to the Janitor or the cleaning staff. Everyone
needs to know that blind students can be integrated in school and can attend
activities like the rest.
In the same way families are essential. If families are not involved in their children's
education, we will never achieve the children inclusion in society. It is very
important in Braille, for example. If families do not accept that their children need
Braille, children will never learn to use it. We have to work with families since early
age to follow up our intervention and help us to achieve the intended targets.
Interviewer: How do you develop the inclusion approach in education, employment
and culture?
We work in several ways depending on the needs.
We provide direct support and assistance functions in the classroom for the
integration of visually impaired students. For example, most teachers do not use
Braille so we teach Braille to blind students. How? We try to teach blind children
during the regular class but we cannot do it because the ONCE support is not
continuous, ONCE staff is available only five or eight hours per week and per child.
So, taking into account the available time, we go to the school to work specific
34

issues with blind students and to advise their teachers on how to include these
specific issues when they are carrying out activities with all students.
In addition, we provide accessible materials like sheets explaining exercises.
Therefore, we work with a lot of accessible materials, directly with visually impaired
students and their teachers.
We also offer training courses to educational community according to their needs.
For example, now we are developing a Braille learning methodology based on the
actual methodology follow to learn to read and write for sighted students. So that
this Braille learning methodology facilitates to teach reading and writing children
with and without visual disabilities at the same time.
The aim of inclusion is that everything is adapted to visually impaired people, not
the blind person has to do it.
In addition, we work on the playground, in the dining room, during the
extracurricular activities and etcetera. The basis of a success relationship of adults is
the skills developed during their childhood and adolescence to socialize. If we do not
allow blind children to socialize and participate in games during breaks or
extracurricular activities like other children, how will we achieve their social
integration?
Interviewer: What is the "knowhow" transferred to organizations / institutions in
the area of visual impairment?
I always say that the ONCE model can be a reference but does not have to be the
unique model. Any model can be good. The most important thing is taking into
account what you want to go when you plan a way of working. Our aim as an
institution that works with blind people should be them. For example, when I design
an education working plan, I always think about how children will finally receive our
services. I cannot follow the most comfortable working ways. The objective is the
blind child.
ONCE is an institution with many years of experience and history (almost 76 years).
His model is the result of evolution and experience, it does not emerge suddenly. It
is difficult to implement a model such as ours. Since the first year that ONCE started
up, we have introduced ourselves into society. Now everybody recognizes what
ONCE is and this is the result of many years working.
I think that now in Spain nobody feels scared of a blind child going to a regular
school because they know that ONCE will be support that child and that school. It is
the same in the business world. It is rare to find a company that puts barriers to hire
35

a visually impaired person. The company does not complain to hire blind people if
they are qualified to develop the job.
An organization working with blind people should reflect on where they want to go,
what resources they have and how they can achieve their objectives in an efficient
way. When I speak about efficiency I mean, for example, that it is more efficient that
all teachers know how to work with disabled people than to invest in concrete
support to disable people.
We combine both approaches. We offer particular activities to blind people but also
training and support to educational community or companies so that society will be
increasingly receptive. The first thing to work is the psychological and social barriers.
All this approach is the result of the evolution of the ONCE. Our model is complex
but we also have “many resources”, enclosed in quotation marks. We have a team
that is not only provided by ONCE but also by the education authorities. Since the
beginning of ONCE, we have also achieved an important commitment of public
institutions. For example, we have a total of 7,000 teachers supporting in regular
schools but only 300 teachers are from ONCE, the rest are from the Public
Administrations. In addition, other networks of professional, such as rehabilitation
technicians, Braille instructors, psychologists, social workers also support blind
people.
ONCE approach may be a good model in Spain and can be a model to follow but also
other countries that I have visited have good practices. Not always to have more
resources is better or imply more quality. Quality is a concept completely separated
of the amount of resources. Quality implies to analyze how I can achieve my
objectives taking into account the resources that I have, for example, to achieve that
the blind person gets a better job, can be more autonomous, more independent and
can really move in society as any other citizen.
I think that should be the reflection. Sometimes we think that more is better but we
should to think what we can do with the available resources.
Interviewer: As a conclusion Ana, what is the path to continue implementing
educational activities with blind and visually impaired people?
Our main objective is that blind people will be not differentiated by their blindness
but will be differentiated as everyone else to be high, low, blonde or brown. We
want that a blind person will be a normal person and can develop as an individual in
society like any other person. This does not mean that the blind people in Spain
have to reach the best; they should be what they are. Nobody is going to get a job
very well paid, for example. The minimum is that all blind people have to complete
36

their basic education. From there, there are blind people who develop a vocational
training career, others a degree or a master, others are researchers and etcetera.
Therefore there are blind people working in cleaning, others working as lawyers,
physiotherapists, telephone operators, teachers, psychologists and etcetera. In
addition, some people are a company manager, middle managers and etcetera.
Blind people in Spain belong to all social scales.
Therefore, our final goal is that all these people are adequately integrated. Our job
is to develop in different ways: working with people, with society, with their
surroundings (family, educational community, companies and etcetera), with the
Government (at national, regional and local level). We want society to become
increasingly more receptive to awareness and dissemination. In addition, we like to
speak about abilities and inclusion, not about disabilities.
As a conclusion, we want to be normal people in a normal society, not to be
differenced by our blindness. Our blindness can be a handicap in certain aspects, for
example, we cannot drive, but this is not a disadvantage, there are many sighted
people who cannot drive.
On the other hand, we do not want to highlight because blind people are better,
only if we have to do it. When we support visually impaired people to get a job,
we use to transmit that they have to be able to develop a task like a person who
can see. That means that they have to develop strategies and tools to do it and
we help them to do it. Nevertheless, that does not mean that blind people have
to do the work in an hour if the company states that to develop the task takes
two hours. On the other hand, they do not have to spend two and a half hours.
Some people think we are supermen or superwomen because we work hardly.
We are normal people and that is what we want to be.
37

THIRD EXPERIENCE
Informal and non-formal education in Latvia
Anna
Anna Dubovika is 29 years old girl and she just loves what she does and she is all in
music. Small insight into the daily life of Anna.
Anna: “About Rehabilitation Centre of Latvian Society of the Blind I learned for the
first time in 2007 when I came there to receive laptop which Latvian Society of the
Blind gave out to students for the period of study. Then I learned about
rehabilitation programs and day centre programs for 50 hours and three month long
rehabilitation program.
During studies at university I attended 50 hours program few years in a row where I
learned my first computer skills- scanning, reading text, and working with Word,
Excel and Power Point. I even learned homepage creation basis. All these skills were
necessary for studies at university.
I have graduated Bachelor’s degree program where I was studying music teaching.
After graduation In January 2012 I took a part at long term rehabilitation program.
Within this program I have learned lot of things- cooking, safe walking on the
streets, weaving, handicraft and computers. During rehabilitation process I have
learned two very difficult routes- how to walk to Central Board of Latvian Society of
the Blind and library as well. Currently I continue my studies of music teaching at the
university and it is first year of master studies, one more year left.
In my opinion I got luck in finding my first job. The lucky strike right after youth
camp “Bridge towards”- I began to work in big European project as a piano teacher. I
had 10 students in the course per year. But now I’m working at LSB monthly
magazine “Rosme”. It is four month long state temporary public job program. My
responsibilities includes translating the magazine into Russian, preparing and editing
text for further printing in Braille and digitizing old Rosme’s editions.
Music has very deep meaning in my life. I’m engaged in it since childhood. I play
flute, piano, also I learn to play the block flute by myself. I’m also singing in youth
choir “Come along”, playing in LSB Strazdumuizha cultural club’s brass band, singing
in youth vocal ensemble “Spring wonder birds”.
38

FOURTH EXPERIENCE.
Interview with Martin Hyvnar, social worker in Czech Blind United.
Question: Please specify the organization where you work, how long you have
worked there, what position you fill and what activities you perform in this position
in the organization.
Answer: Czech Blind United, Nový Jičín district branch, department of social
services. I am working on position social worker and manager of the Nový Jičín
center since 2007.
My activities which I perform on this position are:
- Center manager.
- Employee in direct work with clients with visual impairments. As part of
consulting work, providing social and legal advice in the field of social care and
other services for the visually impaired, emergency aid benefits, social welfare,
state social benefits, pension, health and medical insurance, labor law and
employment, education, vocational training, retraining, in removing barriers for
the needs of the visually impaired (assistance in completing applications, appeals
and other legal documents), advice on selecting certain mobility aids.
- In providing social activation services of the organization of club-style
extracurricular activities – workshops, information and educational workshops,
sports and physical activities, sightseeing trips, tours and excursions, regeneration
and relaxation activities, social activities. Our services assist clients in exercising
their rights and in addressing personal matters (e.g. assistance in dealing with the
authorities and other public institutions).
- Fundraising,
- Information activities – workshops acquainting the public with the everyday
problems of people with visual disabilities.
- Other activities: club activities, preparing and organizing reconditioning and
recuperative stays for persons with visual disabilities, cultural events, Festival
Days of Blind Art.
Question: What is the main mission of your organization? Indicate what services
your organization provides in caring for blind and visually-impaired clients.
Answer: Our mission is to unite and defend the interests of visually-impaired
people, to provide specific services leading up to their social integration. Our
39

priorities are: finding and contacting the visually impaired, including those in the
stage of having lost their vision; promoting the employment of the blind and visually
impaired; socio-therapeutic activities of self-help groups and activating clubs;
removing architectural and information barriers; validating new forms of assistance,
including the popularization and enlightenment of issues involving visual
impairment.
 Social work among people with severe visual impairments (screening).
 Basic and special social and labor law legal advice.
 Technical advice and training in the operation of assistive aids, including
lending without charge.
 Operating a unique navigation center for the blind.
 Publishing information magazines, operating info-portals and an online digital
library.
 Training guide dogs.
 Removing barriers (information and architectural), etc.
Question: Does your organization have experience in the formal and informal
education of visually-impaired and blind persons? What educational materials are
used by your organization?
Answer: For persons with visual disabilities, we organize educational courses,
including retraining in information technology, financial literacy, orientation in the
law, the psychology of disability, social skills, eGovernment, etc. educational
materials are adapted to the needs of visually-impaired persons (the use of ICT
technology and specialized software, materials in electronic format, large print,
Braille, in MP3 audio format.
Question: What mobility aids can your organization offer your clients? Does your
organization also use aids in computer technology?
Answer:
Calculator with speech output, digital notebook for visually-impaired people with
speech output or Braille, display, Blind typewriter, Dymo embossing label maker,
electronic orientation aids for the blind, electronic communication aids for the blind
(mobile phones equipped with voice reader or magnifying glass), color indicators,
measuring devices for the household with speech or tactile output, voice descriptors
for the blind (Pennfriend), dictaphones, camera zooms, digital magnifying glass (PC
with special software adaptation) and more.
40

Question: What are the most important tools, resources and skills in the education
process for blind and visually impaired persons?
- Knowing the problems of people with visual impairments.
- Properly preparing outputs with training (with regard to the needs of people with
visual impairments).
41

Chapter 3
Blind people - social and working inclusion.
42

FIRST PRACTICE.
1. Title.
People with disabilities starting their business - a project of the Foundation
ACTIVATION, POLAND.
2. Short abstract.
The project aims is activating people with disabilities through self-employment -
starting their own business. The project participants are setting up their business
and during the first year of its existing they can count on the support in form of
training, consulting and financial support: for investment and financing monthly
mandatory contributions to social and health insurance.
3. Target group.
35 persons with disabilities (all grades) aged 18-64 years in from the Lodz region.
Partner ACTIVATION Foundation, Lodz Regional Agency for Development. Project
financed by European Union.
We want to present a good practice: support blind person in starting his economic
activity. One of the recipients of this action is Mr. Tomasz Szczepanski, who plans to
set up a business as a masseur in the city of Wielun (about 25 thousand. Inhabitants)
in the Lodz province. Mr. Thomas went through a two-stage recruitment:
1. by submitting an application form, in which he described his idea for a
business;
2. then he participated in interviews with a professional business counselor and
psychologist.
43

After qualifying for the project he started participation in training and consulting.
Mr. Thomas used the: individual career counseling (creation of the Individual Action
Programme) and workshop on social skills (coping with stress). The second block
under the name "Be enterprising", during which he gained knowledge on running
own business, legal, financial, preparation of business, customer acquisition etc.
As the most useful Mr. Thomas stated: individual counseling and workshops on
coping with stress.
• to provide a blind person an assistant (accompany person), at least in the first
stage of the project;
• providing accessible training materials for a blind person and use of modern
technology - implementation of training in the form of webinars;
• provide individual counseling in the area of business that gives a lot of tips to
prepare a business plan;
• provide active training methods that engage participants to work during the
training - eg. joint fulfillment business plans and feedback from the trainer;
• emphasis on planning for the future, thinking about how a company can
operate in a few years.
Anna Pilawska
Project Manager
Fundacja Aktywizacja
Centrum Edukacji i Aktywizacji Zawodowej Osób Niepełnosprawnych w Łodzi
90-019 Łódź, ul. Dowborczyków 30/34, 2nd Floor
tel. 42 237 55 20, 508 501 410
anna.pilawska@idn.org.pl
44

SECOND PRACTICE.
1. Title.
DIEGO PEREZ: A Clinic of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Osteopathy,
Acupuncture, Mesotherapy, Chiropractic, Pilates, Nutrition, Laser Hair Removal
and Aesthetic Treatments
2. Short abstract.
Clinic is located in a small city (Laracha) in A Coruña, a province in Galicia Region.
Image n.1: photo of where Laracha city is located in the Region of Galicia (Spain).
More than 200 square meters are dedicated to wellness: Physiotherapy and
Rehabilitation Clinic, Osteopathy, Acupuncture, Mesotherapy, Chiropractic, Pilates,
Nutrition, Laser Hair Removal and Aesthetic Treatments.
The clinic is specialized in accelerated recovery in order to do least possible sessions.
This requires innovation and latest generation technology.
45

Image n.2: photos of the clinic inside.
3. Target group.
Two new areas have been recently implemented: one area focused on clinical
psychology and other psychological area specialized on working with children with
specific needs.
Image n.3: photo of a therapist working with children with specific needs.
46

Family and teachers helped Diego Perez at the beginning. He received a grant from
the Spanish Government for entrepreneurs. The Spanish Organization for Blind
People (ONCE) supported him in microenterprises management and with a credit.
ONCE and ONCE Foundation has a credit line for blind and visually impaired people:
until 60.000 or 12.000 with 1% of interest and for 15 years.
Diego Perez is a Good Practice of Self Employment for the following reasons:
• First blind person in Spain graduated on medicine: Degree in Acupuncture by
the Medicine School of Santiago de Compostela University.
• When he lost completely his sight, he was 21 years old and studying
osteopathy. He decided to finish his degree with the help of family and
teachers.
• He created his own clinic 11 years ago.
• Now, he has 7 employees. The clinic is completely private. Services are paid
directly by the client. He doesn’t work in collaboration with insurances
companies. More than 50 people by day are attended in his clinic.
As Diego Perez says: “People think that blind people are only able of selling ONCE
cupon; this is a great opportunity for a lot of blind people but we can also do more”.
47

He recommends the experience of self employment to everyone but it is necessary
to be prepared. Concretely, entrepreneurs should:
• Combine technical and business knowledge.
• Have a business plan before to start up a company.
• Have supported by external experts.
He thinks that it's hard but it is important to be patient, work slowly and learn
continuously.
Diego Perez Clinic: info@clinicadiegoperez.com or contact directly on facebook.com:
https://es-es.facebook.com/clinicadiegoperez or by phone: +34981612828.
Image n.4: photo of the main door of Diego Perez Clinic
48

THIRD PRACTICE.
1. Title.
Good practice example based on experiences from the Czech Republic.
2. Short abstract.
This example of good practice is based on a story of a blind young man named
Lukáš, who lost his sight ten years ago as a result of an accident. He is 37 today and
fully independent and self-sufficient. He lives on his own and studies by distance at
the University of Social sciences and Humanities. Until losing his vision, Lukáš used
to work as a policeman. Because he enjoyed his job and didn't want to leave, his
employer decided to meet him halfway and transferred Lukáš to a different
department. At the moment he is working as a call assistant and as part of the job
he uses a computer with a voice-controlled software. He took a retraining course,
where he learned to use and type on a keyboard for a voice-controlled computer,
followed by a complete training on how to use the computer itself. Lukáš loves his
job and the fact that he can stay in touch with people by phone brings him a sense
of fulfillment. He likes to cooperate with another people.
3. Target group.
Blind persons.
City Policy Department, Ostrava, 30. dubna 1682/24, 729 21, Moravská Ostrava,
phone: 974 725 111, e-mail address: mrpo.podatelna@pcr.cz.
The main goal of a social work with the blind and visually impaired people is to
support a development of those skills that will direct these people to more
autonomous lifestyle. Limited or non-existent visual function significantly
complicates the ability to cope with daily activities.
Trainings in these areas appear to be the most relevant to people with a visual
impairment:
- training in visual aids and providing them with information on how to obtain
them.
- self-care practice.
- training in spatial orientation and independent movement (walking with a white
cane, learning to walk with a companion, selecting suitable routes).
- handwritten signature training.
49

- training in typing on a typewriter.
- vision re-education (visual training).
- training on how to behave in different social situations and how to approach
people.
If a person of working age loses his vision, there might be a strong possibility of
losing his job, too. A significant limitation of visual functions in a younger age may
be related to the inability of being able to prepare for a potential career in the
course of process of education. In terms of integrating the blind and partially sighted
people into the labour market the situation seems to be really difficult. Even though
visually impaired people use the wide range of different assistive devices they are
not able to perform a huge number of different professions and this of course has a
major impact on their chances to integrate into the working process.
Lukáš didn't let the initial setbacks to discourage him and thanks to his sense for
responsibility and being a single-minded person he learned new ways of working in
the existing department. To be able to walk to work on his own, he also trained hard
to memorize the route. Knowing already the environment of the workplace before
the accident he sees as a big advantage. Lukáš is very popular among his colleagues
mainly because of his cheerful personality and the amount of optimism. The
colleagues don't think of Lukáš as a nuisance as he is actually very well accustomed
to the workplace and manages all everyday activities without any assistance. Also
thanks to the support of his family and colleagues he managed to adapt adequately
and is able to work without any problems.
The goal of Employment policy is not primarily to create job opportunities for
handicapped people. Social services take into account the needs of disabled people
with an emphasis on providing adequate, ethical and decent services, which leads to
satisfaction and saturation of the obstacles and limitations of handicapped people.
The Czech Republic has the necessary tools to determine the mandatory proportion
of people with disabilities in the total number of employees. The mandatory
proportion of 4% of people is calculated from the total number of employees.
Therefore employers have a legal obligation to employ handicapped people,
optionally the have a choice to complete it or replace it by purchasing products and
services or by ordering from specific companies that employ disabled people. In
terms of sheltered workshops, which employ more than 50 % of people with
disabilities, the employment of these people is financed by hiring subsidies for
50

people with disabilities in sheltered workshops in the form of partial reimbursement
of expenses associated with the cost of wages and another expenses.
Tomáš Sokolovský, e-mail address: sokolovsky@free-art.cz or contact directly
authors of this text Lucie Skříšovská, e-mail address: skrisovska@tyfloservis.cz.
51

FOURTH PRACTICE.
1. Title.
Flashes in the dark
2. Short abstract.
The cultural center N.a.c.s.o. "Blind art in cultures and societies today" of ANPVI
Onlus organizes concerts since more than 20 years, with musicians blind and visually
impaired, to respond to the principles of social integration carried out by the
association.
3. Target group.
These events are aimed both to blind and visually impared people and to all kind of
participants.
Anpvi Onlus carriers out many activities of assistance and social promotion in favor
of visually impaired people in the area of care, employment placement, educaton
and training, autonomy and mobility, art, culture, as well as the prevention of
blindness and visual recovery.
The concerts took place in various theaters like the famous “Piper” in Rome, the
Ghione Theatre of Rome, the concert hall of the war veterans of auditorium, and
other venues. The concerts see the participation of singers and other musicians
blind and visually impaired, both young artists and professionals. Usually the
program of the concert can include classical music as well as modern music, and are
presented by renowned artists of theater and television. Participation to the concert
is free.
All organizations of disabled people, especially blind people can organize similar
initiatives that bring prestige to those who organize and benefit to those who
participate.
52

FIRST EXPERIENCE
Interview with Katarzyna Cieloch, mentor and careers advisor. She works for the
Foundation ACTIVATION (link to the organization website in the hyperlink) in Silesia
(Skoczów, Cieszyn). Currently she is involved in a project for people with
disabilities living in small towns and villages in Poland.
• What is your experience in working with blind and visually impaired people?
Katarzyna Cieloch: I am a vocational counselor and often I’m taking part in various
projects specifically targeting persons with disabilities. In this type of projects are
also often involved physicians, psychologists or specialist in adult education. The
role of the counselor is then to recognize predispositions of persons with disabilities
and their ability to integrate into the labor market depending on the individual
situation.
Recently I was involved in a project for people living in small towns and villages. This
project is highlighting a very important need for the blind and visually impaired at
the macro level, since it is difficult to be active in the labor market, when you live in
a place without sustainable access to labor market institutions have a limited ability
to use information and professional projects.
In directing assistance to people with disabilities main role plays flexibility. It allows
you to customize activities/ forms of support to the individual needs of each
participant. These needs are diverse, there are people who are doing better, have a
greater knowledge of the labor market, access to different data/ training, but e.g.
lack of the social contacts and vice versa. Still there are many people in Poland who
do not know where and how to buy a white cane.
• What is the role of social skills on the way to vocational activation?
Important role in the process of vocational activation are playing social skills
workshops. During this kind of workshops, people gain the ability to move around
the labor market: making contacts with potential employers, determine their
individual action plan, which contains concrete steps towards preparing for work:
53

planning professional courses, internships rehabilitation, the use of agency work,
etc.. Often go workshops social activity, which integrate with other groups.
The big problem is relatively weak social rehabilitation of the blind and visually
impaired people in Poland. People do not know that they can take advantage of the
spatial orientation course, or devices that can facilitate their functioning, for
example device for measuring liquids.
Blind people admit that they often do not have the ability to do something by
themselves, for example listen to the music from CD when the plate does not
contain the tactile symbol - this is a big problem. Independence plays a huge role in
dealing in the labor market. Making contact with other blind people expands
knowledge of various possibilities.
For many people, a great discovery was the possibility to take a trip or cycling (in
tandem). Organized theatrical performances with audio description. In my area are
carried out by the Polish Theatre in Bielsko Biała.
• Are there restrictions in the catalog of available jobs for people with
impaired vision?
Limited range of positions for the blind, is a problem. You can look at it so that blind
people are stigmatized: they are known as a good masseur, musicians, but it also is
not entirely true. Recently I worked with a lady who has made a lot of effort in
working towards a masseur, and after the eye examine, it turned out that she could
not perform heavy physical work, and the masseur work is such. It's about breaking
a pattern of thinking. I worked recently with a deff man who works as a DJ. Always
passionate about music and composes it.
I think this is sometimes limited by our imagination. Some things are difficult to try
without knowing the technical possibilities that are developing. Certain professions
are becoming more available. I know therapy workshops where blind people are
working in printing workshops (bookbinder), which would seem impossible.
Appropriate job adjustments allows such things. The second example is accounting. I
worked with a client who lost vision, previously worked with a magnifying glass, and
it was very tiring. She did not know that he can buy a speaking program that will
facilitate its work. Technical solutions are preventing exclusion from the labor
market.
54

On the other hand there are very important measures aimed at employers who do
not know what are the solutions and what might be helpful.
• How do you prepare to work with the blind and visually impaired people?
As in the case of other medical dysfunction. I'm still learning, I recognize the
specificity concerning the dysfunction and development opportunities. I ask people,
what kind of opportunities and experiences do they have - which gives me a broad
picture of what a blind person can. I contact with people who work every day with
blind and visually impaired people and IT companies.
• What according to you is the most important in this job?
In addition to openness, knowledge of technical solutions that make everyday life
easier, allow being active on labor market.
Paper and pen is not an option as every other form of communication, when it is
limited cognitive capability of a particular person. Individual assessment of needs is
important. The question of: what you need, how can you pass it, would be
understandable. Not to stereotype blind people. It can go in the wrong direction.
What is needed is an in-depth interview, identification of needs and opportunities,
and keep your finger on the pulse, that is, knowledge of technical innovations to
improve the lives of blind people.
When I’m preparing materials in paper form I send it by e-mail to blind and visually
impaired people - because they can use it with special programs (converting text
into speech). But many people do not have such a program because they do not
know that they exist and that they can be accessed for free.
• What challenges do you identify in this area?
Awareness of the people I work with. I work in a local government unit to which
people with disabilities come to handle many issues. It is important to sensitize
employees, awake in them empathy, interest in the needs of blind people.
Sometimes it's simple things that can help. I do not think even about architectural
barriers, because it's obvious, but help in bringing someone to the right place, a
particular office or going down to the lobby, to settle there any matter. Solving the
problem of numeral system - a blind person can not see the number, and does not
know which number is displayed. The voice does not work. These are the details. It
55

might help to get the feedback from the blind and visually impaired people. Now I
work with a person who is a construction estimator, apparently he will continue this
profession. It is a computer program called ZUZIA, which was not well adapted to
the needs of the blind. Mr. Andrew contacted the company and thanks to the their
cooperation, program has been adapted to the needs of the blind.
• Do technology and the activity of a blind person can break the stereotypes
on the labour market?
Yes, because the role of the counselor working with a blind person is showing new
opportunities. Sometimes you do not need to do much, just a good diagnosis,
identification of strengths and focus, to show the possibilities. Why accountant has
to re-train, if you can just buy the right equipment and you can continue performing
your work. Maybe not on such a scale as before, but still can feel needed and be
engaged professionally.
• It is said about the difference between people who loss their sight and those
who were born blind.
People who were born visually impaired usually cope better because already tamed
this situation, that they can not see. Their training is associated with the proviso that
they can not see. However, they are exposed to so called trap entry: typical
professions for a blind person.
People who lost their sight, need at the beginning to organize their life, learn to live
with this disability. Here may arise psychological problems. Contact with a
psychologist, therapist is very important, perhaps even necessary. After pulling
oneself together professional activation can be addressed. And here it all depends
on professional potential. Sometimes you have to look for new opportunities
because if someone worked as a customs officer, even modern technologies do not
allow him to return to the profession. You have to look for new opportunities, new
solutions.
• Do the Polish education system plays an important role on this issue?
I work mainly with adults. I know there are schools that are adapted to the
education of blind and visually impaired children but they are trained in limited
professions: massage specialist, sound specialist. I do not know what is the level of
56

this education. I do not know how after graduating from the school people are
finding on the labor market.
However, there are training centers that can perfectly prepare within the
framework of courses and trainings blind adults to work. Lecturers are prepared to
work with this group, they can be well prepared to perform a variety of professions,
prepare to use the knowledge in practice.
57

SECOND EXPERIENCE
Interview with Fidel Hernandez Hernandez.
Interviewer: Hello Fidel. I am working in the Social Cooperative Transformando that
is the Spanish partner of the European Project “Experiences of Adult Education in
Europe for blind and visually impaired people”. This project is funded by the
European Commission through the Lifelong Learning Grundtvig Programme.
The project intends to deepen the role of educational activities in blind and visually
impaired people in Europe, especially in relation to non formal and informal learning
opportunities.
There are other 4 European countries involved in the project: Italy, Poland, Latvia
and Check Republic.
As an output of this project, we are going to elaborate a handbook including
different good practices and interviews to share. We decide to interview you, Fidel,
as a relevant stakeholder of the non formal adult education in Spain.
Fidel, what is your background, your professional career?
I am a graduate psychologist with a Master on Family and a doctor’s degree in
Clinical Psychology. I come from Cuba. I worked as a professor at the University of
Havana until the year 2000, when I came to Spain and stayed here. In Madrid I have
been Director of the School of Social Mediation. I have also held some positions as
Project manager at foundations and NGOs. I was adviser of the General Immigration
Office of the Community of Madrid for two years. At present I work at the ONCE
Foundation, and at the Autonomous University of Madrid as an associate Professor.
ONCE is the Spanish organization of blind and visually impaired people. It was
founded 75 years ago. The ONCE Foundation was founded 25 years ago. It is an
instrument of Cooperation and solidarity from the Spanish blind and other
collectives of people with disabilities in order to improve their living conditions.
Interviewer: In what area or department are you working there?
I work since two years as a technician at Inserta, the Association for training and
employment of the ONCE Foundation. I coordinate the training for employment of
people with any kind of disabilities, not only blind people.
Interviewer: You have a large experience in non formal education since more than
20 years. What methodologies of training do you think that is more appropriate?
58

It is clearly more appropriate the inclusive approach, which bases on the principles
of normalization and integration of people with disabilities in the society. This
methodology allows these people to acquire the necessary resources and skills to
get into the world of work and actively participate in their environment. Last week
for example I imparted a workshop on occupational and personal stress at the Police
Training Academy. The normalization is the fact that I imparted training for police
officers or courses at University and people rise their hands to make a question,
forgetting that I am blind, which made us all laugh.
Interviewer: What are the most important tools, resources and skills in the
educational work with blind and visually impaired people?
Basically three: empathy, communication and socialization. It is also very important
to know how to deal with emotions from the beginning of normalization.
Interviewer: What is the "knowhow" transferred to organizations / institutions in
the area of visual dysfunction?
The importance and the tools to deal with personal and group experience in a
productive way and to use everyday learning as a framework for the personal
development of people with disabilities.
Interviewer: As a conclusion Fidel, what is the path to continue implementing
educational activities with blind and visually impaired people?
I think the path is team work, the exchange of experiences, inclusive training and
the sharing of activities not only among young people, people with disabilities and
others, but also among professionals.
59

THIRD EXPERIENCE
Work inclusion
Aleksey
1. Hello Aleksey! The first question is about your working place. Where do you
work?
Aleksey: My work place is Rehabilitation centre of Latvian Society of the Blind.
2. What is your qualification?
Aleksey: I am social rehabilitation specialist.
3. What is included in the scope of your duty?
Aleksey: Well, I train blind and partially sighted people to adapt their life situations
after sight loss since childhood or later on their life. I help them to learn cooking
skills, mobility with white cane, skills to use public traffic services to do some
shopping. I also help to obtain Braille reading and writing skills. At first I myself went
through three month long rehabilitation training program. I get partially sighted in
2008 and after 1, 5 year I learned about rehabilitation opportunities and came
there, but to be more precise I was lead there by assistant. I tried to take in
everything what was offered by rehabilitation specialists to manage all know how
and skills. I learned to use computer, to use white cane and navigate routes to
necessary places.
4. Did you already know before rehabilitation training program about your wish to
become a rehabilitation specialist?
Aleksey: After training program they offered to me to study social rehabilitation in
college “Attīstība” within the framework of European project and I accepted that
proposal.
5. Did they take you in the right away?
60

Aleksey: Yes, they did! I studied two and a half years and then came a suggestion to
take subsidized work place in the Rehabilitation centre. But while all necessary
documents have been arrange I worked there as a volunteer. First time I saw and
learned about guide dogs in the training camp “Bridges towards happiness”. That
was activity of the European project. There were dog trainers with guide dog
Teodors. And at that time I could not imagine myself having a guide dog. But I tried
out to be guided by dog and we walked some 15 meters together. The second time I
met Teodor was during event in Public Park in Riga and again it was a great
opportunity for us to walk together. I was asked if I wish to have a guide dog for
myself. From the start I had doubts because of several reasons. But after walking
with dog and crossing streets with his assistance just to learn how does it feels for
Teodor I accepted the proposal. Two month passed and we both got accustomed to
each other. Together with dog there must be more active lifestyle. You have to go
outside and walk every day. Now we do it regularly.
In his leisure time Aleksey loves to play the guitar, attend dancing lessons and
theatrical performance rehearsals. He learns a piano playing as well and as a
volunteer he is involved in guide dogs association “Teodors”. How does he manage
to make it in time? As it is said in one song: “How wonderful world is”. Aleksey takes
all good things what life gives to him and if there is opportunity to learn something
new he readily takes a chance.
61

FOURTH EXPERIENCE.
The documentary named “Martin or I aim with my ears”.
Life story of Martin Adamek, who lost his sight after an accident. Despite this
handicap, he managed with the support of colleagues and superiors to keep the job
at the central dispatching the Integrated Rescue System Silesian Region and in
addition to successful employment status is devoted to sports shooting sound. It
sounds paradoxically like a contradiction, but Martin Adamek used to aim the
sound. Then headed ears (the higher tone, the more accurate intervention). The
document provides information about other Martin´s hobbies and interests, all this
despite the fact that he is blind.
All documentary you can see on the link, which is published on the Centrum
vizualizace a interactivity vzdelavani. The link is:
www.filmmedia.net/temp/adamek_en_ver2.zip.
FIFTH EXPERIENCE.
Visually impaired masseur Peter.
Peter is now 39. At the age of 18 they discovered he had vision problems. During his
studies at the School of agriculture, Systems of crop production, he visited an
ophthalmologist. At that time he was already a holder of a driving licence for
agricultural vehicles, but he needed to extend it to a licence for driving a truck. In
order to start the driving school he needed to obtain a medical certificate issued by
his ophthalmologist. That was the moment when his vision problems were
discovered for the first time and he was told these might continue worsen over
time. After he had left the school he worked for many different employers, and due
to his visual and other health problems, most of the time these were only short-
term job opportunities. His last job was at the automobile factory Autopal. But his
sight had kept getting worse and for that reason he eventually had to leave this
employment too. From his ophthalmologist he obtained a contact for a local branch
of The United organization of the blind and partially sighted, where he received a
necessary help and advice on how to cope with the situation. Including the
resolution to his financial difficulties (claiming disability support pension) we had
gradually got to the point where in 2011 Peter took part in training course at the
Rehabilitation and retraining centre Dědina in Prague and started his career as a
masseur.
62

This example of good practice took place in Nový Jičín as a part of the basic
consulting services provided by Social counselling organization SONS ČR, and the
counselling sessions with the client occurred between September 2010 and June
2011.
Detailed illustration of good practice example:
The first time I met Peter was in September 2010, when he came to our centre
based on the recommendation from his ophthalmologist. He did not have any
special requirements of help me to find a job kind. Rather he needed some
information regarding the options that were available to him in order to solve the
problems that occurred due to his visual impairment.
During the interview Peter told me he learned about his visual defect while visiting
his ophthalmologist for basic check up in order to obtain medical certificate for a
driving school. When asked whether he had been having troubles with the night
vision, he confidently replied “NO”. The doctor then asked him to follow him to a
darkened room and what happened next Peter described in these words: “I
staggered around like a frog in a blender and on top of that I also knocked down a
few chairs that were there.“
Peter finished his school successfully but he couldn’t find a stable employment and
worked at different places such as a bakery or a dairy. Due to constantly worsening
eyesight and scoliosis these were always only temporary job opportunities for 3 to 4
months after which he had to register at the Job centre. The longest employment he
had was as a security guard for the company Autopal. But he had to eventually leave
this job too as his eyesight kept getting worse. “ In the end I was quite happy to
leave, as walking around the area with a still growing traffic density during a day or
at night wasn’t really pleasant experience and especially for the blind person
working as a watchman, that’s just crazy!“
At the first meeting we discussed mainly the general issues related to the visual
impairment, but also different social and other services that were available to him
and the basic information on mobility aids. Because Peter was registered at the Job
Centre as the job seeker and the social benefits were the only income he had at that
time, we spent the following meetings discussing the issues regarding a disability
support pension. At the end we got to matters related to job retraining. But before
the start of the retraining program we needed to acquire some aid such as a
Dictaphone and apply for grants to purchase a computer specifically designed for
visually impaired people.
The most appealing to Peter was the retraining opportunity in the Rehabilitation
and retraining centre Dědina in Prague. Specifically the Blind and visually impaired
63

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