Kent based charity Diagrama is leading an innovative multi country project to change the public’s perception of disability, by promoting ability rather than accepting disability.
Diagrama is collaborating with organisations from Italy, Belgium, France, and Spain on a two-year €80,000 E-Profid project funded by the European Union Erasmus Plus Programme. On 12 October representatives from Diagrama will fly to Murcia in Spain, to join with the other project participants for their first face to face meetings.
The E-Profid project is built on a foundation of innovation and transfer of good practice with organisations from diverse backgrounds serving different client groups, working together to design tools and methods to change the public’s perception, by promoting ability, rather than accepting disability.
It is hoped that through recognising professional identity and diversity, the E-Profid project will push social change and prove that even severe disability is not a barrier to fulfilment and social inclusion. Together the contributors will create an innovative ‘Facilitator of Change’, training course, combining elements of communication and empowerment, client care, psychology, marketing, employment training and digital management.
The European project team of not-for-profit, community groups and a university, will combine knowledge, skills, staff, and volunteers to train a pilot group forty-two social care workers from across the UK, Belgium, France, Spain, and Italy. Those selected for the pilot group will work face to face with highly disadvantaged clients and raise awareness of the barriers faced by people living in the margins of society; those with multi-disadvantage; and those with fewest opportunities in life.
David McGuire, CEO, Diagrama, said, “Diagrama is very excited to be working on this ground-breaking €80,000 European E-Profid project funded by the European Union Erasmus Plus Programme, to create a new, relevant, accessible training course and toolkit, to change long held perceptions of disability and change people’s emphasis to promote ability instead. Unfortunately, after working on many successful Erasmus projects in the past this will be the final project of this kind that we will be able to participate in, after the country exited the European Union. Given this, we are even more determined that as UK based custodians of this important funding we create, promote and implement a change in perceptions, deserving of their backing.“
The benefit of putting together a diverse project team from across Europe, leads to an understanding of how different cultures and countries work towards high client service levels and how barriers to inclusion are overcome.
To find out more about the E-Profid project visit www.diagramafoundation.org.uk/european-projects
About the European Union Erasmus Plus Programme
Erasmus Plus is a European Lifelong Learning Programme designed to give access to new skills, experiences, and opportunities to adults of all ages and from all backgrounds. It is mostly known as a Higher Education study option, but Erasmus Plus offers scope for broadening horizons and opening learning opportunities across Europe for adults of all ages, working alongside people from other countries.
www.ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/node_en
About the E-Profid Participants
UK – The Diagrama Foundation www.diagramafoundation.org.uk
Italy – University of Salerno www.unisa.it
Belgium – Groep Ubuntu, Kortrijk www.groepubuntu.org
France – Lit Fest www.litfest.eu
Spain – Fundacion Diagrama Psicosocial, Murcia www.fundaciondiagrama.es
About The Diagrama Foundation
Diagrama is a charity which supports vulnerable people through residential care, adoption and fostering across the southeast of England. The foundation has three small care homes for adults with learning disabilities, a 48-bed care home for elderly with nursing and dementia needs, three homes for vulnerable young people and a Supported Living Service.
Many vulnerable people live a joyless existence without hope and without an identity or understanding of what is possible to achieve in life.
Diagrama know that when someone has time and belief invested in them, they come alive, because that investment has made them feel valued and worthy.
By making the effort to discover the real individual within you can build trust and unlock their hidden potential, igniting a renewed sense of hope and ambition for their life otherwise lost.
Diagrama’s dedicated team provides person-centred, solution-focused services for vulnerable children and adults, because everyone deserves the chance to live their best possible life.
