Under the patronage of the President of the French Republic and of the Ministers of National Education with the support of European Parliament and European Commission, the fifth Handinnov competition was opened to the 27 member States of the European Union.  The prize was awarded to organisations having introduced exemplary practices in Member states and in Europe in favour of young disabled people.

Laila ONU, director of “Pentru Voi” Foundation declared: “We are proud and happy about this success, and we hope that this will influence decision makers in Romania to disseminate this example and to draw public policies which would offer real opportunities of hiring people with intellectual disabilities”.

At the event participated a self-advocate of “Pentru Voi” Foundation, Nicoleta Nicolici, to whom was handed the Handinnov Award. Through the implement the project “Different, but together”, sponsored by the Initiative of Mental Health of the Institute for an Open Society we developed a program of hiring the persons with intellectual disabilities.

At the present time we have 86 persons with intellectual disabilities hired: 33 of them in open work marked and 53 of them in protected unit of “Pentru Voi” Foundation. This project also won this year the Great Award of the Romanian Civil Society Gala.