VISkiLab: Skills Laboratory for Visually Impaired and Blind Persons

1. Zavod za slepo in slabovidno mladinoLDV TOI projectVISkiLabVisually impaired and blind persons skills laboratory Katarina Šimnic

2. AGENDA About ZSSM VISkiLab project Conclusion

3. ZSSM zavod za slepo in slabovidno mladino Institue for blind and Partially Sighted Children Ljubljana is the only education instution for the blind and visually impaired children and adolescents in Slovenia. Follow the adoptation of the placement of children with special needs in the year 2000 has increased enrollment of children and adolescents in Mainstream kidergartens and schools. • The Institute is still organized as school, as far as possible, but even now supports the process of inclusion. • In the Institute there are following education programs: • Adapted program for preschool children • Adapted program to the 9-year elementary school with an equivalent educational standard • Adapted program to the 9-year elementray school with lower standards • Special education programme • Adopted secundary school with equivalent standard • Dormitory and mobile service for children at mainstream schools.

4. CPSS center za pomoč slepim in slabovidnim Resource centre for Blind and Visually Impaired will enable holistic treatment of the blind and visually impaired in all life period, counseling, training and support to users as well as their parents and to providers of education programmes. The centre will enable the future generations significant improvement of training options and support the entire population of blind and visually impaired and the environment. The project was partly supported by grant amount from the Norwegian Financial mechanism.

5. WHY Blind and visually impaired persons require special knowledge and skills for efficient knowledge and skills transfer, rehabilitation methods and integrated system for support in the process of the transition on the labor market. The current state on the field of training the blind and visually impaired persons is fragmented, only a few vocational standards are adjusted to the blind and visually impaired persons. The need for an organized and specially adapted organization for training the blind and visually impaired persons on the field of vocational skills is evident.

6. AIM The aim of the project is to establish a specialized department which will offer a holistic support to counseling, education, motivation and training of blind and visually impaired persons, taking into account the whole life situation of their learners and trainees.

7. OBJECTIVES to adapt and further develop the concept of Instituto Rittmeyer »Skills laboratory« to ensure that our target group receives the training programmes fitted to their individual needs and capabilities and empower them to actively participate in society and to have real possibilities on the labor market.

8. MORE OBJECTIVES to enlighten the employers to employ blind persons. To achieve that goal, we encourage the potential employers to participate in the early stages of training programme preparation to ensure that the trainees acquire the skills that employers need.

9. WHO Partnership Slovenia: ZSSM CPI Italy: Rittmeyer institute Austria: S.I.N.N. Evaluations

10. WHO Partnership Slovenia: ZSSM CPI Italy: Rittmeyer institute Austria: S.I.N.N. Evaluations Institute for Blind and visually impaired Youth Ljubljana is an educational establishment of national significance operating as public service, providing general support to and development of educational services for blind and visually impaired children and taking care of their social and psychological needs in the range of 0 to the end of secondary education. The Institute develops modern forms of cooperation with parents, other specialists and the public, it conducts counselling and vocational orientation for blind and visually impaired persons, and performs educational programmes adapted to blind and visually impaired persons.

11. WHO Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training (CPI) is a public institution which is the central development and advisory institution for VET in Slovenia. The basic tasks of the institute include creation of professional basis and methodology platforms for development VET in Slovenia. Institute studies developmental trends in labour markets and prepares profiles of occupations and competence-based occupational standards which forms a basis for the preparation of VET curricula. Partnership Slovenia: ZSSM CPI Italy: Rittmeyer institute Austria: S.I.N.N. Evaluations

12. WHO The Rittmeyer institute is more than competent for the education and training provision for blind and visually impaired persons. Their education is focused on a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the most efficient skills and knowledge transfer to the blind and visually impaired. Partnership Slovenia: ZSSM CPI Italy: Rittmeyer institute Austria: S.I.N.N. Evaluations

13. WHO Partnership Slovenia: ZSSM CPI Italy: Rittmeyer institute Austria: S.I.N.N. Evaluations S.I.N.N., a private enterprise in Graz/Austria, offers support through counselling, networking and projects for vulnerable persons (0-99 years). Our offer includes psychiatric treatment, psychological diagnostics, assessment of resources and threats for vulnerable children, seminars and projects for disadvantaged people on international level.

14. HOW Basic project flow: Analysis of current state (WP2) Study of workplace descriptions (WP3) Identification and transfer of methods for development of “skills laboratory” (WP4) Pilot implementation on the seminars for the trainers and training for BVI (WP5) WP1 and WP6 are management of the project and disemination/valorization activities and results

15. CURRENT STATUS Basic project flow: Analysis of current state (WP2) – complete  Study of workplace descriptions (WP3) – due Oct 15th Identification and transfer of methods for development of “skills laboratory” (WP4) – not started Pilot implementation on the seminars for the trainers and training for BVI (WP5) – not started

16. TANGIBLE OUTCOMES survey of the needs of the target group in relation to the labor market and special training requirements development of a holistic programme »laboratory of vocational skills« training programme for mentors of vocational skills on the field of traditional crafts programme for training vocational skills of blind and visually impaired persons on the selected crafts vocation(s) and pilot execution of training for blind and visually impaired.

17. INTANGIBLE OUTCOMES development and increase of vocational skills, knowledge and competences of blind and visually impaired persons to enter or transit on the labor market.

18. CONCLUSION Institue for blind and Partially Sighted Children Ljubljana is the only education instution for the blind and visually impaired children and adolescents in Slovenia Resource centre for Blind and Visually Impaired will enable the future generations significant improvement of training options and support the entire population of blind and visually impaired VISkiLab project is one of the important steps towards this goal