"Supporting inclusive voices in Adjara" - a new socio-educational program

The organization has conducted trainings with targeted groups on civic activism, human rights protection, social transformation, motivation, positive parenting and communication, leadership, advocacy, and lobbying.

The social educational project aims to protect the socio-economic rights of children with special educational needs and disabilities, adolescents, as well as mothers. In addition, increasing the quality of parent's engagement in decision-making processes is a priority.

 The main activities were planned as follows: 

• Informational educational meetings with target groups; 
• Implementation of the training program – mobilisation and strengthening of 30 parents (it should also be noted that the opportunity to participate in the project was given to inclusive education specialists and teachers for whom online public events are placed on the Saorsa platforms).  
• Online Learning Program – with effective methods and strategies for teaching.; 
• Preparing and advocating budgetary programs/initiatives designed by the parents of people with disabilities.

"Any project or activity that help us and our children to increase awareness is very important, yet having an opportunity to meet other parents and build new relationship is a necessary factor for us too. This project has helped parents to understand the need to be more interconnected.

So, together we will tackle more challenges, set more initiatives in the future, and acquire more information. SAORSA’s support has shown us that we are not alone. We can get help from a more qualified specialist, standing by side, finding information, sharing our difficulties and opportunities.

I am glad that the “ice” has been pushed in the region and more and more people with disabilities, their parents, loved ones, and special teachers are being trained. So far there is a lot of work to fight stereotypes, and above all with parenting it all begins. It would be nice to have projects like this planned more to raise public awareness first. To help each other, other parents, loved ones, friends raise awareness," says Ia Kvedevadze, a parent participating in the Saorsa project.’’

As a result of the implementation of the project, the "Saorsa" hopes to improve the quality of life of beneficiaries, which means access to municipal services and the creation of an inclusive community. 

"Supporting inclusive education requires support and improvement not only in Adjara but throughout Georgia. In addition to the fact that there should be appropriate services for people with disabilities to help improve their skills, emotional state and receive the necessary therapies, it is also important to strengthen and support their parents, since the first source of socialisation of the child is the parents themselves.

Parents and special teachers participating in our project receive training on what services are available, what rights they have, as citizens who can actively engage their children in the development and advocacy processes of initiatives, as well as practical advice on how to manage relations approaches with children. 

It is also necessary to talk to parents about the topics of violence, as studies show that people with disabilities and SSOs often become victims of economic, emotional, and physical violence. We will also actively talk about stereotypes, stigmas and wrong terminologies related to inclusive education. 

I should note that those wishing to participate in the project are still actively addressing us, because there is a lot of motivation among parents to get education to support their children and other parents", - says Lana Sikharulidze, Project Manager.

For information: The project "Supporting Inclusive Voices in Adjara" is implemented by Saorsa through the project "Creating Social Capital" by strengthening the GSOs and strengthening the local network with the support of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) programme 'Strengthening Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership', co-funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union.