Pentru Voi” Foundation, in partnership with “Friends of Hope” Foundation from Holland, started on 1st July, the project “The Social Economy - a chance for people with intellectual disabilities”, which aims to promote at national level the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, based on the social economy mechanisms.

The project, with a duration of three years, is co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007 - 2013 — ”Invest in People”, and aims to promote the social inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities, the concept of social economy in the field of intellectual disability and the capacity development in the field of social entrepreneurship of the operators in the South-Western development region. Also, we wish to develop the Protected Unit “Pentru Voi” and the social services offered by „Pentru Voi” Foundation, as competitive structures of social economy and instruments for the creation of new work placements.

Today there are 608 129 persons with disabilities in Romania, including 111 338 persons with intellectual disabilities. Only 1% of these people benefit of proper social services and only 989 - less than 1 % are employed. Surprisingly, the percentage rates are the lowest rates in the European Union and the persons with intellectual disabilities are not supported at all in finding a job, thus they remain passive beneficiaries of social policies.

“Through this project "Pentru Voi" Foundation brings an innovative approach in the field of intellectual disabilities at national level, making these excluded individuals active players in the social economy, thus contributing to creating new jobs, rising the employment rate of people with disabilities, rising their professional skills and the entrepreneurial skills of the workers in the field”, said Laila Onu, CEO of "Pentru Voi" Foundation.

The project aims to promote social inclusion at a national level and the concept of social economy in the field of intellectual disabilities. Also, the operators of the intellectual disabilities sector within the South-Western region can develop their entrepreneurship skills. Furthermore, the Protected Unit Pentru Voi and the social services offered by Pentru Voi Foundation will be developed, as competitive structures of social economy and instruments for creating jobs in the Western region of development.

The most important activities include: offering support at their workplace and counseling at least 50 adults with intellectual disabilities and their families; founding a house care service for the 20 persons with severe intellectual disabilities; organizing a class entitled “Personalized support in the services for persons with intellectual disabilities”; organizing an educational campaign of police officers and public transportation operators in the Western and South-Western region regarding the interaction with persons with disabilities; developing an accredited curriculum by CNFPA for the positions of councilor for the persons with intellectual disabilities who are searching for a job; realizing and distributing the manual of community services available for those with intellectual disabilities; organizing two classes in the South-Western region on the subject of “Social enterprises and social entrepreneurship in the benefit of the persons with intellectual disabilities”, organizing four study visits at the protected unit Pentru Voi, for the organizations from the South-Western region; organizing three national conferences for 50 self advocates and two national conferences for 200 officials.

The project is organized in partnership with “Friends of Hope” Foundation from Holland. For further info please contact us at 0256 228 062, 0356 421 216 or send us an e-mail.