First professional exchange: Czech Republic
The exchange of knowledge for NEAR is essential for reaching its common goal: support regions to develop or improve person-centered community-based social models. Keeping that in mind, the NEAR project provides a methodology based on learning events, study visits, peer review workshops, and staff exchanges for professionals to learn in-depth about other systems and learn, through training experiences, the way to adopt them, bringing these changes through their institutions to the policy level.
Professional Exchanges
After several learning events and study visits with peer review workshops, it is now crucial to enter the next phase with the organisation of staff exchanges for professionals.
The methodology for the exchange of experiences is the following: the exchange of experiences will be based on Learning events and Study Visits and followed by Peer-Review workshops. Learning events will have a duration of ½ or a day, dedicated to presenting in-depth one of the aspects covered by the project: tools (methods, programs) for the adoption of the new model, professional skills needed for the new model, as well as practical experiences both in the use of the tools or in the acquisition of the skills. Study visits will allow partners to learn about the host partner's existing model and to investigate and discuss the weakness and strengths of that model through a Peer-Review workshop at the end of the visit.
First up: Czech Republic
Starting on the 12th of November, APSS, our Czech partner in the project, is organising this first staff exchange for professionals with an exciting agenda, based on peer reviews after their study visit in November 2023. 20 professionals and stakeholders from all participating regions will learn more about the following subjects in the course of 3 days:
1. The Changes of Old Age - GERONTO-suit
The interactive course The Changes of Old Age and GERONTO-suit is designed for all those who work with the elderly or people with disabilities.
During the theoretical part of the lecture, the lecturer focuses mainly on the psychosocial changes that come with old age or illness and on the most common psychological and social barriers that a senior or a person with disabilities encounters.
The theoretical part is connected with practical demonstrations and self-experience of each participant. For this purpose, the GERONTO-suit (old age suit) is used, which perfectly creates the illusion of old age or disability for each participant.
The personal experiences are then transferred by the participants together with the trainer and others in the form of group work into the practice of the social service provided. They define the mistakes that the worker, due to their full strength and functionality of body and mind, is often unaware of in contact with the clients, and which affect their approach to and relationships with the clients.
2. Benedictus
Benedictus is inspired by the life of the communities of the Ark, where people with disabilities live together with people without disabilities. They learn to live in community. To discover the vocation to live in relationships with people with disabilities and with each other, to collaborate, to build community. Community requires precise organization.
Benedict's mission is to work with people with disabilities in a community way, showing the uniqueness of the individual person, developing their abilities and assessing their contribution to society.
3. Home for the elderly Havlíčkův Brod
The founder of the organisation is currently the Vysočina Region. Capacity 184 clients, service home for the elderly - 84 beds, home with special regime for clients with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia - 100 beds. The organisation has 160 employees, including 35 general nurses and 6 practical nurses. The mission of the home is to strive for a dignified and happy life for the seniors who, due to their health and social situation, live in this facility. The home promotes their self-sufficiency and maintaining contact with their surroundings and strives to create as natural an environment as possible.
The organisation provides annual training for its staff. A minimum of 24 hours of accredited training for approximately 100 direct care social workers is organised through turnkey courses at the organisation.
4. Virtual Reality - Dementia
The Virtual Reality - Dementia training programme offers participants a unique opportunity to enter the world of a person suffering from dementia. Using high quality virtual reality technology, it allows you to see the world through his or her eyes. This strengthens the knowledge of those caring for people with dementia, while helping to improve access and support for people living with dementia.
Based on their own experiences, participants will better understand what a person with dementia is experiencing and will thus be better able to identify their needs and provide adequate support at home and in social services.