Held in Budapest, an international leadership conference is aimed at supporting persons with disabilities.

Advancing inclusion in Europe

European leadership conference looks to support persons with disabilities

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3:16 p.m., July 6, 2011--In 2006, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities voted to “recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community.”

Despite this, in many Eastern European countries, people with disabilities are segregated in residential institutions, often for life. Those who live with their families are also frequently excluded from society due to a lack of community support.

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To help address this issue, the University of Delaware’s National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities (NLCDD) developed, in partnership with the Tizard Center at the University of Kent (UK), a two-part leadership development program in Budapest, Hungary called “Leading Change – From Institutional to Community Based Services for People with Mental Disabilities.”

The first week of the intensive leadership development program held June 28-July 2 was designed to help executive leaders from Middle European countries understand the importance of influencing public policy or resources to allow for people with mental disabilities to shift from institutional care to community services.  Participants came from 12 different countries, including Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Slovakia.

Health and social welfare ministry representatives, senior public servants and non-governmental organization (NGO) leaders came together to discuss the political, monetary and cultural context of their countries, assess the resources that are available and develop action plans to help start or accelerate change in their countries.

The program was funded by the Open Society Institute Mental Health Initiative and was conducted under the auspices of Central European University’s Executive Education Program. 

NLCDD faculty director Steven M. Eidelman, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Human Services Policy and Leadership, and Nancy Weiss, instructor of human development and family studies and also on the NLCDD staff, directed, planned and conducted the training -- their first leadership institute outside of the United States.

Amanda Rich and Caitlin Bailey, two graduate students in the Department of Human Development and Family Services, also helped facilitate small group discussions on leadership tasks and strategies.

“While there is a great deal of training for people working with children, there is not much support for people managing services that benefit adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” explained Eidelman. “This institute provided examples of successful programs, systems change strategies, policies and laws and funding to support accommodations, work, education and leisure activities for adults with mental disabilities."

Following this session, participants were asked to return to their organizations and investigate specific alternatives, challenges and funding sources.  In August, a second session will be held in Budapest, where they will share their findings and establish an action plan for future initiatives.

Since 2006, the NLCDD has hosted two conferences a year in the U.S., in January and July. Their next Leadership Institute will be held July 10-15 at UD.

Article by Alison Burris

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