Seminar in Budapest

In October it was Hungary who hosted its Grundtvig partners from the Netherlands and Slovakia.

On 22nd October the team members met in Nyíregyháza. It is the capital of the Northern East Hungarian County. It is 300 kilometers far from the Hungarian capital, Budapest. The members have visited the Hungarian partner’s early intervention center here, the gate of the independent living for their future.

The following day they have continued their common study tour in Budapest. The international group of members has visited Baltazar Theater, a stage where people with DS are the actors. They could see the dance rehearsal of one of the actors’ famous performances.

The Hungarian partner invited its guests to a safe workplace in order to introduce intellectually disabled (ID) people’s training and working center.

The partners’ last common program was the idea of a daylong seminar on 24th October. The day was separated into two sessions. In the morning session professionals from Hungary were introducing the ID people’s situation in Hungary.  The presentations were about the autonomous way of life and about the chances of finding the proper work for DS people in the open workforce market.

The participants had the chance to listen to an expert’s presentation as well from the Netherlands.

Mr. Erwin Wieringa is personally trained by the founders of Person-centered planning (PCP). PCP is a set of approaches designed to assist someone to plan their life and supports. It is used most often as a life-planning model to enable individuals with disabilities or otherwise requiring support to increase their personal self-determination and improve their own independence. His presentation has showed examples, good practice and above all direct exercises to put learning into practical everyday life reality.

The afternoon session was called ‘Dialogue Training’ for parents and professionals with DS youngsters. The trainings were held by two professional Dutch trainers.

Beside the 11 visitors from Slovakia (professionals and DS young people), and 11 people from the Netherlands (mainly professionals, two parents, one DS young girl) 50 more parents of DS youngsters and professionals were attending the seminar. The participants from Hungary were asked to fill in an evaluation form in order to get a feedback from them about the idea of the daylong program.

100% of the representatives liked the program idea; they have left the venue with a positive attitude. Hungarian parents believe in continuation to get more training in person-centered planning.