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AER continues its focus on people with disabilities also on the projects side. Following its participation on 29 and 30 November at the European Day of Persons with Disabilities 2016 organised by the European Disability Forum and the European Commission in Brussels and the work carried out by the Working Group “Equal Europe for People with Disabilities” within AER Social Policy and Public Health Committee, it is now time to share concrete actions that could foster an inclusive society.

Den Achtkanter, a Belgian organisation supporting learning disabled adults, is looking for European partners to build the project ‘Cognition and Inclusion’ within the Erasmus+ programme.

An inclusive society adapts the environment physically and mentally to the disabled person, taking into account the ‘disabilities’ . Although this is a necessary condition, it is not a sufficient one. Also, the disabled person needs to (learn to) adapt to society, as this is an ever changing environment. This second condition addresses the ‘abilities’ and is necessary to promote learning potential, problem solving, self regulation, etc. These ‘cognitive’ skills are the basis for being able to be the director of one’s own live, to be independent, to be a full citizen who exercises his rights, etc. (Cognitive) methodologies within learning disabled (young) adults – although effective – are not well known, or are dealing with resistances based on beliefs that learning disabled people can’t develop these skills (as an element of the ‘mind set’ of the one who supports the disabled person). This project wants to share practices and produce a compendium with cognitive approaches (goal 1), and wants to develop a tool to assess the ‘mind set’ of professionals to be used in all kind of HRM-applications (selection, training, evaluation, etc).

This project foresees the following main activities:

– exchange of good practices of cognitive approaches within learning disabled adults (focusing on a specific context e.g. employment, living, etc)

– exchange of good practices focusing on methods to change belief systems/mind sets

– intellectual output: compendium of practical tools to foster general skills within learning disabled adults; training program and manual and development of a tool to assess the ‘mind set’ of professionals to be used in all kind of HRM-applications (selection, training, evaluation, etc).

Den Achtkanter is especially looking for partners who have experience in and knowledge on methodologies on the development of cognitive skills (planning, evaluation, reflection, being flexible,…) for persons with disabilities.

If you are interested to get more information and/or to join this project, please get in touch with us before Monday 12 December.