1. Croatia Calling By Laura Croucher

2. Croatia Calling Group

3. Slobostina

4. Slobostina is part of the centre for rehabilitation in Zagreb , similar to a special school. • Slobostina takes children from toddlers to 11 years (depending on service provision) with moderate to severe learning disabilities. • Currently Slobostina caters for 160 children: 24 live at the centre, 54 are on the home programme and 90 live within a family. • The aim of the centre is to teach children daily living skills and basic literacy skills. • The children have access to speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, dentist, neuro-paediatrician, psychiatry and nursing care. • Other facilities include an extensive sensory room, swimming pool and their own horse for horse riding.

5. Other Centres of Rehabilitation

6. Centre for Autism - Rijeka Centre 1 A educational service for children with autism. Their aim is to improve social and interaction skills, problem solving, patience and communication. They also participated in different sensory activities. Centre 2 A day service for young adults with autism. Here the service users were involved in carpentry work, arts and ceramics. They also had access to computers and a play station. The service users also benefit from horse riding. Centre for autism - Zagreb

7. Our Role Our role was to get as involved in interacting with the staff and service users as possible. During other times on the trip, it was appropriate just to observe.

8. Free time

9. What you can gain • Language barriers meant we had to exercise our non-verbal communication skills, both with the service users and staff • We were able to observe how people with learning disabilities are cared for Croatia which is similar to the way it used to be in the UK before the move to integration. • More experience with children and young adults with autism and/or learning disabilities. • An insight into how services vary from country to country.

10. What Croatia gained • Staff were able to observe and learn about the type of care people with autism and/or learning disabilities receive in the UK. • They got an insight into person centred planning from Eric! • As a group we managed to donate £1,500 which they are putting towards building a kitchen to learn independent living skills.

11. What I learnt about myself Attending Croatia Calling enabled me develop my non-verbal communication skills and I learnt that when put in a situation like that I am able to create interaction. I also realised how organised I could be and my ability to establish good fundraising techniques. There was also an element of discovering more about my personality from spending two weeks in another country with I did not know before!

12. Things to remember • Croatia Calling will take place 21st May till 4th June 2011. • Applications should be submitted to Eric by 31st January 2011. • Croatia Calling will cost approximately £800 so if you’re going to fundraise, start early! • It’s a great opportunity and will look brilliant on your CV!

13. Benefits of Croatia Calling The benefits of Croatia Calling is that it runs at a different time to the national/international electives which means that if you wish you can do both. Also, unlike the electives, the only thing you have to organise yourself are your flights. The rest is done for you. Lastly, you have the support of other students and a UWE lecturer rather than going alone.

14. That’s all from me Thanks for listening!