Project financed with the support of RO10-CORAI, 2009-2014 EEA Grants funded program managed by the Romanian Social Development Fund.

maspa

Sorry, this entry is only available in Romanian.

In August were held two major events under the” MASPA” project – Measures to promote non-discrimination and social inclusion in schools, community and employment for people with autism, focusing on Roma communities, project implemented with the financial support of RO10-CORAI program, financed by the SEE 2009-2014 Grants and managed by the Romanian Social Development Fund.

Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation and its partners, the General Directorates for Social Work and Child Protection from Arad and Galaţi held (starting with 23rd of August) the Course “Methods and techniques of inclusion of students with disabilities – Adapting Curriculum” for teachers from mainstream and special schools from  Galaţi, Bucharest and Arad. Lasting 5 days, the course was organized in this 3 cities (Bucharest, Arad and Galaţi). 60 teachers (normal teachers and support teachers) have been trained.

The course package included practical information on the process of adapting curriculum, but also applications to support participants in adapting teaching materials. The course will be followed by a period of 1 month of practice, which consists in preparing a teaching portfolio that will be uploaded to a secure electronic platform. This portfolio will be evaluated by two trainers who will provide personalized feedback. Those two accredited trainers, Iolanda Sztrelenczuk and Gabriela Pop, are teachers with extensive experience in teaching in mainstream education and expertise in terms of special pedagogy and interaction with children with ASD.

The second implemented event of the project was represented by two roundtables organized on Wednesday, 24th of August, in Bucharest and on Thursday, August 25th, in Galaţi and the theme was “Sustainable methods for school integration of children with autistic spectrum disorders and Roma” .The meeting was attended by three guests from Iceland: a representative of the Ministry of Education and two consultants in special education, having professional experience in the formulation of sustainable policies for the integration of children with SEN (special educational needs) and running educational programs for integration of children with autism and other disabilities. The Icelandic experts had presented policies for integrating SEN children in Iceland and also the model of special units (special classes) for the integration of children with autism in the mainstream schools.  The meeting was also attended by representatives of school inspectorates, institutions of mass and special education and non-governmental organizations active in this field. The presented information at the beginning of the meeting were based on an exchange of ideas and experiences on how to realize the integration of children with autism in Romania, the problems faced by people involved or affected by this process: teachers, students, parents etc. and reliable solutions.

The Romanian participants in the two events appreciated that the integration of these children with SEN in mainstream schools would be much easier if there were a large number of specialized teachers in the classroom. Also all those present agreed that local efforts are made by teachers with direct support from parents of children with SEN (incorporated or local NGOs) but it needs support from central authorities (national Ministry of Education) to oversee the implementation of existing legislation or improve the legal provisions, A.I. integration of children with SEN not to be an superficial one.

Encouraging was the speech of the three Icelandic experts, who explained to those present that the situation in Iceland in the education system about 20 years ago was a similar one. Dedication, perseverance and determination teachers have made the current changes.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Romanian.

Within MASPA project – Measures to promote non-discrimination and social inclusion in schools, community and labor market for people with autism focusing on the roma communities  it was organized by the  Romanian Angel Appeal, the promoter of this program, the first of the two scheduled summer camps this year in the project.

The period of this first camp was 10-14 July and the location was in Moieciu, Brașov county, a piqturesque area, where relaxation combines with nature. This camp was destinated to children aged between 7 and 19 years old who are suffering from autistic spectrum disorders. Their parents and sisters or brothers also took part at this camp.

Of the total number of young beneficiaries (15)  11 of them were children with ASD and the remaining 4 were typical children. The families were selected from Arad, Bucharest and Galati, all of them being implementation counties in MASPA project, developed with the financial support of the RO10-CORAI programme, funded by EEA Grants 2009-2014 and administered by the Romanian Social Development Fund. The main selection criteria of the families were: age of the child with ASD, the degree of independence of the child and the ability to relate with a new group of children, family involvement in the therapeutic process, finanacial status etc.

Also, a number of 10 volunteers and 2 organizers have accompanied and coordinated them in the camp in order to achieve various activities to relax and have a good time.

During the camp the organizers have prepared a programme of activities for the children both outdoor and inside the camp. During the activities the children have been assisted and supported by the volunteers team, while their parents were participated to training sessions and workshops developed by experts from Iceland, also parents of children with ASD. The main topics of these workshops were: managing difficult situations with the ASD child, prioritizing therapeutic interventions depending on the needs of the child with ASD, creation of a local initiative groups to advocate for the rights of children with ASD etc.

The first day of the camp (July 10) it was destinated for participating families and volunteers to know each other and to be easier to choose how they want to work. Thus after the knowing each other session organized on the speed dating model, each family received a volunteer who took care and assisted their children during the activities.

The program of activities began the second day of the camp. During this period, the children alongside volunteers had developed, in the first part of the day, a lot of outdoor activities (hiking, horse riding, sports games) and in the second part of the day, they took part in various indoor activities (DIY activities, painting on t-shirts, clay modeling).

Also, in one of the days, a surprise had been prepared for the children. They alongside their parents were taken to the Zoo. The kids were excited and about for two hours they admired the animals and took pictures with their families and their volunteer. Anothers surprise was made in the final night when the volunteer team organized a surprise party for children and their families where a lot of pictures and games have been made.

The camp which ended Thursday (July 14) represented for the children and their families a good opportunity to relax and to meet new people and even to create new friendships between families or between volunteers and families.

Within MASPA project – Measures to promote non-discrimination and social inclusion in schools, community and labor market for people with autism focusing on the roma communities  it was organized by the  Romanian Angel Appeal, the promoter of this program, a training course for volunteers for the camps that will be organized under the project.

The course took place in Bucharest and had a duration of 3 days (5-7 July) and the goal was to train the volunteers on a non-formal way to work with children affected by ASD in the summer camps organized at a later date.

The structure of every day had a duration of 8 hours, while volunteers had the opportunity both to learn multiple theoretical aspects related to autism spectrum disorders and behavioural management methods for this condition, but also to had the opportunity to learn by doing different activities for children that will be organized in the camp.

In those 3 days the volunteers had developed numerous activities that stimulate creativity (painting, drawing, group games). Also, many of the activities undertaken in class have stimulated teamwork (to sketch the perfect volunteer/animator, organizing group activities for children and simulate them) which strenghtened relationships between volunteers.

The course had two trainers, one for each part (theoretical and practical), and the number of volunteers who have participated in this course was X. At the end of this course, all volunteers have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to assist and coordinate in an enjoyable and non-formal manner autistic children throughout camps.

 

Integration in educational system of children with special educational needs is the first step to normality.

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude!” Scott Hamilton

According to the statistics of the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research the number of autistic children enrolled in special or mass education system, in the school year 2013-2014 was 1.560, approximately about 10% of the expected number of cases. The number of children with autistic spectrum disorders in September 2013 in 40 ASD centers from 35 counties and Bucharest, aged between 6 and 11 years rises to 682. Of these, only 122 were declared by the parents/caregivers as being enrolled in some form of education. The number of Roma children with ASD is unknown due to reduced access to basic medical services and therefore to diagnosis (according to a IPP study from 2013, The map of access to the health, 52% of roma respondents declared that they do not have medical insurance).

 

Within the MASPA Project “Measures to promote social inclusion and non-discrimination in schools, community and labor market for people with autism, focusing on roma communities”  Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation in partnership with DGASPC Arad and DGASPC Galați implements two summer schools for disadvantaged children. Thus children with ASD along with roma children and typical children will have the opportunity to carry out recreational activities together over a period of three weeks (4-22 July 2016). The activities consist of creative workshops, theatrical workshops, dance, music, theatre and film, aikido or swimming. The coordinators of these summer schools were selected from among the teaching staff who work directly with children with ASD. In each school 20 children participates to the activities.

For the implementation of these activities at Arad was selected Adam Muller Guttennrunn Highschool and  Sfântul Grigorie Teologul Gymnasium School, in Galați. In these schools are effectively integrated disabled children and roma children.

The purpose of the summer school is to increase the chances of social integration and combating social exclusion for disadvantaged categories of children through their involvement in creative, artistic  and sport activities.

 

Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation organizes two summer camps that are addressed to children affected by autistic spectrum disorders and their families.

The camps will be organized within 10-14 July in Bran, Romania ( for children aged between 12 and 19 years ) and 17-21 July in Arieșeni, Alba county ( for children aged between 6 and 11 years). The camps are addressed to children with ASD between the ages of 6 and 19 years, their parent, brothers  and sisters from Bucharest, Arad and Galați. Each of the two camps will have a duration of 5 days ( 4 nights accomodation). In each of these camps will be attended by approximately 15 children.

During the camps the organizers will prepare outdoor activities (hiking, sightseeing, horse riding, games etc.) as well as activities within the camp. During the activities, children and their families will be assisted and supported by a team of 10 volunteers and 2 supervisors from the organizers.

The camps will be carried out according to the following schedule (example):

First part of the day

Outdoor activities:

–          sport activities (e.g. badminton, horse riding  etc)

–          hiking (2-3 days during the camp)

–          group games

 

The latter part of the day

Indoor activities:

–          artistic activities (dance, music)

–          DIY activities

–          group activities

 

If your child affected by ASD fall in the age group 6-19 years old, please apply for one of these camps.

The participation of the 20 families is free. All costs connected with transport, accomodation, meals and carrying out the activities are covered by the project.

INFO: Registrastions have closed.

Participating families will be selected on the basis of application by no later than 1 July, 2016. For more details and clarifications please contact us at telephone number 0731.137.529 (Roxana Tudose). The final results of the selection will be made at the time of 05.07.2016.

Join Romanian Angel Appeal Fundation team and go for free in camp!

We recrut 20 volunteers interested in participating to one or even two camps in july. Volunteers can be students with the age above 16, students at specialist universities (psihology, psihopedagogy, social assistance) or related areas or people (teachers, specialists) with experience in working with children with special educational needs.

In the camps organized by Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation will participate children and young people with ASD accompanied by their families (parents, brothers, sisters) from Bucharest, Galati and Arad, approximately 15 families for each of the two camps.

The camps will be organized in Bran Moeciu, Brasov County during 10-14 july and in Arieseni, Alba County during 17-21 july. Each of the two camps will last for 5 days (with 4 nights of accommodation)

The selected volunteers will benefit of:

–          Training before the camp. The training course will be organized at the beginning of the month july and will feauture introductory notions about ASD and non-formal education;

–          Ensure accommodation, meals and transport;

–          Realising of a volunteer certificate;

–          The possibility of being in a team of 20 volunteers willing to help;

–          Resourses and materials necessary for the activities;

–          Supervision during the camp.

During the camp, for the children who are attending, the organizers  will prepare outdoor activities (hiking, visiting touristic objectives, riding, games etc.), but also indoor activities. Based on the information gained during the training session and with support from team RAA, volunteers will participate directly at implementing the activities schedule for children with ASD and for their brothers and sisters and they will accompany their families at the organized activities.

If you are willing to participate as a volunteer in the camps organized by Romanian Angel Appeal Fundation, please complete the registration form until 29 july 2016.

ATTENTION: The period of recruiting has ended. Thank you!

last screen

The date of 2 April designates World Autism Awareness Day, in which everywhere around the world, organizations and foundations that support and promotes the cause of the peers who suffer from autism, organizes and develops events in the purpose of raising awareness of the autism issue. According to studies done by The Centre for Disease Prevention and Control from Atlanta, USA, published on March, 2014, 1 of 68 people suffers from this disorder, fact, which leads to making a priority of this subject within the healthy policies of many states.

This year, with the occasion of April 2nd, the organization Romanian Angel Appeal, along with the cinema Hollywood Multiplex, organizes an innovative event from a socio-cultural perspective, with focus on the problem of people who suffer from autism, cause which our foundation supports.

 

Thus, starting with 31 March and ending with 2 April, for 3 days, within the film short-festival entitled “Beautiful Minds Days” at Hollywood Multiplex, Mall Vitan, 3 movies will be played, that reflect the issue of autistic spectrum disorder.  From the desire of spreading knowledge and the awareness brought upon the lard audience regarding the difficulties and the needs of the people who suffers from ASD, Romanian Angel Appeal invites you to participate at this event, the entrance is free, and the schedule of the movies being the following:

Thursday, 31 March, 6 pm – A Brilliant Young Mind

Hiding in the safeness of his inner world, Nathan struggles to communicate with people, but he often ends up chasing away the ones who try to get near him, including his mother, Julie. Nathan finds comfort and security in numbers and math. Tutored by an eccentric teacher, it is clear the fact that his talent will help him participate at the international Olympics.

  • Duration: 1h 51 min;
  • Genre: Drama;

 

Friday, 1 April, 11 am – Extremely Loud and Incredible Close

The story of a 9 year old boy, Oskar Schell, a special boy and very sensitive, who loses his father in the tragic events on 11 September, 2001. After the loss of his father-mentor and best friends, Oskar finds in his things, a mysterious key and a name. The adventure of searching the owner of the key is Oskar’s battle with his limitations and an unique way of recovering lost relationships.

  • Duration: 2 h 9 min;
  • Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery

 

Saturday, 2 April, 3 pm – Fly away

 

Jeanne is a single mother, of whose daughter, Mandy, is very affected by autism. Growing up, the way things used to work are not the same now, and the solutions found by Jeanne fail. Mandy becomes harder and harder to control, and Jeanne feels her entire life is slipping through her hands. Jeanne has 2 weeks to make the most difficult decision as a parent: to let the child go, allowing her to develop, but to depart from her or to maintain Mandy close, risking collapsing together. To manage her 15 years old daughter, Jeanne herself became dysfunctional, neglecting her business, the relationships with others, the relationships with other people, and giving up even sleep, because Mandy has nightmares. However, their relationship is hard to dismantle, because one depends on the other, and vice-versa.

  • Duration: 1h 25 min;;
  • Genre: Drama

 

The short-festival will be preceded by 3 events:

 

First – a meeting with the typical students, organized in a public mass school – meeting in which will be approached pupils knowledge regarding ASD, perceptions about differences, notions related to friendship.

 

The second event consists in approaching employers from various large enterprises and the investigation of perceptions and knowledge regarding autism.

 

The third event is made up by a meeting with the press on April 2nd, after the projection of the movie Fly Away.

 

The short-festival is part of the Awareness Campaign organized within the Project ŢMASPA- measurements for promoting non-discrimination and social inclusion in the scholar environment, community, and on the label market for people with autism(ASD), especially focusing on Rome community.

 

The project’s purpose is represented by the stimulation of developing initiatives for reducing inequality and prevention of social exclusion in schools, community, and on the label market of children and people with disorders from ASD, especially of those who are part of Romani community.

 

 

The project “MASPA-measurements for promoting non-discrimination and social inclusion in the scholar environment and on the label market for people with autism (ASD), especially focusing on Rome community is implemented by Romanian Angel Appeal, Iceland Autistic Society- Einverfusamtokin from Island, General Direction of Social Assistance of Bucharest, General Direction of Social Assistance and Child Services Arad, and General Direction of Social Assistance and Child Services Galati.

 

The project was commenced at 8 April 2015, it has a timeline of 13 months and is developed with the financial support of the Program RO10-CORAi financed by the Grants SEE 2009-2014 and governed by the Romanian Fund of Social Development. The total value of the project is of 1.270.745 lei, from which 1.143.221 lei irredeemable financing and 127.524 lei co-financing.

 

Contact:

Răzvan Rădulescu, Coordonator PR

Tel: +40.731.137.516

E-mail: razvan.radulescu@raa.ro

 

On December 2015, local groups created at Arad and Galati, met to discuss the research report regarding children and young people with autism discrimination, especially Romani people. At the meetings there were 34 professionals of public services, but also ONG representatives. Among the present ones, there were 2 Romani peers that were very fierce regarding the defense of this category of people rights.

Participants discussed about the research record developed within the project and about the level of project implementation.

Through the established conclusions there were:

The discrimination outcome of the kids with autism, have an impact also upon their families. Sometimes, one of the partners cracks and leaves the family.

Discrimination in the case of autistic Romani individuals is double, on one hand because of their disability and on the other hand because of their ethnicity. Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear evidence of the individuals with ASD, with information about ethnicity.

The limited number of social public services makes it difficult the long-term intervention for most children. There are counties in the country (Galati for example) where kids with TSA profit by free medical services for 6 months. After this period, the therapy is interrupted by the opportunity of a chance for other kids to profit by free intervention sessions.

The limited number of hiring services and professionals to work with this category of people makes it difficult the hiring of individuals. There are a small number of ASD people that consider they can have a job. Also, for the lack in advance of training of the youth for an independent life leads to difficulties in youth placement at a job.

Educational intervention is precarious, as a consequence of the fact there isn’t any special instructed academic to work with these kids/teenagers, but also as an outcome of lacking and unequipped infrastructure.

The educational curriculum is unequipped like the legislation requires. The educational process is hard and has a reduced support from the professionals. The lack of support comes from the fact that the number of children with Special Education Needs (SEN) is very high and the number of professionals is very small. On the other hand, there aren’t any formations regarding curriculum fitting where the academics can be taught how to deal with this issue.

Special schools don’t have required specializations for individuals with ASD.

The successful cases introduced by media can increase the parents trust and that things can change.

The project “MASPA-measurements for promoting non-discrimination and social inclusion in the scholar environment and on the label market for people with autism (ASD), especially focusing on Rome community” is developed by Romanian Angel Appeal, Iceland Autistic Society-  Einverfusamtokin from Island, General Direction of Social Assistance of Bucharest, General Direction of Social Assistance and Child Services Arad, and General Direction of Social Assistance and Child Services Galati.

The project commenced on 8 April 2015, it has a timeline of 13 months and is developed with the financial support of the Program RO10-CORAi financed by the Grants SEE 2009-2014 and governed by the Romanian Fund of Social Development. The total value of the project is of 1.270.745 lei, from which 1.143.221 lei irredeemable financing and 127.524 lei co-financing.

Contact:

Răzvan Rădulescu, Coordonator PR

Tel: +40.731.137.516

E-mail: razvan.radulescu@raa.ro

 

 

 

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