The overall goal of the project was to increase the employment opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses (PIDMI) by increasing their social inclusion. We achieved everything we wanted: • To enable PIDMI to acquire new skills and knowledge in order to feel useful, more satisfied and less aggressive • To educate trainers to be qualified to educate PIDMI and work with them in order to increase their competitiveness in the labor market, and by introducing volunteers to the project to increase their visibility and motivation to get involved in the work of associations • To raise awareness of the public and the local community about the needs and opportunities of PIDMI, present them to potential employers, show the results of their work and thus make the public aware that PIDMI can be part of a contributing community, not just a burden and expense • To ensure that employees increase their competences for working with PIDMI, associations expand the scope of services, improve occupational therapy and achieve transnational cooperation • To take care of environmental protection and recycling in order to show that unique products can be created from recycled materials, while preserving traditional crafts
Both project partners, through their long-term work with people with intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses (PIDMI), have noticed the need for their training in simple vocational occupations adapted to their educational abilities. PIDMI have very few opportunities for education, finding employment and equal participation in society. Further education programs for them are almost non-existent, especially in small communities. We recognized weaving on a loom as a professional skill that our beneficiaries can master, which will increase their level of socialization, get the opportunity to work in a safe environment and acquire the necessary skills for independence, staying in the family and avoiding institutionalization. The beneficiaries should be more satisfied, more confident in themselves and strengthen their self-esteem and increase their chances of employment in the labor market. In this way, we contributed to the reduction of emotional and psychological problems that occur when they are not occupied with work tasks appropriate to their abilities. At the same time, they will be less dependent on their family and more prepared for some form of independent life when there are no longer any parents to take care of them.