Psychological and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Visually Impaired Adults Erasmus Project

Project Title

Psychological and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Visually Impaired Adults

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Recognition (non-formal and informal learning/credits); Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Context/background:
The complexity of visual impairment with multiple additional disabilities is the reason for often having to choose for a very individualistic approach. A pilot study (Hidden Treasures [Verborgen Schatten], Boessen et al., 2016) showed that there is hardly any literature available on how to work with this target-group. Especially literature about the combination of mental health (psychological and psychiatric) problems combined with visual impairment (VI) is lacking. Within the total population of VI people, this group is relatively small. Therefore it is necessary and unavoidable to cooperate with partners abroad to develop more expertise in supporting the target group in their societal participation, mainly by collecting good practices.

Objectives:
During six Joint Staff Training Events (JSTE’s) professionals and members of the target group share their knowledge and experience. On completion of the project all collected good practices from the six JSTE’s are brought together in a digital ‘Good Practices Book’ that will be used for further training of professionals (educators and trainers) in the field of VI adults, aiming to increase societal participation and social inclusion of the target group.

Number and profile of participants:
Participants will be (on average) three professionals of each project partner (5×3), at least two experience experts (of the target group) connected with the organising project partner and the theme of that specific JSTE, probably added by local, regional and/or national experts and always an external evaluator. The absolute minimum number of participants will therefore be 21 (5×3 + 2 + 1) but more likely there will be about 30 participants per JSTE.

Description of activities:
Each of the partners will organise a JSTE (the main applicant will organise two: the kick-off conference and the closing conference) on one of the themes that will be selected before the project starts. With input from the preparatory meeting the following themes have already been pre-selected: (1) depression and anxiety; (2) personality disorders and psychoses; (3) autism spectrum disorders; (4) addiction and eating disorders; (5) post traumatic stress disorders; (6) behavioural disorders and aggression. The partners will make use of a guideline for organising the JSTE’s that will be developed by the main applicant (with support of the project partners).

Results and impact:
On an individual level the experience experts (participants of the target group of visually impaired people with mental health problems) will be able to fully participate in the JSTE’s by sharing and co-creating new knowledge en skills to be applied by professionals. The participating professionals will be invited to share their knowledge and experiences and be inspired to apply new information into their daily practice in working with the target group.
It is also expected that the problems of the complex target group will become more visible and more recognised by organisations for (i.e. the service providers) and of (i.e. the interest organisations) the target group. So there is definitely an awareness raising goal in this project aimed at increasing social inclusion of the target group.

Potential longer term benefits:
Though difficult to control and to monitor it is wished that this project will lead to an increased level of social; inclusion and societal participation by people of the target group through an increased level of expertise of the professionals involved. It is also desired, through dissemination activities, to reach awareness in organisations and society that only tailored interventions can be applied for this complex target group (with a lot of diversity), for whom standardised protocols and interventions usually do not work.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 105425 Eur

Project Coordinator

Robert Coppes Stichting & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Centar za odgoj i obrazovanje Vinko Bek
• Berufsförderungswerk Halle (Saale) gGmbH
• Vakok Ovodaja, Altalanos Iskolaja, Szakiskolaja, Keszsegfejleszto Iskolaja, Egyseges Gyogypedagogiai Modszertani Intezmenye, Kollegiuma es Gyermekotthona
• ISTITUTO REGIONALE RITTMEYER PER I CIECHI