“Bridge for reaching the forgotten smiles”
Project strengthening the Turkish – Romanian civil society dialogue

 

International Blue Crescent Relief and Development Foundation ( Turkey ), together with its partners from Romania , Estuar Foundation and Esperando Association, have started the implementation of the project “Bridge for reaching the forgotten smiles”. Strengthening the Turkish – Romanian civil society dialogue , initiative supported by the European Commission, under the “ Small Projects Programme in Turkey : Strengthening Civil Society Dialogue”, Europaid/121916/C/G/TR. The project started on the 26 th of December 2005 and will have a implementation length of 9 months.

The overall objectives of the project are to raise awareness over the European integration aspects and policy alignments regarding the work on the mentally challenged / disabled individuals and to stimulate the dialogue between the civil society organisations. Therefore, the specific aims of the project are: to facilitate and support the knowledge exchange and cooperation between the NGOs working in the field of supporting the mentally challenged in Turkey and Romania ; to raise awareness over the situation of the mentally challenged and the need for policy design and proper implementation, at European standards, in the field; and to create a basis for future partnerships in the field. The main activities to be implemented are as following:

  • Establishing the Civil Society Network for the Support of the Mentally Challenged (by c reating the data base with related contacts and c reating an e-group of the network, for ensuring the information flow between the members and the other stakeholders in the field;
  • Organizing a “Knowledge exchange workshop” in Turkey ;
  • Organizing the “Building unchallenged bridges” Seminar and the “Golden bracelets” crafts exhibition;
  • Publishing the “ Bridge for reaching the forgotten smiles” brochure, with relevant information on the project and on topics related to work in the field of the mentally challenged / disabled (in 3 languages of the project: Turkish, Romanian and English).

A database of the organisations / institutions working in the field of mentally challenged / disabled was elaborated both for Turkey and Romania and the network is continuously build up, through its' established communication tool – the “mentaldisability” e.group that can be checked up at:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mentaldisability/

The first “event” of the project is the Knowledge Exchange Workshop to be taken place in Izmit after the 14 th of April 2006 . The workshop will be organized at the IBC Centre for Training and Rehabilitation of the Mentally Challenged in Izmit. The workshop will have as active participants the project's partners (IBC Centre for Training and Rehabilitation of the Mentally Challenged, Estuar Foundation and Esperando Association) and will aim at knowledge exchange and experience sharing in the field of working with the disabled / mentally challenged.

 

  

Program of the Workshop
14 th – 20 th of April 2006, Izmit / Turkey

Friday, 14.04.2006, Arrivals and warm-ups

12:30 – Arrival in Istanbul of the Romanian partners (Estuar Foundation)
17:40 - Arrival in Istanbul of the Romanian partners (Esperando Association)
18:00 – 20:00 – Travel from Istanbul to Izmit (Esperando Association & Estuar Foundation)
14:00 – 20:30 – Check in at Derbent Hotel in Izmit
20:30 – 22:30 – warm-up dinner with the Turkish team

 

Saturday, 15.04.2006, Morning visit and start the work ,

09:30 – 10:00 – Visit to IBC Mentally Challenged Rehabilitation Center in Izmit
10:00 – 10:30 – IBC team presents it's work and the work of the Rehabilitation Center
10:30 – 11:00 – Coffee break
11:00 – 11:30 – ESTUAR team presents its work in the field in Romania
11:30 – 12:00 – ESPERANDO team presents its work in the field in Romania
12:00 – 13:00 – Joint discussions and debates
13:00 – 14:30 – Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 – Official regulations in the field of disabled / mentally challenged in Turkey (IBC)
15:00 – 15:30 - Official regulations on disabled / mentally challenged and EU standards & requirements in the field (ESTUAR & ESPERANDO)
15:30 – 16:00 – Coffee break
16:00 – 16:30 - Good practices in mental health in Turkey (IBC)
16:30 – 17:00 - Good practices in mental health in Romania (ESTUAR & ESPERANDO)
17:00 – 17:30 - Joint discussions and debates
17:30 – 19:30 – Free time
19:30 - Dinner

 

Sunday, 16.04.2006, Work Presentations and debates continue

09:30 – 10:30 - Factors which can contribute to the social and professional integration of the person with disabilities: the role of the family, institutions, NGOs, school, society etc. (ESPERANDO)
10:30 – 11:00 - Joint discussions and debates
11:00 – 11:30 - Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30 - Labor reintegration of the adult with mental health problems: protected work places (ESTUAR)
12:30 – 13:00 - Joint discussions and debates
13:00 – 14:30 – Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 - Professions, activities and Works that can be proposed to the persons with disabilities / Works that they could manage to do or already doing (ESPERANDO)
15:00 – 15:30 - Joint discussions and debates
15:30 – 16:00 – Coffee break
16:00 – 17:00 - Vocational training, with a skills analyze video (IBC)
17:00 – 17:30 - Joint discussions and debates
17:30 – 19:30 – Free time
19:30 - Dinner

 

Monday, 17.04.2006, We are into deep debates until the end in

09:30 – 10:30 – The importance of requiring general academic skills (IBC)
10:30 – 11:00 - Joint discussions and debates
11:00 – 11:30 - Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30 - Certificates and skills qualifications: Necessity – Opportunities - Possibilities - Consequences (ESPERANDO)
12:30 – 13:00 - Joint discussions and debates
13:00 – 14:30 – Lunch
14:30 – 15:00 - Infancy and childhood: the importance of emphasizing the early education and socializing - autism issue (IBC)
15:00 – 15:30 - Joint discussions and debates
15:30 – 16:00 – Coffee break
16:00 – 17:00 – Fighting against stigma and discrimination related to mental health / disabilities (ESTUAR & partners)
17:00 – 17:30 - Joint discussions and debates
17:30 – 19:30 – Free time
19:30 - Dinner

 

Tuesday, 18.04.2006 - Socializing and visiting Istanbul

08:30 – 10:30 – Travel from Izmit to Istanbul
10:30 – 11:00 – check-in at a hotel (to be decided) in Istanbul
11:00 – up to the night – (Organized) Leisure time in Istanbul with site seeing
(Aya Sofya, Süleymanye Mosque, Yerebatan, maybe some of Kapalýçarþý / Mýsýr Çarþýsý which is the Old Bazar) and Bosporus boat tour

 

Wednesday,19.04.2006 -Work half day with coffees on the table and good byes

09:30 – 12:00 – Joint meeting of the project's coordination team; Overview of the achievements of the workshop and discussion on project implementation matters etc. (IBC office Istanbul )
12:00 – 13:00 – lunch
16:55 - departure of the 1 st Romanian team from Istanbul to Bucharest (Estuar Foundation)

 

Thursday, 20.04.2006 - Last team goes back home back

11:20 - departure of the 2 nd Romanian team from Istanbul to Bucharest and then Baia Mare (Esperando Association)

 

For any additional information and enquiry, please contact the coordination team of the project:

Ana Oprisan – IBC Turkey
Mobile: 009-0536-5755671, E.mail: ana@bluecrescent.net

Mihaela Mohorea – Estuar Foundation
Mobile: 004-00722141796, E.mail: mihaela.mohorea@estuar.org

Daniel Filipas – Esperando Association
Mobile: 004-0740-273131, E.mail: office@esperando.ro

 

 

 

 
Added: 12/04/2005