Resource Centre

Working room

Besides the routine prejudices that confront people with physical and learning disabilities from the social environment, they are also faced with the problems of inaccessibility of various types of services within the normal system of social security, which reduces the level of self confidence and quality of life of these people and has a negative impact on relationships in the families where they live, where their parents are forced “to take care of them” and in such a situation they are not able to acquire the knowledge and experience which they otherwise could. Within the range of services made available by the current system of social security there are no day centres for adults with physical and learning disabilities. A large number of such people are not catered for in any way by the state system of social security.

It is because of this situation that the Resource Centre for People with Disabilities of the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organisation has commenced implementation of the “Work Room” project – a day centre for the disabled. Direct beneficiaries of this project are about 100 people with physical or learning difficulties from the area of the city of Novi Sad, 18 years of age and above. The project activities are comprised of a range of programs covering courses, workshops, recreational activities, organised excursions and visits to cultural events all of which are adapted to each individual client with the daily provision of refreshments, food and transport in special vehicles, as well as monitoring of the progress of each individual client and redesign of the program on the basis of clients’ feedback.

General objective of the project:

Improvement of the quality of life of people with physical and learning disabilities from the city of Novi Sad and its suburbs by creation and operation of a day centre for adults with physical and learning disabilities.

Specific objectives:

• To contribute to the advance and spread of alternative social security services in Novi Sad, through the adaptation and installation of facilities for the creation and operation of the “Work Room”;

• The acquisition of practical knowledge and skills through a range of programs of work involvement adapted to each individual client with the aim of improving the competitiveness of these people in the labour market;

• To increase the integration, self-confidence and independence of adults with physical and learning disabilities through a developed plan of work involvement and to improve the quality of their use of spare time.

Opening hours of the “Work Room” 9am to 3pm.

Programs offered by the “Work Room”

• Support and work with clients by trained volunteers;

• Use of special computer equipment and programs (Life Tool) each working day;

• Access to newspapers, television, library and audio library each working day;

• Weaving workshops;

• Embroidery workshops;
  

• Glass and silk painting workshops;

• Sewing workshops;

• Cooking and confectionery course;

• Hairdressing courses;

• Gardening and flower arranging courses;

• SITO printing courses;

• Digital printing courses;

• English language courses;

• Computer courses using assistive technologies and Life Tool softwares;

• Recreational activities each working day;

• Organizing of excursions and visits to cultural events;

• Organizing of film showings; and

• Transport of clients.

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