TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROMOTING THE EXERCISE OF DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN THE DIGITAL SOCIETY Erasmus Project

Project Title

TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PROMOTING THE EXERCISE OF DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN THE DIGITAL SOCIETY

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Disabilities – special needs; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

There are around 15 million of persons with intellectual disability (PID’s) in Europe (POMONA II (2008). In recent years, policies in EU focus on increasing the democratic rights of PID’s. Article 29 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, states that PID’s must be able to participate fully and equally in political and public life, including the right to vote and be elected. However, PID’S encounter significant barriers to develop their Participation, Representation and Voting Rights (Guidelines on …, 2019. OSCE).

According to European Digital Strategy 2020, the digital transition should work for all, fostering an open and democratic society. DIGITAL SOCIETY is both increasing opportunities for the exercise of Democratic Rights. However, the use of ICT is challenging for PID’S and a DIGITAL DIVIDE has gradually formed (Lussier-Desrochers, D. et.al. 2017).

IDemocracy Project aims to increase the competences of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PID’S) and their Supporters related to the exercise of democratic rights of PID’s in the Digital Society. Specific objectives:

• To aware this target group about their rights and motivate to exercise them.
• To develop the Critical Thinking and Decision-Making of PID’s regarding collective issues.
• To increase the exercise of Participation, Representation and Voting Rights of PID’s at different levels: Organization, Community and Political Level:
• To train Supporters (professionals, relatives, etc.) in how to enhance the representation, participation and voting of PID’s with full respect of their Rights.
• To develop digital skills in the specific framework and trends related to the exercise of democratic rights in the Digital Society
• To strengthen the cooperation between PID’S, Supporters and other relevant society Stakeholders (Community members, Public Administration and Political Parties,)

Through the execution of this Project the next main results will be obtained:

Participatory Design of the Training Scheme” (I.O.1), with the direct participation of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PID’s) and their Supporters in the decision-making process about the definitive key contents, methodologies and tools to be used and created. The involvement of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PID’s) at this stage will promote the exercise of their participative and democratic rights from the very beginning of the project, according to project objectives.

“IDemocracy Training Activities” (I.O.2) where Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PID’s) will put into practice, along the training process, the exercise of the participation, representation and voting rights at the levels where they can be involved: Organization, Community and Political Levels. It will be based in, (1) development of competences like critical thinking, decision-making and digital skills, (2) consideration of the impact of the Digital Society in the exercise of democratic rights of PID’S, (3) direct involvement PID’s, Supporters and Community Members, and (4) integral training methodology approach to be implemented progressively but with a modular structure.

A set of “Training Materials” (I.O.3) will be developed to be used by trainees along the training process including contents about, democratic rights for PID’s, understanding participation, representation mechanisms to boost PID’s participation, the right to vote and PID’s, and PID’s in the Digital Society. Training Materials will be adapted to the learning difficulties of PID’s.

A “IDemocracy e-Training Tool” (I.O.4) will be developed as a mean to make possible the participatory and experiential digital approach of the training methodology where trainees can participate in the training activities developing new competences. IO.4 will be the digital training tool space where trainees will be able to participate in IO.2 Training Activities, accessing IO.3 Training Materials while they improve competences in an experiential way.

“VALIDATION PILOT ACTIONS” will be implemented in all countries with 100 Persons with Intellectual Disability and Supporters (20 in Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Lithuania and Greece)

“6 NATIONAL MULTIPLIER EVENT” will be organized, where also all the project results will be introduced to the main national stakeholders.

IDemocracy Project will involve the next number of persons in the aforementioned project activities, during the project lifetime:

– 120 persons (20 in Portugal, Spain, Lithuania, Croatia, Greece and France) in the IO.1 working Sessions.
– 100 persons (20 in Portugal, Spain, Lithuania, Croatia and Greece) will be involved in the Pilot Actions to be implemented for the validation of project results.
– 180 persons (30 in Portugal, Spain, Lithuania, Croatia, Greece and France) will be involved in Multiplier Events
– 3.000 persons (500 from Portugal, Spain, France, Romania and Greece) will be addressed by the dissemination actions to be done by the project

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 233852 Eur

Project Coordinator

PLENA INCLUSION COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA & Country: ES

Project Partners

• FENACERCI – FEDERACAO NACIONAL DE COOPERATIVAS DE SOLIDARIEDADE SOCIAL COOPERATIVA FCRL
• UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA
• Lietuvos sutrikusio intelekto zmoniu globos bendrija “Viltis”
• Hrvatska udruga radnih terapeuta
• E-SENIORS: INITIATION DES SENIORS AUX NTIC ASSOCIATION
• KINONIKES SINETERISTIKES DRASTIRIOTITES EFPATHON OMADON