European

Self Advocates

A project to empower young people with Down Syndrome from all across Europe to become Self-Advocates.

About the project

The project is an ambitious two-year initiative aimed at empowering individuals with Down syndrome across Europe to become effective self-advocates and engage in political activism. Here's a summary of the key points:

Project Background

The project received funding from Erasmus and aims to address the varying levels of advocacy education across Europe, especially among self-advocates with Down syndrome. It seeks to develop a comprehensive training program to help individuals with Down syndrome become effective advocates for their rights.

Project Phases

Phase 1: Curriculum Development

Timeframe: 09.23 - 05.24

The project begins with the creation of a curriculum or training program. This phase includes brainstorming, gathering input from experts and self-advocates, and defining the content and methods of instruction. There are two in-person meetings for detailed planning, one with our partners in Hungary, Budapest and the other one in Marseille, France.

Phase 2: Trainer Selection & Piloting

Timeframe: 06.24 - 05.25

In the second phase of the project, each participating country will select two individuals—one person with Down syndrome and one assistant—to be trained as curriculum instructors. Once trained, they will return to their respective countries to pilot the program, empowering individuals with Down syndrome to develop strong self-advocacy skills.

Phase 3: Review & Dissemination

Timeframe: 06.25 - 10.25

The project culminates in a final event in Brussels, where trainers and those who completed the training program share their experiences. They have an opportunity to engage with European Parliament representatives. The curriculum developed in Phase 1 will be adjusted and then made available online in multiple languages.

Project Impact

The project aims to involve a total of 135 individuals with Down syndrome, either as trainers or participants, from across Europe. Official partner countries include Belgium, Romania, Malta, Germany, Hungary, Spain, France, and Greece, along with additional partner organizations from the Czech Republic and Italy. The overarching goal is to empower individuals with Down syndrome by equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively advocate for their rights. The project is designed to ensure comprehensive curriculum development, widespread training, and meaningful engagement with policymakers.

PHOTOS of our Trainers

Our 4 Lessons

Lesson 1: I AM A Self-Advocate

This lesson teaches what it means to speak up for oneself. It includes watching videos of all our self-advocate trainers from our 9 partner countries who talk about how they advocate for themselves and discuss how others can do the same. Participants then practice these skills through role-playing in different situations.

Lesson 2: I CAN Tell My Own Story

This lesson focuses on helping participants talk about what matters most to them. They create cards to guide their storytelling and practice sharing their stories with others. Feedback is provided to help improve communication skills.

Lesson 3: I CAN Be A Great Presenter

This lesson shows how to give a good presentation. It covers speaking clearly, maintaining good posture, and presenting oneself well. Participants practice their presentations, watch themselves on video, and receive tips for improvement.

Lesson 4: I Will Make A Difference

This lesson is about understanding the idea of human dignity and how everyone has dignity because they are human. Participants learn about how Human Dignity is the reason they have rights, what these rights are and how they can speak up for themselves and others to defend them. They think about how they can use these skills to help others.

Interested in attending one of our trainings?

Contact our Partners!

Duitsland

Roemenië

Czech

Malta

Over Eufortrisomy21.eu

Een platform voor de samenwerking van verenigingen, burgers en politici die samenwerken voor de viering van Wereld Downsyndroomdag, om de verstandelijke beperking in het algemeen en personen met trisomie 21 in het bijzonder (meest voorkomende verstandelijke beperking van genetische oorsprong, ook wel Downsyndroom genoemd) zichtbaar te maken. ).

Meer informatie

Hulp nodig? twijfels? meer informatie?

Neem contact op

Vertaal deze pagina

[gtranslate]