ACCESS to Leisure
The ACCESS to Leisure project aims to develop and test out a complex training package focused on the theme of inclusive leisure time. The aim of the package is to enable people with learning disabilities to spend their free time engaging in activities they like, and to motivate others in their environment to do the same.
The ACCESS to Leisure project was co-financed by the European Union's Erasmus+ programme. The Hand in Hand Foundation is acting as the coordinator of the project, which is running from February 2022 to July 2024. The project involves partners in four other countries.
Members of the partnership:
KVPS produces services all over Finland. Our aim is to find individual solutions and to create high-quality services to support people with intellectual disabilities or special support needs and their families. For more info visit: https://kvps.fi/
HUBBIE based in Brussels, Belgium and it supports persons with disabilities in living, working, learning and leisure. The organizations supports mainstream services in adapting their services for persons with disabilities. Hubbie wants to bridge the gap and promote inclusion and it invests in influencing policy. For more info visit: https://www.hubbie.brussels/nl
Atempo, Austria is a non-profit organisation that offers various training and learning facilities for people with learning difficulties and disabilities in Graz (Austria) and several services to assist them to get jobs for twenty years. atempo is connected to many partner organisations all over Europe through its networks (social franchise network of capito and IncluEdu network). The atempo team roughly consists of 80 staff, 20 percent out of them are people with learning difficulties and disabilities working as experts on regular contracts for the company. For more info visit: https://www.atempo.at/
Center Val, Slovenia Association Center for psychological support Val (Center VAL) is a voluntary, independent, non-profit and apolitical association of domestic and international physical persons who work in the field of cognition, support and promotion of health of individuals and families who find themselves in distress and problems in everyday life. Center Val based in in Ljubljana, Slovenia. For more info visit: https://www.facebook.com/Center-VAL-109583600406583/
Hand in Hand based in Budapest, Hungary. The organisation has been working since 1993 for a tolerant society in which the individuals with disabilities can live with dignity. The organisation has contact with disabled people via their environment, directly and indirectly; in all phases of their lives involving family, experts and welfare organizations or by addressing society
as a whole. The foundation is the project leader of ACCESS to Leisure and budget holder. For more info visit: https://kezenfogva.hu
Together with our partners, we are developing a methodological training package aimed at making adults with learning disabilities organizers of leisure time, with activities structured in line with both their own and other people's free time. People with learning disabilities will be involved in the project in their roles as facilitators, directly constructing leisure time activities; and professionals and informal supporters from the local community will join them, as supporters and co-facilitators in the process. The content of the leisure activities will be worked out and constructed with the help of digital tools, prioritizing IT safety as well.
The starting point of the project is an inclusive and participative research, where we analyse the nature of inclusive leisure time and examine the already existing good practices of each partnering country. Then, based on the results of this research, we will begin to develop methodological materials and training manuals on the relevant topics. These materials will be discussed in inclusive research teams drawn from our partner organizations.
Our goal is to improve the quality of life of those people with learning disabilities (in short PwLD) who are involved in the project, and we will carry out continuous assessments of this. We also wish to create a more active communal environment with our partner organizations, setting an example for other organizations in the field, around Europe.
Expected results of our work:
- Carrying out inclusive and participative research on the theme of leisure, compiling lists of good practices and finally producing material drawing on our research.
- Developing the following materials:
● Easy-to-read, “ACCESS to Leisure” training manual for PwLD – How to become a leisure facilitator?
● “ACCESS to Leisure” training manual for professionals – How to become leisure co-facilitators of PwLD?
● Training manual for informal local supporters - How to become leisure co-facilitators of PwLD?
● Developing toolkit in an accessible format for PwLD
● Developing toolkit for local community members
● Developing e-learning module with all 3 training manuals – in English
In addition to the universal English version, local adaptations of the training materials and toolkits will be made in Finnish, Flemish, Slovenian, German and Hungarian. Materials targeting people with learning disabilities will be produced in an easy-to-read form.
In the second year of the project, we will organize three international training sessions and also pilot cycles & multiplier events in the partner countries. We do this in order to introduce the ACCESS to Leisure training package and its innovative and inclusive approach to as many people as possible.
Brochure of the project can be downloaded here: AtL brochure
We are thankful for the European Union Erasmus+ program’s co-funding.
ACCESS to Leisure
Adult education Courses on Capacity-building for the Engagement and Support of Self-advocates in the field of Leisure
2021-1-HU01-KA220-ADU-000033395
Productions
Production 1:
The first production of the project called Summary of the inclusive participatory research on leisure time. You can access it here.
News
22. February 2022
We just had an amazing kick-off meeting of the ACCESS to Leisure project! The partnership will develop an innovative training package related to leisure time, where people with learning disabilities are the lead facilitators. We were happy to meet in person, and start the cooperation of this new Erasmus+ project of ours.
25 March 2022
Our logo is ready! We are happy that the partners worked together in person on the first version of the logo and after its development, everybody just loves it. We wanted the logo to reflect inclusion and energy, as they are important features for leisure time.
29 April 2022
We set up inclusive research team in each partner country, so the project’s development can be discussed together. The team consist of people with learning disabilities, professionals and informal local supporters. On the picture, the team of Hubbie, from Belgium welcomes us.
23 June 2022
We are working hard on the next phase of the research, that belongs to Production 1 We do photo voice that is a visual method that support people with learning disability to communicate about how they spend their leisure time. Hungarian team members took part of a photography preparation sessions with Gabriella Csoszó photographer, and tried how to make good – and fun – shots.
14 July 2022
Times flies quickly, we closed the research. We collected many good practices, learn a lot from the in-depth interviews and amazing photos were taken during photovoice. Here is one great example form Austria that were taken by a participant of atempo. We thank the participants to share their moments and life with us!
14 September 2022
After the research were summarized in the first production, the partnership began to develop materials of the training package based on the results. We held several online meetings to discuss what the topics should be and how the training package could be as useful and interesting as possible for future training participants.
27 September 2022
We shared newsletter of the project, with all of our updates.
It is available here: Newsletter
13 October 2022
The partners write the training materials together, so we often coordinate and discuss the directions of the training in online meetings. Meanwhile, inclusive teams from all partner countries are also meeting and discussing together the development of training materials. In addition, the participants comment on the parts completed so far: in the picture, you can see the members of the Hungarian inclusive team, working & enjoying some biscuits and tea at their last meeting.
26 October 2022
We shared the first newsletter of the project, with all of our updates.
It is available here: Newsletter 1
28 March 2023
We shared the second newsletter of the project, with all of our updates.
It is available here: Newsletter 2