HALF-DAY STAY (L’Arche workshop)
Half-day stay, i.e., our workshop, presents a bridge between an individual and the environment surrounding them: family, local community, labor market. The activities are designed as transitional work programs with the purpose of empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become involved in the labor market.
Participating in the work of the mobile team which visits the families of individuals with intellectual disabilities; volunteer programs in the local community; workshops for communication, academics and other skills; creative and sports workshops; participating in the work of the team which runs workshops for children in elementary schools - these are some of the activities which are taking place as part of these programs we have listed.
It is important for us to offer support to our members with intellectual disabilities and to help them to find decent work, but even more than that: to create possibilities for them to be able to help others through their work and to build relationships of sincere acceptance and friendship.
We have started an employment program with support for the open labor market.
We are looking forward to all the wonderful things that are ahead of us!
COUNSELING PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AND THEIR FAMILIES
We have individual conversations with the purpose of maintaining mental health and strengthening psycho-social skills of individuals with intellectual disabilities so they could take on an active role in their family and the community they live in. We also speak with the members of their families in order to empower them to be able to provide the best support to the family member that they are caring for.
PSYCHO-SOCIAL SUPPORT
The community provides psycho-social support, both individually and in groups, in the family home and in the L’Arche-Korablja facilities.
We provide psycho-social support to the family by visiting the families of our members with intellectual disabilities, so we could build an atmosphere of trust with their parents and other family members. During our visits, we conduct continued observations and we offer support to family members. But on top of it all, these visits are a way in which we nurture and celebrate our relationships, as well as the beauty of each person, including the parents of individuals with intellectual disabilities, whose roles often remain hidden and unrecognized.
SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE DIFFICULTIES IN THE FAMILY
The program arose from the needs of adults with multiple disabilities (link to a brochure on people with multiple disabilities) who are not included in regular rehabilitation programs and from the great loneliness of their families. Unfortunately, for these people who need intensive and comprehensive 24 hour environmental support, there are no other community support services other than large institutions.
A mobile team consisting of professionals, volunteers, parents and our members with intellectual disabilities was created to expand the support network around these families and ensure a continuous human and professional presence.
The program consists of the following activities:
- Family visits
- Implementation of activities in the family home
- Occasional inclusion of people with multiple disabilities in regular L'arche programs
The program is based on the principles of mental health care for people with intellectual disabilities (link to digital library - mental health care brochure) (integrative approach, according to Prof. Dr. Došen, A.), and examples of good practice of L'arche communities from other countries ( cooperation with the community L’Arche de Cuise in France in the development of support services for people with severe multiple disabilities). If you know families who would benefit from this form of support, let us know!
COMMUNITY GATHERINGS
It is when we are all together! Once a week, we come together in order to nurture our relationships which connect us, where we seek as a group to strengthen the feeling of each person’s value, and where we use different ways to portray everyday events, (theme-based workshops) so that every person would understand that they are important, precious, and beautiful just as they are. These gatherings are a unique opportunity for preparing celebrations, birthday parties, preparations for events which are important to us, and for meeting with our dear and, sometimes unusual, guests. During our gatherings, we also nurture spirituality, which is very important to us.
VIKEND-PROGRAM
From Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon we spend time together! Weekend programs are a chance for growing in independence, making one’s own life decisions, for learning how to spend one’s own spare time well, and deciding what to cook for a Sunday meal for friends. It is also a chance for the family members to catch a break. They stemmed from the need of our members with intellectual disabilities to gradually adjust to being outside of their family home, i.e., to become empowered to live in the local community (in cooperation with the Rehabilitation Center in Zagreb, and L’Arche community in Slovenia - Skupnost Barka).
