A Caritas Ukraine Project for the Disabled is part of UNDP’s Developing Civil Society Program

03.11.11
In the middle of October, the Counterpart Creative Centre conducted a conference within the framework of the UNDP Developing Civil Society Project. The two day conference was held in L’viv and explored the topic: Presenting the Interests and Protecting the Rights of Vulnerable Members of Society.

During the conference participants presented their experience and the best practices they developed on how to present the interests and protect the rights of vulnerable groups and how to facilitate long-term and sustainable cooperation between civic advocacy organizations.

Best practices were presented at the conference. Caritas Ukraine was mentioned; specifically their project called Developing Social and Labour Skills among the Mentally Disabled as a way to help them realize their potential and adapt to Society. This project ran in the Drohobych and Striy Centres for Recreation and Social Adaptation from 2010-2011.

During the presentation, Caritas staff involved with these projects shared the techniques they used during trainings that taught social and life skills, the positive change the project’s clients benefited from, and the experience they gained at the Caritas Centres.

Conference participants also heard a presentation on the interim results of the Developing Civil Society project, an overview of the results anticipated by the program.

Community organizations from 7 Ukrainian regions sent representatives to the conference. Government representatives were also present from the L’viv Regional Administration’s Department of Social and Cultural Affairs, the L’viv Regional Administration’s Department of Children’s Services, the Department of Employment at the L’viv City Employment Centre, and the L’viv Regional Centre of Social Services for families, children and youth.

They discussed their work with vulnerable members of society, detailed state programs that address these issues, and outlined obstacles and possibilities.

During the conference delegates were able to participate in workshops entitled “Evaluating projects with a Transformational Character” led by Oksana Matusyak, and Volodymyr Kupriya, and “Conducting an Informational Campaign” led by Elinor Vyshnyak and Oksana Ivasiv, trainers from the CCC Creative Centre.