The Polish Association for Persons with Mental Handicap

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The Polish Association for Persons with Mental
Handicap
Bozena Sidor The John Paul II Catholic
University of Lublin
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In the early sixties in Poland parents of
mentally handicap children started a public
debate about children, youth and adults with
mental handicap who are deprived of education,
employment and place within the society.
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In 1991 a non-governmental, non-profit, self-help
organisation was registered in court, under the
name ofThe Polish Association for Persons with
Mental Handicap
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The Association established and managed various
institutions. These institutions support mentally
handicap people in various age groups throughout
Poland. This organization gives support to
their families as well. The support involves the
disabled people in various spheres of life.
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Early Intervention Centres

• Continuous, co-ordinated, specialised
  comprehensive assistance targeting children aged
  0 to 7, implemented at an early stage of their
  life
• children at risk of irregular development
• children delayed in their motor and
  psychological development, children with mental
  handicap, including suffering from combined
  disability, distortions and illnesses, including
  motor disability, autism and epilepsy.

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Education and Rehabilitation Centres

• CHILDREN are offered
• diagnosis, co-ordinated plan of therapy and
  rehabilitation,
• adequate care, transport and catering.
• Centres enable children with the most severe
  disabilities to leave their homes and get in
  touch with their peers, to work in groups,
  participate in various activities and use
  specialised equipment.

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Daytime Activity Centres

• The programme of the Daytime Activity Centres as
  well as other centres and rehabilitation teams is
  varied. They differ in various functions as
  regards of the local potential and needs.
• The Centres employ doctors, psychologists,
  physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

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Occupational Therapy Workshops

• The Workshops provide the handicapped people with
  the following opportunities
• social contacts with peers, instructors and other
  people,
• opportunity to learn to be independent, make
  ones own decisions and take responsibility for
  oneself, in particular individual budget,
• learning the principals governing the community
  life and learning how to use public places.
• planning recreation activity.

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Professional Activity Centres

• In order to enable such people to work in a
  meaningful manner, the tasks and activities must
  be adapted to their individual potential, safe
  equipment and adequate support must be provided
  to every employee. Apart from work, Centres offer
  also social rehabilitation.

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Sheltered housing facilities

• The local Branches of the Association organise
  and manage sheltered housing facilities for
  groups of 10-15 people, located in detached
  buildings or in separate parts of regular blocks
  of flats.
• Such housing facilities are offered to the people
  who have lost the support of their families.

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Self-advocacy

• A majority of people with mental handicap are
  capable of exercising these rights, although it
  requires mastering a number of difficult skills
  and having the necessary courage and learning a
  lot about difficulties of social life and
  legislation.
• In this process, they need the support of
  friendly and competent people.

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Leisure activity

• Only by working can you realize how pleasant it
  is to have some spare time.

The words of one of the British self-advocats
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Thank you