The European context is pretty new to the topic. The first Sexual Assistance Services started in the eighties in Germany and the Netherlands: the service consists of sexual and "tenderness" services by assistants with specific training. That of the sexual assistant is a complex profession, because there is an educational aspect, besides the desire to create a situation of both human and sexual contact. At European level there is a rough experience in sharing best practices and ideas between some organizations that are working in the field: The European Platform Sexual Assistance for persons with disabilities (EPSEAS), a platform of people and organizations working in favour of Sexual Assistance for people with disabilities. EPSEAS wants to contribute to public debate and political policies that address the fact that people with disabilities are individuals with needs, desires and sexual sensations. To allow these sexual rights to be heard, EPSEAS objective is to show that people with disabilities have the right to sexual experiences and adapted assistance that allows them to live their sexuality as they wish. This awareness has as a goal to improve general health and psychological well-being of people with disabilities. With open expression about sexuality and positive sexual or sensual experiences, people usually feel better, have a better self-image, they become emotionally stronger, are less vulnerable to sexual violence and are sometimes able to reduce medication. Sexual assistance for those disabled adults who request it and feel the need for it we can affirm that it contributes to their inclusion. OBJECTIVES General: - The project aims to the objectives of contributing to public debate and political policies that address the fact that people with disabilities are individuals with needs, desires and sentimental and sexual sensations. With the training of specific assistance in this context (and recognized and validated across Europe) the project wants also to improve general health and psychological well-being of people with disabilities. With open expression about affectivity, sexuality and positive sexual or sensual experiences, people usually feel better, have a better self-image, they become emotionally stronger, are less vulnerable to sexual violence and are sometimes able to reduce medication. Sexual assistance for those disabled adults who request it and feel the need for it affirm that it contributes to their inclusion. To develop this common purpose, will be used a knowledge dissemination platform as an interactive communication environment where trainers, learners and the ultimate audience, people with disabilities, can exchange ideas across Europe about the project topic. This platform will not only embed training content, but it will stand as a real innovative communication environment, where to build strategic partnerships on the topic, provide for the organization of training even offline in the countries involved in the project and so the mobility of educators Specific: - The project aims at transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications by recognizing the learning outcomes through informal ad non-formal learning pathways about Assisting differently abled people with the improvement of their sexual and emotional needs. It is envisaged that this network will reach out through specific communications actions and by customising the message according to different target groups. DIRECT TARGET GROUPS includes adult people dealing with people with disability (families, educators…), that will benefit from a free and online training course to help them acquiring skills and competences recognised at European level for the expertise in emotional and sexual education aimed at disabled people. MAIN INDIRECT TARGET GROUPS are made of groups of families and organisations of people with disability, that will indirectly benefit from the project, being social educators have to deal with them daily, along with the people with disability themselves. Others are public entities, professionals linked to the topic, AL centres that are offering courses for social assistance ACTIVITIES Events and dissemination Intellectual Outputs: 3, The new role of the Special Intimacy Needs in Europe, methodological framework and main points profile - The European Special Intimacy Needs Educator Training Course - The European Special Intimacy Needs dissemination knowledge platform METHODOLOGY Reporting Pilot testing Learning activity Training activity Frontal meeting Simulation Role playing Personal and group support Stages/Project work RESULTS The main tangible results will be: 1. the implementation of the validation system to the figure of Special Intimacy Needs Educator, an innovative educator for helping disabled people in discovering their self-esteem linked to the affectivity and sexuality 2. an innovative learning environment for social inclusion topics
European society is pretty new to the topic of sexuality in the context of persons with disabilities. For the most part, it was considered not relevant, ethical or appropriate to be involved in a discussion regarding persons with disabilities and normalisation of their desires. It was a common misconception, that persons who could not satisfy their natural desires, do not have them. This fact shows that people with disabilities have the right to sexual experiences and adapted assistance that allows them to experience their sexuality as they deem to be fit. Sexual assistance for those disabled adults who request it and feel the need for it we can affirm that it contributes to their inclusion. Even due to the change of events shaped by COVID-19 pandemic, the consortium stood strong and implemented all the planned activities as well as created all the necessary outputs. Switching some events OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS Specific: - The project aims at transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications by recognizing the learning outcomes through informal ad non-formal learning pathways about Assisting differently abled people with the improvement of their sexual and emotional needs. It is envisaged that this network will reach out through specific communications actions and by customising the message according to different target groups. DIRECT TARGET GROUPS includes adult people dealing with people with disability (families, educators…), that will benefit from a free and online training course to help them acquiring skills and competences recognised at European level for the expertise in emotional and sexual education aimed at disabled people. MAIN INDIRECT TARGET GROUPS are made of groups of families and organisations of people with disability, that will indirectly benefit from the project, being social educators have to deal with them daily, along with the people with disability themselves. ACTIVITIES Events and dissemination Intellectual Outputs: 3, The new role of the Special Intimacy Needs in Europe, methodological framework and main points profile - The European Special Intimacy Needs Educator Training Course - The European Special Intimacy Needs dissemination knowledge platform METHODOLOGY Reporting Two reports were created during the first part of the project (Best Practice Report, Comprehensive Survey Report) to better understand the real situation in European Union regarding training courses and competencies of the stakeholders and the target group. The Best Practice Report involved information on educational courses, projects and initiatives regarding sexuality for persons with disabilities available in Europe. Learning activity This C1 activity involved two persons from each partner organization, who tested the classroom activities of the developed online course in person and discuss possible improvements. After this activity the persons involved gathered focus groups within their own organisations and trained the persons involved, as well as facilitated discussions to promote the theme of sexuality of persons with disabilities. The members of focus groups were active in some organisation regarding rights and interests of persons with diisabilities. Later on they acted as ambassadors of the project and had organised promotional events and discussions to inform target groups. Training activity Training activity was carried out via online means with support from the whole consortium. As it was planned, the main facilitators of the event were COMCY and Ist dei Sordi, each of whom gave their unique input to create the best experience for our learners. Amount of learners was significantly greatter than planned due to the event being online. Each country gathered at least five stakeholders and the event itself lasted for five days. Each day included uniuque presentations by each member organisation of the consortium, as well as testimonials and activities facilitated by the Trainer. The trainer was brought forth by Ist dei Sordi, she was a vastly competent individual with impeccable experience in psychology and sexuality education for persons with heard of hearing.Therefore she could manage a wide range of topics and Pilot testing Was carried out within the scope of IO3 by online and face-to-face techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic. A unite online evaluation form of the course created within the project was created by the member of the consortium responsible for quality control (Eurocrea), which was used as an online course validation and improvement platform. Even regarding the restrictions in some municipalities, a few partners could carry out piloting in face-to-face sessions, where the pilot test and presentation were carried out in small groups and online form was filled in on the spot.