DOCUMENTS
ABBREVIATIONS
NDCN National Disability Council of Namibia
SWOT Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
UN United Nations
AU African Union
HR Human Resources
SADC Southern African Development Community
OPM Office of the Prime Minister
IT Information Technology
NGO Non Governmental Organisation
HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
PPP Public / Private Partnerships
M.P Member of Parliament
MDGs Millennium Development Goals
OPDs Organisations for People with Disability
NFPDN National Federation of People with Disability in Namibia
MoHSS Ministry of Health and social Services
SOA State Owned Enterprise's Act
PWD's People with Disabilities
MoHSS Ministry of Health and Social Services
MYNSSC Ministry of Youth National Service, Sport and Culture
MVA Motor Vehicle Accident
NADAWO Namibia Association of Differently Abled Women
NFPD National Federation of People with Disabilities
CLaSH Children with Speech and Language Impairments
WHO WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
NAPPD Namibia Association of People with Physical Disabilities
ATN Albino Trust of Namibia
NNAD National Association of the Deaf
MED Ministry of Education
OPM Office of the Prime Minister
OP Office of the President
NFVI National Federation of the Visually Impaired
NOYD National Organization of Youth with Disabilities
CCDS Center for Communication and Deaf Studies
MGECW Ministry of Gender Equality and Child welfare
MOLSW Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare
NACD Namibia Association of Children with Disabilities
MFCWD Mainstream Foundation for Children with and without
Disabilities.
APIC Association of People Involved in Crushes
DMN Disability Management Network
NID Namibia Institute for Democracy
Let's Talk
. The Director, Mr Martin Limbo briefs the Director of Social Welfare Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Mrs BU Katjiounguoa on Council activities, upon her arrival to a warm welcoming at the Council's year end function held at NAMPOWER Conversion Centre, © December 2011
CHAPTER 1: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
1. To the Ministry of Health and Social Services for the support and assistance given to the National Disability Council of Namibia.
2. To the Office of the Prime Minister - Disability Unit for all the support coordination and commitment towards disability issues in the Council.
3. To the National Federation of People with Disabilities (NFPDN) for the advice, commitment and dedication towards People with Disabilities and the National Disability Council of Namibia.
4. To the various Organizations of People with Disabilities (OPD's) for the support and cooperation.
5. To the First Council members for their commitment, dedication and mentorship towards People with Disabilities and the National Disability Council of Namibia.
6. To Honorable Manombe Ncube (Member of Parliament and Chairperson of NDCN) for her support, commitment, dedication and mentorship towards People With Disabilities and the National Disability Council of Namibia.
7. To all Ministries for the cooperation provided during our time of plight.
8. To the Motor Vehicle Fund (MVA) for the partnership and network created.
9. To the Staff members of NDCN for their hard work, dedication and commitment in running the administration of the Council.
10. To the Director of the National Disability Council, Mr. Martin Limbo for his dedication, commitment and hard work and for leading the secretarial.
11. To Polytechnic of Namibia, University of Namibia (UNAM) and International University of Management (IUM) for the partnership created.
12. Schachter & Namdar Asia LTD for employing people with Disabilities.
CHAPTER 2: STRUCTURE OF ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT DURING THE REPORTING YEAR BY THE COUNCIL.
2.1 ACTIVITIES:
2.1.1 Official launch of NDCN Offices and official handing over of the Council vehicles
The event took place on the 3rd June 2011 at Zoo Park, across Sanlam center in Independence Avenue, from 09h00-13h00. The event was also organized to serve as a platform for raising awareness. Honorable Dr. Richard Kamwi was the key note speaker of the event and it was attended by Permanent Secretaries from various Ministries, OPD's, NFPDN and many more guests among others'. The event turned out a success.
2.1.2 Strategic Plan Workshops
The five (5) year strategic plan for NDCN which was conducted by the Management Institute for National Development (MIND) was conducted in two (2) phases. Phase one (1) took place from 09-13 May 2011 at the Youth Centre in Mariental. Phase two (2) took place at Oshandira lodge in Oshakati from the 04-08 July, where it was finalized.
2.1.3 Training
Staff members have been send for training in order to improve their knowledge and skills in their sphere of work which would enhance their work performance. The following staff members have been send for training:
NAME TYPE OF TRAINING DATE VENUE
1. Mr. Manfred !Howaeb Tender board training 21 March - 01 April 2011 Swakopmund
Budget and Budget control 04-15 April 2011 Otjiwarongo
2. Mrs. Johanna Beirao Custom care & Effective Communication skills 09-20 May 2011 Otjiwarongo
Effective Report writing & Minute writing 10-21 October 2011 Otjiwarongo
2.1.4 National Disability Day - Katima Mulilo
The day was celebrated at Katima Mulilo on the 10th June 2011 under the theme "full participation and equality in education, training and development for people with disabilities". It was attended by four (4) of NDCN's staff members, five (5) Council members, two (2) personal assistants and two members from NFPDN.
2.1.5 Windhoek Show Grounds
NDCN resolved to take part in the Windhoek Show 2011, to create awareness. The Show grounds ran from 23/09/2011-01/10/2011. All the staff members, except the Director where working at the show grounds on shifts. The show was quite a success and our expectations were met, however there were a few challenges and shortcomings but they do not outweigh the achievements we had at the Windhoek Show grounds-2011.
2.1.6 International Disability Day
The event is scheduled to take place in Oshakati on the 12th December 2011. Preparations are underway in collaboration with the Disability Unit from the Office of the Prime Minister.
2.1.8 Visits to various Ministries, Organizations and Agencies
During the month of August and September 2011, NDCN was conducting visits to various Ministries/Agencies/Organizations and Institutions to sensitize on its mandate and functions and also to inform of its roles, values, vision and mission as well as to introduce the five (5) year strategic plan of the Council. These visits were among other things also to pave a way forward, create and establish partnerships as well as to work and respond on the recommendations made to the Council. The following were visited; however the visits could not be finished due to the fact that the term of office for the Council members came to an end. The Council is thus waiting for the new Council members to be elected so that they may continue form where was left:
1. Ministry of Finance
2. Ministry of Justice
3. Ministry of Defense
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
5. Ministry of Regional, Local Government, Housing and Rural Development
6. Office of the Ombudsman
7. National Assembly
8. Namibia Training Authority
9. University of Namibia
10. International University of Management
11. Polytechnic of Namibia
12. Windhoek vocational training Center
13. Electoral Commission of Namibia
2.1.9 International Conversion on Disability, 10-14 October 2011, Durban, South Africa
The Council also participated in the world conversion on Disability which was held in Durban, South Africa from the period, 10-14 October 2012. The Council secretariat was represented by, the Director, Mr. M N Limbo, and the Administrator for Finance, Mr. Ben Shikolalye. In the absence of Council members two members representing NFPDN and OPD's and recommended by the MoHSS attended the conversion namely, Mr. Gerson Mutendere (NFPDN Secretary General), and Mrs. Pamela Somses (NACD).
New approaches to disability management, rights of people with disabilities and approaches to new roles, interventions and collective approaches to the African Decade plan of Action on the rights of persons with disabilities and the UNCRPD, were identified and harnessed at the conversion which were very critical to the disability movement in Namibia, hence making the conversion a must attend session for our newly established Council.
2.1.10 Disability Research and Development conference, Victoria Falls, 31 October 2011- 02 November 2011, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
The Council also participated in a review program, on research and development conference which was held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from 31 October 2011- 02 November 2011. The workshop was aimed at enhancing better sampling and progressive research methods on disability management and development. The council had just at that stage established its new research and development unit and it was critical that the new head of the unit quickly learns the required research methodologies of the field. Therefore the Director, Mr. M N limbo, and the Deputy Director: research and Development together with Mr. Gerson Mutendere on recommendation of the MoHSS attended the session.
CHPATER 3: ACHIEVEMENTS
3.1 Recruitment of the NDCN secretariat.
The NDCN managed to recruit seven staff members this year; who are the founding runners of the Administration of the Council. The table below shows the employment of staff members in order of commencement date:
NAME
RANK DATE OF EMPLOYMENT CONDITON OF EMPLOYMENT
1. Martin Limbo Director 3 January 2011 3 years contract- renewable
2. Manfred !Howaeb Administrator- General Services 15 March 2011 Permanent
3. Efraith Katjirua Driver/ Messenger 11 April 2011 Permanent
4. Johanna Beirao Private secretary 11 April 2011 Permanent
5. Ferdinand Mutendere Cleaner 2 may 2011 Probation
6. Ben Shikolalye Administrator- Finance and Human Resources 16 May 2011 Probation
7. Tjiueza Tjombumbi Deputy Director- Research and Development 1 November 2011 Probation
3.2 Strategic Plan
The NDCN has managed to put a five (5) year strategic plan in place, which will guide the Council into achieving its long and short term aims and goals.
3.3 Smart Partnerships
NDCN, in collaboration with the Disability Unit from the Office of the Prime Minister has created smart partnerships with the following companies:
3.4 Shachter & Namdar Diamond Company - NDCN in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister facilitates and makes provision for the employment of People with Disabilities on diamond cutting and polishing.
3.5 Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) - NDCN was identified and selected by MVA as a member of the Disability Management Network (DMN).
3.6 Polytechnic of Namibia
NDCN has recently drafted a memorandum of understanding with the Polytechnic of Namibia under the Center of Entrepreneurship Development to train People with Disabilities in various fields related to entrepreneurship, such as Organizational Management, Information Communication Technology, Disability law etc. The agreement is yet to be signed.
3.7 APIC-DMN-MVA Fund Learning Visits, 05-09 February 2012, Nairobi, Kenya
APIC (Association of People Involved in Crushes), is a newly established organization for non-profit gain and registered as Welfare and sustainability organization under the auspices of the Disability Management Network, of the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. Mr. M N Limbo was appointed as chairperson of the Disability Management Network. All members serving to the DMN-MVA Fund automatically serve to the APIC organization; hence Mr. Limbo was nominated to go on learning visits to Kenya, where upon their return the team was expected to implement provisions of the learnt skills and programs necessary to uplift APIC programs.
The Director, Mr. Martin Limbo, on Learning visit to Kenya, photo taken at one of the OPD's in Kibera Informal Settlement, Nairobi, Kenya
3.8 Building Plan and Exit Strategy
The Council is currently busy with its first building plan for envisaged office blocks where it administrative functions will be based. Building plans have been developed and will be presented to the City Council for approval and allocation of business even in the business zonings of Windhoek. As part of its exit strategy from current leasing of office space at Sanlam center, the Council will ensure that the new office complex becomes highly accessible, reachable and a complete replica of Council functions. It is estimated to cost about N$ 27,000 000.00c and expected to be completed by 2016. Funding for the project will be done through the MoHSS, NPC and NDP 4 development programs.
3. Current programs and initiatives
4.1 Establishment of a Database initiative: Research and Development
The Research and Development division in collaboration with the office of the Director will be conducting a data base initiative program throughout the thirteen (13) regions of the Country. The data base will be comprised of stratified sampling methods of research findings and interpretation that will be used to correctly quantify the demographic and socio-economic analysis of people with disabilities in Namibia. The initiative will witness the registration process of all people with disabilities in Namibia, and their segmentation in terms of race, creed, social activities, economic activities and general persona of all people with disabilities. the gathered information will be used by the Council to correctly channel its developmental programs to the envisaged benefit of identified beneficiaries with disabilities in Namibia.
The process is estimated to be kick started as from May-July 2012, and the process will involve consultancy services to be procured in order to collect, analyze, and arrive at decision making processes from the whole summative evaluation of report, and information collected from the survey.
4.2 Orthopedic assembling unit for hand controlled Try circle, and other equipment initiative.
This initiative is spearheaded by the Director's office following guiding visits from Kenya, where SIDA through a joint consultative initiative with the office of the Director, pledged to support and fund an assembling unit of the production of hand controlled try circles that will be used to target wheel chair users in rural arrears who are unable to use their wheel chairs in rough and sand remote areas. The hand propelled try circles are effortless, easy to operate and easy to assemble. The center is also expected to be utilizing to assemble other similar or related orthopedic equipment that will be sold to the Southern African Region. Projected is estimated at US $ 500 000.00c
4.3 Initiative for the establishment of a Political/Electoral College for People with Disabilities
This initiative was established by the Director, in order to secure political education to persons with disabilities wishing to pursue a career in politics, and to prepare them for cabinet or political postings. The establishment of a political College will ensure that people with disabilities interested in politics are engaged in a full time training course with the assistance of NID, and identified political commentators or lecturers for a period of up 6 months which prepare them for political offices, to any political party of their choice in Namibia.
This was found to be a creative approach in addressing expectation from politicians with disabilities and equipping them with required skills, political tact, attributes and knowledge base required in cabinet set ups and processes. The project is expected to have funds solicited from donors, NID, and the Council, and will have to be launched in due course.
Chapter 5. International Visits 21-25 February 2011
International visits were made to Mexico and New Zealand respectively. A delegation of seven (7) people including one (1) assistant went to Mexico from 21-25 February 2011, while a delegation of eight (8) people including two (2) assistants went to New Zealand during the same dates. The visits were quite successful and delegates came back very knowledgeable and informed in the area of disability related issues.
5.1 Extracts of International learning visit to New Zealand
Background
The National Disability Council was established per National Disability Council, Act no 26 of 2004 and was officially inaugurated in 2008. As per Council meeting resolution a foreign visit was under taken to New Zealand. The delegation consisted of Council members: A Ncube, M Kufuna, ICJ Strauss ,T Nekundi, M Haukambe and BP Somses, Mohss staff -W Munkanda, Personal assistants: M Shuuya, Annalisa Karipo and I Mundjandji.
The town of Christchurch on the south island of New Zealand was struck by a massive earth quake that caused a disaster situation. As a result the whole country was affected and various services had to focus on the town of Christchurch. Due to the small population in the country a lot of people were affected directly or indirectly. Some presenters who were initially part of the programme were unable to attend due to commitments to support the south island affected communities.
Objectives
" To learn from their experiences in terms of the institutions and systems put in place to further the interest of the people with disabilities.
" To undertake visits to relevant agencies and statutory bodies that are relevant to the functions of the National Disability Council such as the Disability coordinating offices, disability monitoring agencies, Organizations of People with Disabilities and any other agency providing services to people with disabilities.
" To visit the Office for Disability Issues, New Zealand Disability Advisory Council, New Zealand Disability Support Network, New Zealand Federation of Disability and any other relevant institution as per the advice of the Office for Disability Issues.
Executive summary
Visits to foreign countries were undertaken to enable the Council to learn from the experiences in other countries, gathering ideas and information relevant to Namibia. The visits were aimed at government and non-governmental organizations tasked with disability issues including organizations of people with disabilities. Until recently, the Council has been setting building blocks in place geared toward the full and efficient functioning of the Council.
Acknowledgement
A word of appreciation to the New Zealand Government for agreeing to host the Namibian delegation of the National Disability Council .Thanks to Ms. Carol Ratnam who was instrumental in setting up the meeting with the various agencies and institutions and lastly for keeping in touch to ensure the well-being of the delegates.
We appreciate Dr. Jan Scown for her hospitality and the senior staff of the Ministry of Social Development for serving as the host Ministry. Many thanks go to Ms. Anne Alexander for hosting the delegation in Auckland and for sharing her love and compassion for people.
Lastly, a word of thanks to the people of New Zealand for receiving our delegation with open arms and for their warm hospitality during our stay in Wellington and Auckland.
1. Opening and Welcoming
Facilitators: Dr. Jan Scown: Director: Office for Disability Issues
Pip Baldwin: Senior Analysts: Older People and International Policy
Carol Ratnam: Policy Analyst
Presentation 1: Roles of relevant Ministry.
Background
The southern island town of Christchurch had been affected by a massive earth quake. This resulted in the focus of attention and services to the disaster stricken area and expected attendees were absent due to other responsibilities and support needed in Christchurch. The country has a mixed political party in power currently, whereby more than one party is sharing power. The majority of the disabilities are partly attributed to aging. The New Zealand Society generally is a highly computer literate one.
Key areas identified by the delegates for the purpose of the visit:
Education of children with disabilities
Assistive devises
Support to Organizations of People with Disabilities
Employment of people with visual impairment
Translation of policy implementation
Role of Social Workers in disability issues
Affect of the earth quake on the people with disabilities
Grants including disability, old age and unemployment grants
Start up capital for income generating projects
Presenter: Pipi Baldwin: Senior Analysts: Older people and International Policy
New Zealand has a large aging population which will eventually have an impact on service delivery, including services to persons with disabilities. Social Security funds are generated through tax contributions. Social Assistance is administered through a means test. To date 50, 000 people are receiving old age grants. Key Ministries involved are: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Disability Issues, Health, Social Development and Employment.
Key services of the Ministry of Social Development.
Section: Family and Community Services - dealing with matters related to community services.
Social policy matters - policy matters are clustered under the Social Sector strategy.
Key areas
Policy cluster
Service delivery cluster
Corporate Governance & Risk Cluster
Working relationships exist between the Ministries of Health and the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Health is the lead Ministry on Disability issues. There is a Commissioner for Children, but no Ministry of Child Welfare exists.
Informal employment in New Zealand consists of musical performers that perform with a permit from the Town Council. Performers and are commonly found performing on street corners or squares. Start up capital for people to initiate businesses is provided. Sources of informal markets include traditional medicine and acupuncture.
Payments of social grants are done under the Service Delivery Cluster. Benefits includes: invalids benefits, domestic benefits, unemployment benefits, and blind benefits (even given to employed people with disabilities).
Community service providers.
A strong NGO base exists and many receive funding from the Government. Other sources include inheritance through which NGO's gain income. (This option is currently drying up). The services include Services to Families.
Organizations of People with disabilities in New Zealand
Association of the Blind
Association of the Deaf
Regional networking for people with mental disabilities
Session interlude: Welcoming of delegation by Moerangi Falaoa: Project Advisor: Family Community Services
The delegation was welcomed and entertained with a Manituki traditional song. The Project Advisor has a dual role as a project advisor and Chief Executive Officer of a local tribal organization.
Presentation 2: Monitoring the implementation of the UN Convensions on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
Presenter: Dr. Jan Scown: Director: Office for Disability Issues
Attendees: Rose Wilkinson: Executive Officer Association of Blind Citizens
The focus is placed on the framework of the UN Convention, and Organizations of People with Disabilities come together to form the coalition for monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention.
Background
The focal point is referred to as the Government department responsible for disability .A Ministerial committee was established on disability issues.
Independent mechanism includes the Ombudsman and Human Rights Commission and Organizations of People with Disabilities.
The DPO's were invited to partake after which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was established among the DPO's concerning the UNCRPD. The role of the Ministry of Disability Issues provides merely an advocacy role and financial support.
The New Zealand government has utilized the Social model since 2000. The focus was on the environmental barriers. The Ministry of Disability is geared towards sensitizing other Ministries to cater to the needs of people with disabilities.
A selected committee on disability support services (consisting of Parliamentarians) did an enquiry on disability services. This resulted in the establishment of a Ministerial Committee. The aim of the committee was to coordinate and to agree on priorities for government agencies. The membership consists of Ministers. The functioning of this committee is not very effective.
(Guiding document: Disability Strategy and the UNCRPD)
37 Government departments exist with most departments having a strategic plan in place but little progress has been observed. Various Government departments have various activities. The key areas for the Disability Sectors are:
" Support for living
The current focus is aimed at moving away from institutional care. The service providers steer the process and thus enable the family to have more control over the process
" Mobility and Access
To facilitate more access to Mobility and Information.
" Jobs
Includes education aspects. People with disabilities have lower education and lower employment levels.
Challenge
" The Ministerial Committee has little power even though the committee is comprised of powerful Minsters.
Possible ventures
To call for accountability from line ministries concerning the implementation of disability issues
1.1 Convention Coalition
Background:
The Association of the Blind Citizens has been in existence for 65 years and its membership consist of blind and visually impaired persons. The Coalition is comprised of 6 DPO's of which 5 are national organizations. Other independent mechanisms in place include: Ombudsmen and the Civil Society. The New Zealand government ratified the UN convention in September 2009. Three meetings were arranged to work toward formation of a coalition to monitor the Convention .The process was supported and initiated by the Office for Disability Issues.
Coalition membership
The Coalition was formed in February 2010 with its membership consisting of people with disabilities. Provision was made for the inclusion of persons without disabilities and a person with disabilities serving as a deputy to the initial members, provided that the person is actively aware of disability issues. Funding was provided to the amount of NZ$ 300 000 for the duration of March - June 2010.
The Disability Rights Promotion Interaction based in Toronto, Canada supported the training of DPO's to enable them to partake in the report writing and to be able to conduct interviews. The training was done over a period of 5 days. The Coalition used a set form of questionnaires. A total of 100 people with disabilities were targeted, using people with disabilities to do the interviews and the translations. The interviews were recorded and a total of 4 non-disabled persons were involved in the project. The staff component consisted of 3 coordinators and 12 monitors.
The following were the outcomes of the project
A total of 99 of the 100 planned interviews were done
The project report was launched on 7 December 2010.The report reflected the views of people with disabilities.
A shadow report needs to be compiled to accommodate the views that did not fit into the report format .The report was formatted into 4 formats. Namely easy read, sign language, Braille and larger print.
The project was funded by the Research Department .The report was treated as an independent report.
Lessons learnt
The project was a costly learning experience
It was realized that there was a need to consider other types of disabilities.
Payment of wages for people with disabilities needs to be reasonable.
The exercise proved that there is trust that the DPO's would be able to undertake the project.
Way forward
The Coalition is in the process of compiling the shadow report .An amount of NZ $ 750 000 would be made available over a period of 3 years (2010-2013)
Challenge
" It was challenge to cover the accommodation and travelling costs for the members of DPO's to come together.
Disability Rights Commission
An interim position has been created and was recently advertised. The commission would serve as a complaints commission. A recent case involved a woman with a disability charged for the oxygen used during a flight. The women managed to get a court appeal after 11 years of legal battles. Reference was made for the need by the airlines to make reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.
Office of the Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman is able to investigate any section of the Government's department. The New Zealand government ratified the Protocol on Torture recently.
Office for Disability Issues
The office was established after the Disability Strategy was developed. The office would eventually give power to the implementation of the strategy which was established with the support of the DPO's. The key focus is to support the Ministerial Committee and work with DPO's. The office creates awareness on the different areas affecting people with disabilities. The organogram of the office consists of: 1 Director, 1 Executive Assistant, 5 Policy Analysts and a Communication Officer.
Planned activities
To arrange for meetings with the Ombudsman, Coalition group and the Human Rights Commission. The first New Zealand country report is being finalized which will reflect the Government's perspective.
Challenges
" 23 Old laws had to be changed to allow New Zealand to ratify the UN convention e.g. people with disabilities were not allowed to serve on boards of trustees.
" The Disability Action Plans of the Government departments needs to focus on the totality and not on an individual sector.
Best practices
DPO's were able to give inputs to the draft country report. A disability survey is linked to the 5 yearly censuses. The Office for Disability Issues lobbied for the inclusion of the disability survey. The questions are outcome based, e.g. how well people with disabilities are doing, whether they own their own homes, etc.
A Disability Building Act was put in place to regulate accessibility of buildings. Even though new buildings are still erected without provision being made for access.
Presentation 3: Education at a Distance: Tekura Education centre.
Presenters: Margaret Gamlin: Chief Advisor
Judith Shearer: Curriculum leader
Background
The Correspondence School is a state school with 26 000 students .This includes early childhood, primary, secondary level and adult students (between the ages of 16-23 years).The students include students who dropped out of school or students who need additional qualifications. The initial aim of the school is to serve isolated families. The school is currently serving young students who are not willing or unable to go to school or who decide voluntarily to leave school. The curriculum is simplified to enable challenged children to partake in the formal curriculum, e.g. students with autism, students with motor sensory challenges. Students with severe impairment take longer than their peers to proceed to tertiary institutions but would be able to complete the formal curriculum.
Admission
The schools admission requirements are in line with the Ministry of Education policy. Admission is granted to isolated students, students who were expelled from school, students with psychological issues, students who are unable to access certain school subjects especially at tertiary level and special education students, especially at primary education level. No academic requirements are needed as part of the admission criteria.
Information from the previous school/institution is acquired once the student is enrolled. In the absence of this information, diagnostic tests are done. Monthly assessments are done to evaluate the students' progress.
Funding
The funding to the school is based on the number of students enrolled and engaged at the school.
(See annexure B)
.The majority of students are enrolled for English and Mathematics. The curriculum for life skills includes: telling time, measuring, answering the telephone etc. The Correspondence School follows the New Zealand curriculum. The Ortega and Merge Universities assisted in the development of steps to reach curriculum goals in collaboration with the special schools which are utilized nationwide.
Resource tool: www.school.nz/school/fairhaven-school-napier
Challenges
" The identification of the next logic step for students in the absence of direct or face to face contact
" The realization that development has various areas that are developed or under developed
Structure
The organogram of the school consists of 4 regional structures with each region having resource special education teachers. The teachers cater for children 5 years to adult age and are flexible in order to cater for the different needs of the children with disabilities. Adults above the age of 21 years are required to pay an amount of NZ $ 100 for administrative fees.
On-going Resource Scheme (ORS)
Transitional funding is made available to facilitate the transition of students to formal employment .The narrative assessment include assessment of past progress and deciding on the way forward for the student.
Aging students
Aging students are funded by the Government under the Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS) and can be retained in the system.
(See Annexure C)
A number of 144 full time students are currently enrolled. The teacher aid allocation is currently provided and the same person who provides home care can be used as an aid or the family may opt for a different person. As a last option the vacancy for an aid can be advertised.
In a school setup the school may employ the teacher aid for 30 hours per week. The same teacher aid may share their time with other teachers and booklets are provided to the aids. The resource materials were developed by local experts, teachers, editors and graphic designer, while some services were contracted out. The materials are activity based and consist of leaflets, jigsaw puzzles and commercially bought booklets. Outreach communication is conducted via video conferencing, commonly using Skype. No Braille facilities exist at the school and the school relies on various national visual resource production centres while the school can only produce large print.
The school focus on supporting the students in their local environment and works with locally based agencies. A good communication feedback system exists between the face-to-face schools and the Correspondence School. Pre-primary materials are utilized, but consideration is given to the appropriateness and individual situation. The adoption of material is done to cater for older students, e.g. replace the cat and dog picture with shelves and saws. No provision is made for recreational activities. The parents are encouraged to involve their children in age appropriate recreational activities and disability specific activities e.g. Ride for Disability.
Challenge
" The sparsely spread out population results in some areas not having any activities.
Presentation 4: Ministry of Education
Presenters: Sally Jackson: Programme Manager Strategy Special Education
Carrolyn Grace: Speech, Language Therapist, Teacher (Service Delivery) Senior Advisor.
Background
The country has a history of segregation in the education sector but initiatives are currently geared towards inclusive education. The services of Speech and Language Therapists in the state system are free, though it is also available privately. An assessment centre is utilized with a medical model, while in an educational setup the assessment of the child is done in the natural environment of the child. The New Zealand government has one curriculum that is applicable to children with disabilities and the mainstream schools. There is thus, a 100% inclusion of children with disabilities.
Auckland and Christchurch have special schools which are part of the town's history. In some areas in New Zealand children with disabilities are in mainstream school that would normally have been in a special school or health facility.
The ratio for teacher versus learner is 1 teacher per class. At high school level the ratio would be one teacher per subject. Stigma attached to children with behavioural or intellectual disabilities are common, while there is more acceptances of sensory and the other types of disabilities. The school boards consist of parents and experts, and are tasked to employ the principal. The disability strategy is supported nationwide by the Government. The Education Act was amended in 1989 to allow for children with disabilities to attend schools
Within their local environment. This amendment was encouraged by the UN convention.
Challenges
" Deaf children require sign language interpreters and thus tend to group themselves together.
" The negative attitudes towards children with disabilities are addressed through the training of teachers at university level. The initiative is geared towards inclusive practices to change the attitudes towards the children with disabilities.
Services
Ongoing resourcing scheme includes educational support and provision of expert therapists e.g. speech, language therapist
Services are provided until the student turns 21 years. Students are encouraged to further their education, do community service or take up employment once they reach 17-18 years. Ideally children with disabilities can transition. Pathways are developed to enable them to move with their peers.
The aim is for children with disabilities to follow their aspirations and not merely end up with community support services.
Structure
The Ministry of Education has 160 district offices that house fieldworkers that consist of professional early intervention advisors and therapists who are employed full time.
Achievements
The country has professional field workers and supports further education for all. 60% of the children with disabilities are attending school within their local environment.
There is a steady increase in the number of students who complete tertiary education. A total of 125 students are currently enrolled at the local universities.
Resource link: www.minedu.govt.nz Paper: Journey to work- commissioned by Work Bridge.
Budget
464 million NZ$ is spend on special education. Support to the parents with children with disabilities is through a Disability Allowance which is to cover the extra cost and is based on the parent's income.
A review of the education sector was done and the results revealed that there was a need to change the attitudes of teachers, principals and government Ministries.
Lessons learned
There is a need for increased networking between Ministries and DPO's to ensure the championing of Disability Issues.
"It is cheaper to pay for the education for students with special needs than keeping students in institutions"
Presentation 5: New model of disability support
Presenters: Valerie Smith: Senior Analyst
Catherine Mclean: Senior Analyst: Ministry of Health
Background
There are gaps and overlapping of services. The new model of disability supports various approaches including the charity model. The Ministry of Health provides disability support up to the age of 15 years. The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind was fully funded by the Government to provide services from birth to death for people with disabilities. People with intellectual disabilities were largely institutionalized. The last institution was closed in 2006. Various organizations exist to support people with disabilities. The focus shifted from a charity model to community based care.
Services
People with sensory, physical and intellectual disabilities are the majority. Mental Health and addiction challenges are supported through the district health boards. 26 District health boards cater for the chronic age group - 65 and above and people with chronic illness, e.g. diabetes with visual impairment. A separate fund was established to cater for the chronic illness group after which this function would be transferred to the district health boards.
Central level operations
The focus is on the under 65 year old and catering for people with sensory, physical, and intellectual disabilities. A budget of NZ$ 975 million is allocated, with 14000 contracts entered into with the 900 service providers nationwide.
Home help services includes cleaning of houses and residential services refers to community homes that accommodate around 4-5 people with disabilities with the assistance of a community worker. Clients who may require high care services are accommodated in old age facilities.
Disability Information and Advisory Services (DIAS)
DIAS is a number of organizations in New Zealand that provides disability information and advisory services is funded by the Ministry of Health. 28 DIAS exist in the country and provides information to the community. Information leaflets and pamphlets are distributed. Support to the carers includes, carers support subsidy and Respite Services. Respite Services includes a holiday in a community facility to enable the carer to take a break from the carers role. 250000 people in the community are assisted, enabling them to live in their natural environment. This refers to supported individual living services.
Individual funding in New Zealand
Funding is given to individuals and can be utilize to purchase what they require instead of funding being channelled through the service providers. Access to services is done after the required needs assessment and service coordination (NASC) is done.
Service coordination
Coordinators work with individuals and service providers to formalize a plan and sign it off. The service provider will have a contract with the Ministry. The contract allows the Ministry to monitor the progress of the service provider in terms of the contract agreement. This model was adopted in 1998 while the previous model required no accountability from the service provider.
(Annexure E)
The budget is fixed and is not demand driven. Residential services utilize a large portion of the funds of the Ministry and thus the current move towards reducing residential services. 45% of the people with disabilities are unemployed and this is largely attributed to the environmental barriers and the negative attitudes of employers. The country has technological advances that contributed to the increased life expectancy, e.g. previously a client with muscle atrophy was expected to live up to 16 years and currently clients can expect to live up to 50 years.
The Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) provides allowances to people who became disabled through motor vehicle accidents and the allowance is usually more than what the Ministry of Health pay out.
ACC covers up to 80% of the client's previous income. ACC is funded through tax, employers levy and a fuel levy.
Challenges
" Few Rehabilitation services are provided for people with disabilities especially for on-going rehabilitation
" A shortage of professionals exists to provide rehabilitation services.
Achievements
The number of trainings in the required areas has increased to address the shortage.
Contract relations officers are serving as a link between the clients and the service providers.
Sustainability
There are concerns over the sustainability as 15 million is required for the needs assessment alone while the focus is merely on health. Various sectors have sector specific plans and the result is very bureaucratic and difficult for the individual.
Feedback is given during quarterly forums and consortiums which are held with the aim of gaining feedback from the service providers. A select committee on service was established and revealed the need for more support for the service providers.
Funding is given directly to service providers besides the carers' support (an amount of NZ$ 85 per day is given to the carers).
Challenges
" There is a need to observe the service providers closer. Concern over the long term sustainability of the services.
" People with disabilities protested against some services, some of the services may be provided by the clients themselves
" There is no clear cut indication as to which institution is responsible for the provisions of support services in the work place.
" Bureaucratic system that result in a struggle for funding for disability issues
" Challenge of coordination of disability issues and ensuring equity
" Access to older buildings is commonly at the back of the building.
" Most of the government funding goes directly to the service providers
" A small percentage of Maori people is able to access the information compared to the rest of the country's population
Resource: Building code -New Zealand 2002
Support to DPO's
DPO's are supported for services provided by their organizations. DPO's utilizes avenues to source funding e.g. McKenzie; Lottery board etc. The funding would then enable DPO's to build their infrastructures. DIAS centres share office space and thus save on office rent. During the Consortiums which were conducted via
e-mail, advice was sourced for various areas. Decisions concerning the budget are commonly made confidentially. A consumer forum is done nationwide geared
towards involving the community. Low levels of community involvement may be attributed to lack of information and awareness.
Achievements
Internal arrangements exist to make buildings accessible should people with disabilities need's access to the services in an inaccessible building.
A transport subsidy is paid to people with disabilities who may require specialized transportation e.g. hoist fitted vehicle
Projects commonly have reference groups that include people with disabilities.
Challenges
" Involvement at decision-making level is limited
" Timidity exist on having people with disabilities at higher decision making level
" A bureaucratic decision making structure exist and no direct link exist directly to the cabinet.
Sector services are used to process the payment of service providers. The sector services has an investigation team component that can deal with investigations should the need arise.
Key elements
1. Local area coordination
-include the assistance to families and the individual to plan effectively and if needed refer for services
2. Allocating funds instead of funding
-this allows some flexibility to the number of services and the choice of service providers
3. Accountability
Way forward
There is a need for other agencies to buy into the idea.
Service development
Services are either on tender or given to the preferred service providers. Service specifications exist for the various services which are attached to the contracts with the various service providers.
Contracts are reviewed on an annual basis
Resource: New Zealand Public Health & Disability Act
www.msd.govt.nz
A guide for Carers
The New Zealand Carers
Strategy and Five year Action Plan 2008
Carer's streategy@msd.govt.nz
Round table discussion on employment and disability
Facilitators: Anne Hawker: Work and Income Principal: Disability Advisor
Brenda Keating: Wellington Regional Disability Advisor
Kevin Farr: Chairperson of the Association for Supported Employment in New Zealand (ASENZ)
Pip Cable: Policy Group: Disability Policy
Service delivery to Disabled people in New Zealand
"it is more important to know what sort of person has the disability than to know what sort of disability the person has "
Sheltered employment shifted to the private sector. Community participation is co-founded by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health. Income support benefits includes: Sickness benefits (short term) and invalid benefits (long term)
Legislation
After 2007 people with disabilities were able to access employment irrespective of whether the client is receiving any grants/benefit.
Government manifesto
Work obligation is to be extended to encourage people with disabilities to look for employment. Disincentive includes the graduate sanctions.
Employers Disability Network
Key issues are the attitudes of employers. A close relationship exists with the Australian Employers Disability Network. The Network consists of 9 members comprising NGO's and Employers.
Resource: www.edn.org.nz
Disability Action Plan
Key areas are:
" Support for living
" Improve mobility & Access
" Jobs
Support structure consists of the Ministerial Committee, Chief Executive Officer, and the Disability sector. Current trend is towards progressive realization with the focus on selecting a few issues that could be focused on instead of dealing with numerous issues which may be unrealistic. Ministerial Committee provided the framework .The Quality report indicated the support for living needs to be increased.
Employers groups
Business New Zealand is the major Employer group. Around 40-45 employer group organizations exist and is funded through MSDO. The key services is geared towards assisting people to get a job, assist employers and fellow employees and assist with career paths. Overlaps exist in the area of community participation. Sector standards are utilized to monitor the Employer's progress. No fees are charged as the service providers are contracted by the Government. On the job training is funded from Government. Support services are given as long as it may be required and after which the natural support is institutionalized in the workplace. The support would then fade away.
Achievements
" The work environment becomes supportive and clients are able to acquire additional support when needed. Clients are appropriately trained by employment consultants who facilitate the training for people with disabilities on employment.
" Cooperation between Government department's resources.
" Better communication and sharing of resources
Resource: Research report on Effective support work environment
Support with case manager
Case managers focus on discussing the appropriate benefit that suits the clients and work closely with the employer and the client.
Activities include setting up meetings, deciding on the best options for the clients.
Support organizations
Work Bridge assists the employer to be able to support the employee with a disability, e.g. dealing with access in the work environment, handling an employee with epilepsy.
Support is provided to enable people with disabilities to acquire equipment and assistance with increasing access to the environment. Funds are made available to the tune of NZ$1 million to address the negative attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Key issues
" Ensuring compliance with Government departments- the state service commission sets standards for Government departments to comply with.
" Physical environmental access
Achievements
Progress was made on the Disability Strategy which was tabled in Parliament and which would be utilize as a measuring stick on progress made by Government departments on Disability strategy.
Chief Executive Officers would spearhead the process with the various Ministries. This is in addition to the efforts of the Ministerial Committee. Another level of support mechanism is the working groups.
Challenges
" People with disabilities are largely driven by their own expectations e.g. deaf students believing in limited or no opportunities due to deafness.
Presentation 7: Visit to the Naenae community
Facilitator: Dave Berry: Work Bridge
Background:
The Community link serves as a centre point for various sectors- tax, employment. The centre has been in existence for 3 years. People with disabilities are assisted to access employment and literacy training. Clients approaching the centre include retrenched employees, school drop outs, and unemployed people struggling to find employment. Other services include Counselling, Inland Revenue services, mental health services and assistance to clients with substance abuse and addiction. Clients of the centre are provided support on a weekly basis .Clients are required to have or obtained within a reasonable time, a cell phone and a driving licence and to maintain a diary. Clients are require to drop off their CV's at various companies. The Centre assists the clients to link up with prospective employers
Employers are thus able to utilize temporary staff as the need arises and the clients build self-discipline during the process. Case mangers consist of previous clients of the centre and other professionals. Clients develop a trusting relationship with the case managers.
Services at the Centre are mostly reactive and thus there is little time for follow up, as mangers are time constrained. Clients approach the centre for assistance. The centre facilitates the payment of grants. Clients are required to have a bank account or able to utilized a bank account of a family of friend on a temporary basis. Payment cards are issued to clients in need. The cards are loaded with credit that could be utilized to make purchases. The payments cards automatically expire after a period of 3 years.
1.2 Auckland visit: Welcoming session
Facilitator: Anne Alexander: Manager: Regional Health & Disability Team
The delegation had a welcoming ceremony lead by a local traditional Maori leader flanked by the various commissioners and staff.
Presenters: Martin Abel: Disability Advisor
Rachel Noble: Chief Executive: Deaf Aotearoa
Facilitator: Judith Clement: Mental Health Foundation
The Human Rights Commission serves as a centre point for addressing enquiries and complaints. They may investigate or litigate, advocate and promote human rights, participate at community level, support inclusive education and the review by the education sector, and make policy submission to Government. The HR Commission was also involved in the establishment of an independent voting system in the country. The Commission is also tasked to set up the monitoring report. Recent activities involve the inquiry into the transportation sector and monitoring of the progress that Government has made in terms of the UNCRPD including the Sign language Review. The inclusion of a Sign language interpreter during the media announcements at Christchurch during the earth quake disaster was also an initiative of the Commissions. Sign language is one of the official languages; this was established 3 years ago.
Linkages
The Commission has links with the World Blind Union and locally links with the Deaf Association, Blind association, Intellectual Association, Mental Health Association and Disabled People Association. The Blind Association lobbied for the employment of people with disabilities in various departments which resulted in various positions as policy advisors.
Challenges
" The negative attitudes of employers and educators.
" There is a need to identify ways to change the attitude at Governmental and service provider level.
" Uncertainty surrounding the funding of disability related activities
Achievements
A project "Challenged to live" was initiated to highlight the champions of the people with disabilities among the Pacific and Indian people.
An awareness campaign "Know me first before you judge me" campaign was initiated to raise awareness on mental health
A sport organization "Help Trust "provides training to trainers on dealing with people with disabilities doing sports or participating at a gym.
A "Like mind like mind" health awareness campaign raises awareness on mental health.
Presentation: Disability Commission
Presenter: Tanica Thomas: Deputy Health & Disability Commissioner, Mobility instructor, Braille instructor
Maori (a minority and indigenous tribe) and Disability issues are closely linked and is largely attributed to the socio-economic status of the Maori people .The position of Deputy Health & Disability Commissioner was created due to the complaints raised at Parliament and due to recommendations that resulted.
The crisis in Christchurch revealed the exclusion of the deaf and blind persons by the mainstream media, as no provision was initially made to enable them to access the call centres. Attempts to cater for the deaf by means of subscripts were made, but unfortunately the scrip did not match the audio-visual. The Commissioner aims to increase people with disabilities ability to file complaints.
Challenges
" Few people with disabilities complain and this is attributed to the monopoly among the service providers. Carers know the residential address of clients and this may raises fear among the clients not to complain.
Services
35 Advocates work closely for free with people with disabilities. The advocates can access homes freely. These advocates can accept complaints even in groups of persons with disabilities.
Awareness Raising
DPO's have raised numerous complaints. One complaint eventually resulted in to the dismissal of the radio presenter accused of making derogatory remarks of an UK Idol Susan Boyle (who may have a disability).
Recent activities
1. Health passport
The institution of the use of health passports will be piloted in 2 Wellington hospitals. The passports would contain records not easily found by health professionals. This was initiated as a result of a mother with a child with a disability who passed away due to lack of attention for the child's health condition. This initiative enjoys the support of the Nurses Organization.
2. Work Safe Card
Contains information on the training offered to companies on how to treat people with disabilities, how to handle a hoist etc.
Presentation 10
Ministry of Education: Murerwa High School
Facilitator: Mr. Phil Muir: Deputy Principal
Belinda Biggs: Head of Vision Resource
Background
The school has a population of 1933 students that includes students with visual, physical and mental disabilities .The school is currently the only school with facilities for blind students (including partially and totally blind). The school has a Educational Support Centre that provides support to the students. Other facilities include a restaurant that is used for the hospitality training. The school is situated in a low socio- economic area.
The teachers are supported by teacher aids and mobility trainers. Students receive orientation on the physical environment and markers are placed throughout the school grounds to assist the students with disabilities. Student are also provided with pen drives/ memory screen, laptops which are carried by the teacher aids for the students with visual impairment and digital cameras. The computers have assistive computer programmes and voice operated resources. New staffs are orientated and annual refresher courses are facilitated to empower the teachers.
Students may continue staying on at the Blind Resource Centre. The school operates on a family model setup and the students are divided into four (of about 500 per family/group). This enables the students
and the teachers to work very closely. The school programme is from 08h00-15h15 daily after which students can participate in extra-mural activities. Students with disabilities are transported via taxi to and from school. The cost for the transportation is covered by the school as part of the support package by the school. Education is basically free and a voluntary fee of NZ$ 50 is requested by the school to cover for photocopier costs.
The Northern half school is linked to a hospital and accommodates students after which they may transition back to the school. Linkages with other institutions can easily serve as gaps through which students may fall. The country has a pan-disability model that calls for the provision of support. Funding is made available to ensure the needed support is provided.
The Disability Advisors joined the Ministry and some fear existed on having workers with disabilities there, as inclusion is still very recent in the country. The orientation of all staff was done by the Blind Foundation
Vision Resource Centre
The centre has existed for 42 years and is the only centre in the country. The class size commonly consists of 30 students. The school has about 80 students with visual impairment and has students at tertiary institutions studying law, technology and music. The centre enables students to access the full curriculum along with the mainstream students. In addition, it includes the following subjects: Life skills, Technology, Adaptive orientation skills and mobility. Documents are sent away for transcription to the Foundation for the Blind. Documents for the students are provided in Braille, notes and electronic version. The school is supported by the Ministry of Education Special Needs Unit.
Best practices
It is vital to get the appropriate organization to do the orientation of the staff members on disability awareness.
The school has institutionalized the support system for students with disabilities and the students benefit from the peer support of having fellow students with disabilities. Students are thus not isolated during break time.
An independent individual plan identifies the support needed by the students to become an independent person
Hostel accommodation is provided for the students.
Challenges
" The assessment of the students is a challenge. The New Zealand National Qualification authority is used to do the assessment
" The consideration of the integration of schools and how children with disabilities are treated.
" The needs of the students with visual impairment vary and thus the need for support in the school setup. Students are orientated at the school with the assistance of an orientation instructor hired by the school.
" The school noise level and irregular fire drills are a distraction
" The on-going provision of support to students with disabilities and the eventual transition from the school to another institution
Way forward
Plans are under way to increase access to the physical school environment
Recommendations
The focus needs to be on enabling students to make choices.
Staff members need to get to know the students strengths and interests more. Formal Teachers serve as significant teachers who are tasked to track the students' progress, do individual assessment and record the interest and skills.
Visually impaired teacher's need to have teacher support or aid.
The utilization of advance technology, such as the conversion of pictures into speaking notes and the training of staff on new technology.
Achievements lessons learnt from visit.
1. A strong NGO base exists and funding is received from the state
2. The Government initiated meetings to work toward formation of a coalition to monitor the UN Convention. Organizations of people with disabilities came together to form the coalition for monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention. Provision was made for the inclusion of persons without disabilities to serve as a deputy to the initial member, provided that the person is actively aware of disability issues. Funding was provided for the Coalition by the Government
3. A selected committee on disability support services (consisting of parliamentarians) did an enquiry on disability services. This resulted in the establishment of a Ministerial Committee
4. A Disability Building Act was put in place to monitor and regulate accessibility of buildings. Even though new buildings are still erected without provision being made for access.
5. Correspondence School is a state school that make provision for students with severe impairment to complete the formal curriculum even though it would take them longer than their peers to proceed to tertiary institutions.
6. The negative attitudes towards children with disabilities are addressed through the training of teachers at university level. The initiative is geared towards inclusive practices to change the attitudes towards the children with disabilities.
7. The country has professional field workers, the country supports further education, and 60% of the children with disabilities are attending school within their local environment.
8. There is a steady increase in the number of students who complete tertiary education. A total of 125 students are currently enrolled at the local universities
9. Support to the carers includes carers support subsidy and Respite Services.
10. The accessibility of the environment including public transport.
11. Free education materials to all students with disabilities at all levels are provided.
3. Challenges
1. Few people with disabilities complain and this is attributed to the monopoly among the service providers. Carers know the residential address of clients and this may raises fear among the clients not to complain.
2. Most government departments are having a strategic plan in place, but little progress is observed and the action plans fail to focus on the 4 key issues.
3. The sparsely spread population results in some areas not having any activities.
4. Deaf children require sign language interpreters and thus tend to group themselves together which result in them being isolated.
5. A review of the education sector was done and the results revealed that there was a need to change the attitudes of teachers, principals and government Ministries
6. A shortage of professionals exists to provide rehabilitation services. The number of trainings in the required areas was increased to address the shortage.
7. There are concerns over the sustainability.
8. There is a need to observe the service providers closer. Concern over the long term sustainability of the services,
9. People with disabilities protested against some services, some of the services may be provided by the clients themselves
10. There is no clear cut indication as to which institution is responsible for the provisions of support services in the work place.
11. Bureaucratic systems that result in a struggle for funding for disability issues
12. Challenge of coordination of disability issues and ensuring equity
13. Access to older buildings is commonly at the back of the building.
14. Most of the government funding goes directly to the service providers
15. Internal arrangements exist to make buildings accessible should people with disabilities needs access to the services in an inaccessible building.
16. A transport subsidy is paid to people with disabilities who may require specialized transportation e.g. hoist fitted vehicle
17. Projects commonly have reference groups that include people with disabilities.
18. Involvement at decision-making level is limited
19. Timidity exists on having people with disabilities at higher decision making levels
20. A bureaucratic decision making structure exists and no direct link exists to cabinet. People with disabilities are largely driven by their own expectations e.g. deaf students believing in limited or no opportunities due to their deafness.
21. There is a need to identify ways to change the attitude at Governmental and service provider's level.
22. Uncertainty surrounding the funding of disability related activities
23. The assessment of the students is a challenge. The New Zealand National Qualification authority is used to do the assessment
24. The consideration of the integration of schools and how children with disabilities are treated.
25. The needs of the students with visual impairments varies and thus the need for support in the school setup. Students are orientated at the school with the assistance of an orientation instructor hired by the school.
26. The school noise level and irregular fire drills are a distraction in some schools.
27. The ongoing provision of support to students with disabilities and the eventual transition from the school to another institution can be a challenge.
2 Lessons learned:
1. There is a need for increased networking between Ministries and DPO's to ensure the championing of Disability Issues.
2. "It is cheaper to pay for the education for students with special needs than keeping students in institutions"
3. "it is more important to know what sort of person has the disability than to know what sort of disability the person has"
4. It is vital to get the appropriate organization to do the orientation of the staff members on disability awareness.
5. The school has institutionalized the support system for students with disabilities and the students benefit from the peer support of having fellow students with disabilities. Students are thus not isolated during break time.
6. An independent individual plan identifies the support needed by the students to become an independent person.
7. The focus needs to be on enabling students to make choices.
8. Staff members needs to get to know the students strengths and interest more. Formal teachers serve as significant teachers who are tasked to track the student's progress, do individual assessments and record the interest and skills.
9. Visually impaired teacher's needs to have a teacher support aid.
10. The utilization of advanced technology such as the conversion of pictures into speaking notes and the training of staff on new technology.
5.2 Extract of the Mexico learning visits
Background of visit
The National Disability Council (NDC) was established as per National Disability Council Act No. 26 of 2004 and was officially inaugurated in 2008.As per the NDC meeting resolution there was a need to benchmark with other States that have Disabilities Councils functioning well. Mexico was chosen as one of the preferred countries to be visited. The delegation consisted of the following:
1. Mr T. Tjombumbi- NDC member( Head of delegation)
2. Mr M.!Howaeb- NDC member
3. Ms B. Armas - NDC member
4. Mr J. Ndinompya-NDC member
5. Mr M. Limbo- NDC Director
6. Mr T.W Shumba- NDC Secretariate
7. Ms A. Mieze- NDC Secretariate
8. Mr S. Samuale- Sign Language Interpreter
The expectations of the visit were:
- To learn from their experiences in terms of the institutions/systems put in place to further the interest of the people with disabilities
-
- To undertake visits to relevant agencies and statutory bodies that are relevant to the functions of the National Disability Council such the disability coordinating offices, disability monitoring agencies , Organizations of People with Disabilities and any other agency providing services to people with disabilities.
" Relevant information regarding the governance, policy directions, and strategic planning and the implementation of initiatives for persons with disabilities in Mexico.
" Relevant barriers to full inclusion and participation of people with disabilities and the strategies for the removal of any such barriers in Mexico.
" Any other matter relating to disability issues in Mexico which affects the livelihood, welfare or social interaction of people with disabilities and what your government is engaged in, in dealing with such issues to date.
" Other matters of concern aiming at initiating change and approach towards people with disabilities in Mexico.
" How the Mexican Government is creating an environment where all stakeholders, Government urgencies, business communities and state receives an enabling environment for people with disabilities to enjoy all social goods to their disposal and how all nurtured social goods are disbursed to all citizens irrespective of their creed, gender or disability.
" Relevant information regarding how people with disabilities in Mexico receive access to information required.
-Relevant information regarding how Mexico continues to raise awareness of relevant communicated legislation and interpreting such legislation or proposed changes to people with disabilities.
-Relevant information regarding how Mexico identifies the core needs of people with disabilities and how it provides the much needed support to people with disabilities.
Disability in Mexico
Mexico has 32 states as shown above. According to the 2010 National Census, Mexico has 112 million inhabitants. At the time of preparing this paper the number of the disabled population was unknown as the data was estimated to be available in April 2011.
The National Census of the year 2000 showed a prevalence of 1.8% of a total of 100 million inhabitants, through that figure has been questioned by disabled persons organizations and even governmental authorities of all levels. This is due to the census methodology, as the census of the year 2000 used the Classification of Impairments, Disability and Handicap, which means a medical approach, was used.
Subsequent surveys between 2003 and 2006 used the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the recommendations from the Washington Groups. One of them from the year 2003 showed a prevalence of 8.75 percent of people with disabilities out of the total population.
The disability topic has gained an increasing visibility and media coverage thanks to disabled people organizations advocacy work. The lack of reliable statistical information has not been a barrier for developing more strategies and programs, but certainly has made hard to monitor and measure the real impact on the life of people with disabilities.
Legal framework
As a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Mexican legal framework is harmonized according with the CRPD. The disability related legal framework embraces many aspect of the life of the people with disabilities. This legal framework in Mexico on this regard involves federals and local laws.
A key element for making reality to the goals of the Convention, Mexico has amended the federals civil code in all States. They have started this process with forums and consultation with civil society.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Much appreciation is extended to Mexico, represented by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CONADIS( National Council of Disabilities) represented by its Director and the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia, Division Rehabilitation for the collaborative effort in making this trip a success.
Gratitude is also extended to Mr. Sergio Gomez for the great support he offered especially in driving us after hours.
Last but not least, much appreciation is extended to the Namibian delegation for their significant contribution to their own benchmarking trip and for their hard work and patience which often extended late into the night.
WEEK PROCEEDINGS
The council had a four day meetings with several line ministries, government agencies, NGOs, parastatals.
February 22nd, 2011
a) National Council for the People with Disabilities ( CONADIS)
Warm welcome to Mexico
.., Orthopedic students weaving at the Namibian delegation upon arrival.
This was the first meeting of the trip. We were met with the Director of CONADIS and his secretariat. He stated that CONADIS budget is still housed under Ministry of Health.
The Mandate of the National Council is to be the permanent agency for the coordination of federal ministries toward the creation of a state policy on disability. It is also the advisor for all federal institutions regarding disability issues.
The ministries that conforms the National Council are:
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare
Ministries of Finance
Ministry of Public Education
Ministry of Social Development
Ministry of Communications and Transportation
National System for Families Development
Although the above ministries are members of the Council, several other Ministries do have specific disability related programs or strategies too, including:
Ministry of Economy
Ministry of Government
Ministry of National Defense
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Navy
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
And several others bureaus and offices, plus state and local authorities
CONADIS has been designated as the coordination agency for the implementation of the UN Convention of the right of people with disabilities. Mexico also has designated the monitoring frame work for the CRPD to CONADIS. Amendments to the disability law, is due to be passed this year (2011) and this will strengthen the activities of CONADIS. CONADIS is not an independence agency, which reduces its influence on policy making.
CONADIS has a national program for the development of people with disabilities for the period 2009-2012 which basically has the main aim of developing an inclusion into society of people with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Its specific objectives are:
1. Raising awareness.
2. Accessibility to environment, public services, transport and information.
3. Raising quality of health services of people with disabilities.
4. Raise quality of education and broaden the options for access and scholar achievements.
5. To guarantee development and application of policies involving labor integration, self-employment and training of people with disabilities.
6. Mainstream disability in the programs on social and family development.
7. To contribute to the inclusion o people with disabilities in artistic and cultural activities.
8. To contribute to the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport activities.
9. To facilitate access to justice and the exercise of the political rights of people with disabilities.
b) System for the Family Integral Development of Mexico City
February 23th , 2011
a) National Institute of Rehabilitation(INR)
This institute has 3 major objectives:
-investigations on disability, rehabilitation and surgical
-teaching of medical personnel
-assistance in rehabilitation related activities around the country
It has 3 levels of contact:
i) Lower level- level of the community and is usually done by medical students in their last year of study
ii) Second Level- this is the hospital level
iii) Third Level -Involves research
They mostly treat complex cases referred from around the country in the following categories: rehabilitation, orthopaedic and trauma, emergency trauma, communication rehabilitation, audiology, surgical cataracts, throat and nose, genetical operations.
They do a lot of research in genetics and disability.
They collaborate very much with CONADIS in development of rehabilitation policies.
b) National Institute of Respiratory Illnesses
This centre was chosen as it is one of the institutes that have made great renovations for accessibilities of people with disabilities in 2010.
The Institute constructed was due to the interest that the agency would be responsible for conducting basic research, applied research, teaching, providing technical advice to medical units and provide medical care for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of respiratory diseases.
This hospital is a third level, high-specialty that caters for people with respiratory illness such as:
oAsthma,
1. oChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
2. oPulmonary Fibrosis,
3. oPneumonia,
4. oTuberculosis,
5. oHome respiratory allergies,
6. oLung cancer,
7. oPulmonary complications from HIV/AIDS,
8. oUpper airway diseases (ear, nose and throat)
It has the following accessibility features
Entrance area
a. Ramps
b. Signalling
Path way to one of the rehabilitation centers in Mexico
Emergency Rooms
a. Toilet at the waiting room
-Signaling
-Support Rails
b. Access Ramps
-Signaling
-Support Rails
c) Disability toilet
Admission Hall
- Toilets
-Signalling
-Screens
-Height adjustment of lavatories
Radiology Building
a. Access
-Slope adjustment
-Road for people with disabilities
-Placement of support rails
-Signaling
Radiology Building
b. Toilets reconstruction (M/F)
-2 W.C for PWDs
-1 urinal for PWDS
Disability Toilets
Note the design of the urinary drain and low patch design of the toilet.
d) Ministry of Public Education
Program of Special Education in Mexico In elementary education covers students
from 3 to 15 years old
Goal
Promote equal oportunities for students with special needs regarding their enrolment, permanence and educational progress, in schools belonging to the elementary education system.
Target population
" Students with disabilities (physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory).
" Talented and gifted students
" Students with learnig disabilities, conduct disorders and language impairments.
Guidelines
1. Promote inclusive education through:
o Improvement of the basic curricular program
o National school norms
o Adequate statistical instruments
Participation in law making
2. Support inclusive education programs in local communities through the transfer of funds from the national to the local level government according to community planning strategies.
3. Training teachers
4. Increase participation of families in the student edcuational process.
5. Incentive an inclusive education culture in schools and raise awareness of the right of the
6. disadvantaged population to receive an adequate education:
" National contest of successful experiences in local inclusive education.
" Distribution of didactical material and information to schools.
" Web site www.educacionespecial.sep.gob.mx
" e-magazine
Basic education national cover
23'220,628 Total students Elementary education
o 170,045 Students with disabilities
o 110,000 Talented and gifted students
o 488,670 Students with other problems
Special education services
" Services " Description " Number of services
" USAER " Professionals support to schools " 3,577
" CAM " Schools of especial education " 1,482
" CRIE " Educational resource centers " 246
Levels Education System:
Elementary education (3-15years)
Secondary education (15- 18 years)
Graduate education (College, University, Professional)
Programs to students who are disadvantaged:
o Disabilities
o Talented and gifted
o Migrants
o Indigenous/natives groups
o
o Homeless children
o Pregnant girls
o Young Mothers
o Laborers / workers
o Students with AIDS
FEBRUARY 24TH, 2011
a)Ministry of Health
Namibian delegation receiving guiding and learning booklets from Ministry of Health, Mexico
Mission
- To integrate, verify and disseminate information about health services, resources, causes of death and of the hospital discharges, medical procedures and health accounts of the country
- To integrate information about births
- To coordinate the different health institutions and National Statistics Office in order to produce health information of good quality
The Ministry is also a Collaborating Center of the WHO in the Family of International Classifications of Health. (ICD-10, Medical procedures, ICF, and others). WHO- FIC
Main Functions:
- Training for coders and other people from our country and of others countries of Latin-American, in the correct use of the Classifications of health.
- Advising for users of the country and other countries.
- Evaluation of the health statistics quality and coverage
- Coordination with other health institutions, national centers and PAHO/WHO
They are also working with disabilities from:
- the point of view of the diffusion and promotion of the correct use of the ICF (international Classification of Disability and health) and to give orientation about the instruments (WHO-DAS, Check list, ICF core Sets) that are developing to operate this main classification
After the launch of ICF in May 2001, Initial efforts were focused on:
- the development of training materials,
- the development of a "training of trainers" strategy and
- the searching and analyses of International experiences related to the ICF implementation.
The objectives of the Center related to the ICF are:
1. To disseminate the main concepts about ICF, and understand that this classification is to measure de functionality, health and the disability, not only disability.
2. The classification is to be used for a great variety of professionals, not only for physicians.
3. To affirm that disability is a universal problem, not only for a special group of people.
4. To use a standardized common language to code and permit communication about health and health care across the world in various disciplines and sciences.
5. The terminology used should not be pejorative or negative and divide people with or without disabilities.
6. To advise to authorities and decision makers about the conceptual aspects to take in account in public politics concern the disability.
7. To collaborate for the ICF implementation in disability and health surveys
One of their experts in use of the ICF worked during the last seven years to disseminate the use of ICF in the country and in other countries of Latin-American. With other experts in Latin American and the advisor of disability from PAHO/WHO they have developed a network (Argentine, Panamα, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico).
Latin American and Caribbean Network of ICF
This network is working until now in annual meetings and by e-mail.
o to present national reports about implementation
o to share national experiences
o to strengthen the ICF Network
o to disseminate evidence of implementation
o to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of ICF implementation
Main ICF activities
o Several centres and international network have been created to be responsible for the dissemination, training and exchange between different countries
o Material for training and to apply the ICF were developed
o ICF has been included in the program of training for Physical rehabilitation specialist and in other programs of medical specialization of some Latin American universities
Use of ICF in social security
o Evaluating functioning
o Activities, participation and enviromental factors
Where has ICF been applied?
Collaboration of the Mexican Center for Heath and disability studies:
Surveys: Mexico 2002 and 2011
National Census: 2000 and 2010
Disability people register: (pilot test)
How best can we work together?
o Improve on an achievable work plan
o To collaborate at work place, sharing information and encouraging potential Networking
o Develop a methodology for storing suggestions for ICF enhancement
o Weave the annual meetings into all 'team' plans
o Agree and use WHO-FIC positions on key aspects of work
Conclusions
o ICF has multiple uses and relates to diverse stakeholders.
- Therefore, it is useful to share success stories from other countries
- Likewise, it is also important to participate in the international efforts to promote the use of ICF globally.
- Dissemination and training need to be strengthened and a result of research has to be presented to different audiences in order to show the practical application of ICF.
o The Region have evidence in order to demonstrate the convenience and benefits of ICF implementation
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE
National Labor Entailment Network
An interinstitutional coordination mechanism which fosters the labor inclusion to those vulnerable groups eligible for decent jobs and on equal opportunities and treatment
Specific Objectives:
" Facilitate the labor inclusion in accordance with the needs of each Group of the population situated in labor vulnerability.
" Exchange of information between employment suppliers and job seekers.
" Promote a cultural change to assure the full inclusion of this group of the population, and create a free of violence and discrimination work environment.
" Foster in the private sector the labor inclusion of vulnerable people and the development of specific policies with this aim.
" Replicate the employment network model in a national, local (state) and municipality level.
"
Characteristics and Actions:
It already exists in 32 local networks, 2 regional, 27 in municipalities and 1 audit committee, coordinated by Federal Labor Delegates, who composed the National Labor Entailment Network.
o This network by the participation of public, private and social institutions offers a variety of services in different areas of the labor inclusion such as: counseling; professional skills evaluation; available positions analysis; labor reinstatement; training for job and in the job; creation of favorable climate for the inclusion; just as the promotion of self-employment.
o The Networks present a three-monthly report about the beneficiary population and the series of actions employed to promote the labor inclusion at a local level.
o They use an ErgoDis software from the Biomechanics Institute of Valencia that allows to measure the ergonomic adaptation between the people with disabilities and the jobs available so they can be able to suggest the necessary adaptations.
o In 2011 is going to be develop a National Network Database for the presentation of online reports and the creation of services directories at a local level.
o In 2011 is going to be implemented a Virtual Forum of the National Network to facilitate the communication between member institutions and the exchange of successful experiences about labor inclusion.
National Work and Training Programme for People with Disabilities 2010-2012.
General Purpose Work: To ensure the development and implementation of labor inclusion and self-employment policies for people with disabilities, aimed at promoting equal opportunities and full exercise of their rights by agencies of the Federal Public Administration, in collaboration with private and social sectors.
Overall objective of the training: Build and support the design and implementation of training activities that take into account the needs and characteristics of people with disabilities and the labor market demand, in order to promote employment opportunities for labor inclusion and development in the productive sector, through coordinated participation of public, private and social.
Specific Objetives
Specific Objective 1. Promote the harmonization of legislation of national laws in force, compared to the international instruments ratified or approved by Mexico in relation to employment and training people with disabilities to secure and protect their rights
Specific Objective 2. Incentives in the productive sector creating conditions and opportunities of formal employment and decent work for persons with disabilities that promote labor inclusion and improve their quality of life.
Specific Objective 3. Encourage the entities and units of the three levels of government to develop measures aimed at the labor inclusion of disabled people working in the public and private.
Specific Objective 4. Promote conditions conducive to effective access of persons with disabilities to education, training and job training quality.
Specific Objective 5. Encourage training, education and training of persons with disabilities in the workplace to enhance their career development opportunities on a level playing of equal conditions.
Goals
o Promote the harmonization of legislation in three main areas: 1) the right to work of persons with disabilities, 2) social security and 3) financial incentives for taxpayers to promote the inclusion of work.
o Getting 10,000 people with disabilities are integrated into the job on an equal footing and without discrimination, which represents an increase of 46.3% over the 2008 figure.
o Promoting good company practices in labor inclusion matters through the provision of at least 100 surveys by the APF to work sites
o To make aware at the officials of 11 APF for the mainstreaming of disability and the promotion of the inclusion of this social group in the public sector.
o Educate and train 12.000 people with disabilities to work, to improve their employability
o Develop 9 Techniques Occupational Competency Standards for certification of persons with disabilities, as well as that of the professionals that serve them.
Principal actions:
o A guide to promote the labor inclusion of people with disabilities in the public sector. It΄s purpose its to offer useful elements so entities and branches of the Federal Public Administration can promote the labor inclusion of people with disabilities in the public sector.
o The Clause model for the labor inclusion of people with disabilities.
o It was developed a Labor Inclusion Registry prototype of people with disabilities in the Federal Public Administration that seeks not just to identify those with this condition, but it will allow to make a diagnosis about the labor conditions for the development of policies that guarantee a decent job.
o It was created a Committee's working group who is developing a training course for labor consultants for the inclusion of people with disabilities, composed by the DIF, IMSS and the STPS.
o The branches of the government and entities that composed the Labor and Training Committee of the National Council for People with Disabilities are encouraging its instrumentation and the presentation of three-monthly reports.
Distinctive "Gilberto Rincσn Gallardo" Inclusive Company.
Recognize public, private and social Institutions labor including vulnerable people and develop actions to promote equal opportunity and non discrimination in the workplace.
Specific Objectives:
o Encourage autonomy and independence of vulnerable people through inclusion and equal employment.
o Sensibilization companies aware potential, skills and job skills of people in vulnerable situations.
o Promoting business between labor inclusion of people in vulnerable situations and develop specific policies for this purpose.
o Contribute , within the workforce and the workplace , a culture change that promote full inclusion of vulnerable people and create enviroment free from violence and discrimination.
o Promote the improvement of conditions, spectations and professional life of older persons, persons with disabilities and persons with HIV.
o Strengthen interagency collaboration between members of the National Network of Liaison Labor , the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and agencies of Federal Civil Service working in the field.
Company Benefits:
o Public recognition for their social responsibility in the matter of the labor inclusion.
o Promotion Disctintive logo on its stationery , promotional materials, website and / or products labels.
o Advice and support network in your company Labor Liaison, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and Evaluation Committee at the different matters comprising the inclusion of work, such as training, working conditions, safety and health; non discrimination, accessibility, outreach materials and compliance with labor standards, to the others.
o It has been demonstrated with statistical evidence that the employment of people with disabilities has brought enormous benefits to the company in improving its productivity, the decrease in turnover of 2.5% to 0.5%, as well as waste reduction.
o Improved working environment: more integration, respect and collaboration.
o Tax Incentives for labor inclusion
Mexican Standard for Labor Equality Between Women and Men
It aims to establish the certification requirements and the use of an emblem to prove that the working practices of the organizations respect the equality and non discrimination, social security, good work environment, freedom and accessibility between women and men.
Specifics Objectives : Organizations will adopt or improve work practices as:
o Equality and non discrimination between women and men.
o Social prevention which permits that favor equality labor between women and men.
o Allow a proper labor climate, free of labor violence.
o To promote accessibility and appropriate ergonomics for people with disabilities and pregnant women.
o Free union that promotes equal caracteristics participation between women and men.
Beneficiary Population: Women and Men in organizations that include equal labor practices.
The Federal Attorney's Office for the Labor Defense (PROFEDET) assistance line
Since February 2009, this Secretariat, through PROFEDET, has as a telephone number at its disposal for legal labor advisory focusing on gender and group services in vulnerability situation
The Ministry of Labour also has a National Employment Service
The National Employment Service was created in 1978, today is the national public institution in charge of attending in a free and personalized way the problems of unemployment and underemployment in Mexico.
Its main objectives are to facilitate the linkage between job seekers and employers, provide guidance to job seekers and support their classification; also attend companies in finding candidates to fill job positions
It is coordinated by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, through the General Coordination of National Employment Service, under the federalized operation of the 32 states.
Its action lines are:
Economic Support and Labour Training
Information and Labour linking
Labour Mobility Strategies
INFORMATION AND LABOUR LINKING
FACE TO FACE
" Employment bureau
" Employment Fairs
" Workshops for Job Seekers
" Labour Mediation Center
NON ATTENDANCE
" National Employment Service by phone
" Employment website
" Virtual Employment Fairs
" Virtual Information Stands
" National Employment Service Newspaper
Newsletter
ECONOMIC SUPPORT AND LABOUR TRAINING
" Job Training Grants (Bιcate)
" Self- Employment Promotion (FA)
" Compensation for Temporary Occupation (COT)
"
LABOUR MOBILITY STRATEGIES
" Internal Labour Mobility, Agricultural Sector
" Internal Labour Mobility, Industrial and Service Sectors
" Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP)
" Labour Mobiliy Pilot Project Hospitality and Tourism Sectors
" Repatriated Workers
What is Abriendo Espacios?
Is a crosscutting strategy of National Employment Service (SNE) to steer for the employability and self-employment options to older adults and people with disabilities.
The program began operation in 2001.
Target population: Senior citizens and disabled, unemployed or underemployed, live independently or semi-independent with 60 years or more, in the first case and 18 years later for the second.
Purpose:
-Support the target population to reduce the difficulties they face in competing in the labour market
-Create favorable conditions for the business sector allows a greater participation
Components:
I. The Labour intermediation
II. The comprehensive profiling and occupational guidance
III. The job training and self-employment
IV. The Network Services
I) The Labour intermediation from the establishment and operation at national level, of specialized job boards that focus on identifying the employment profile of job seekers, to determine an integration plan that may include one or more of training activities, career guidance and links offered by the SNE.
II. The comprehensive profiling and occupational guidance.
The SNE operates and promotes working with specialized assessment centers whose results can guide people to their occupational choice, sending them to the stock of skilled workers and / or derivatives to the actions of training or retraining, physical rehabilitation psychological and / or family, or if necessary, send them to institutions that can support them.
Occupational therapy equipment at work, in Mexico City.
Training for the worker.
Promote business and the education sector, providing training opportunities for older adults and people with disabilities seeking employment and enable them to acquire skills, knowledge and work attitude needed for specific tasks each position and / or develop skills for self employment.
IV. - The Network Services
Arrange joint and complementary actions of labor management, training and retraining with public and private, in order to promote and facilitate job placement, optimizing opportunities for training and rehabilitation, thereby providing comprehensive care and enhanced care coverage.
Infrastructure:
6 Assessment Centres equipped with samples of work "Valpar"
Occupational therapy at work.
Occupational therapy equipment on display.
Follow up:
o Consistent increase in the basic indicators of care and placement, from the beginning of Abriendo Espacios in 2001 (4.777 treated and 657 placed) 2010 (355.430 treated 100.424 and placed), it is reflected in a lending rate of 13.75% in the first year and 28.35% last year.
o Abriendo Espacios Information System (SIAE), which allows effective care with the management, control and efficient operation of the information from both users and companies, diagnostic studies of disability and the analysis and jobs descriptions.
o Active participation in the actions of bonding through specialized linkage RED occupational integration of people in vulnerable situations
Transformations and or Innovations:
o Greater rapprochement with Employment Services and the Centers for assessment of skills through training activities, guidance and support ways to generate standardized and effective operation for Abriendo Espacios in the SNE.
o Systematize the operation of Abriendo Espacios, including the development of diagnoses of disability and vulnerability, job descriptions and use of information, as elements of continuous improvement.
o Obtain a greater business involvement with the dissemination and promotion of "Abriendo Espacios" to build on the concerted collaboration of Business and members of the Network.
o Involve other groups that their vulnerability require special attention to their employment.
c)NATIONAL FUND FOR SUPPORT TO SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
The National Fund for Business Support in Solidarity (FONAES) is a decentralized body of the Ministry of Economy which aims to encourage the generation of jobs among low-income entrepreneurial population, through supporting the creation, development and consolidation of productive projects, commercial or services produced by individuals, social enterprises or social groups. It also promotes the development of entrepreneurial skills and the promotion of social banking.
Who does it support?
It supports entrepreneurs of rural areas, farmers, indigenous, and low-income urban population who shows organizational capabilities, as well as commercial and entrepreneurial to create or expand a business.
How is that achieved?
Through 3 strategies:
1. Investment support in opening or expanding a business, to build and preserve jobs as well as promote economic development in communities. This support is given to individuals, groups or social enterprises that are part of the target population and who meet the eligibility criteria.
2. Promote abilities and entrepreneurial skills and commercial of those who have an established business providing training and tools to plan, invest and manage their business so that they are able to produce and commercialize their products in increasingly demanding global markets.
3. Promoting the consolidation of social banking to bring the offers of savings and credit to low income population, promoting a culture of productive saving and use of financial services, through the following instruments:
" Specialized studies and other services: For the solidarity funds to hire auditing services and/or consultancy.
" Extended coverage: To establish matrices or branches of Cooperative Savings and Loan (SCAP) or the Community Financial Corporation (Sofinco).
" Mergers: This support is given to solidarity funds and / or Funding Social Enterprises that are incorporated into a merger process with another financial institution or merge multiple.
" Promotion of solidarity funds: This support is given to strengthening the solidarity funds by holding events, campaigns, or promotional programs and / or dissemination of the services offered by the Solidarity Funds.
" Specialized training for Solidarity Funds: Support given in-kind for training courses: such as administrative, commercial, accounting, credit and collections, tax, financial, and those other themes specific to the strengthening of Solidarity Funds.
" Support for the capitalization of the Solidarity Funds: Cash support to ensure effective funding of the Solidarity Funds with any institution of the Development Bank.
What kind of support does FONAES offer?
a. For studies evaluating whether to open or expand a business.
Appliers for support to start or expand a business, with an amount that fluctuates between 100 thousand and 600 thousand pesos, and whose application has been approved, may receive cash reimbursement of the cost of preparing the study to evaluate whether to open or expand a business, according to the amounts indicated in the following table:
FONAES Support Maximum amount of reimbursement
Over $100,000.00 and up too $300,000.00 $ 6, 000.00
Over $300,000.00 and up too $600,000.00 $ 12, 000.00
Additionally, applicants who have been granted with the support, they may provide support in-kind, to be used in basic advice for starting the business.
b. To open or expand a business.
They are cash payments that are granted only once to start or grow a business with capital investment and working capital.
For joint projects, it provides up to 60% of the total investment required for the project.
In addition, there are two ways in preferential conditions: Support to start or expand a women business and support to start or expand a business of people with disabilities.
The support to start or expand a business can be granted only once per company and partner, then FONAES beneficiaries can access support to develop and strengthen the established business to consolidate and professionalize their business and in exceptional circumstances, they may request additional support in the form of "Support to ensure a credit to EXPAND a business", who, in addition to complying with the requirements of the Rules of Operation comply with the following:
" Not have pending verification of correct application of resources
" Where appropriate, the credited for the six months immediately proceeding the semester in which to enter their request, be current on their commitment to funding.
" Support requested enables the appropriation of any of the links of the productive chain by the applicant.
" Support requested enable the association or alliance between two or more groups or producer companies for joint production and/or marketing.
Amounts of support.
" Support for business of the trade sectors, industry and services.
Beneficiary
Type
Maximum amount by participant or partner Maximum amount by project
Individual $50,000.00
Social Group $50,000.00 $300,000.00
Social Enterprise $50,000.00 $1,000,000.00
" Support for business in the primary sector: agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture and mining.
Beneficiary
Type Maximum amount by participant or partner Maximum amount by Project
Individual $100,000.00
Social Group $100,000.00 $300,000.00
Social Enterprise $100,000.00 $1,000,000.00
"
c. Supports to ensure a credit to start or expand a business.
Be granted for cash collateral to enable social enterprises to obtain credit to start or expand a business. Not supporting the recruitment of appropriations for the payment of liabilities, or for the purchase of land.
The contribution of the liquid guarantee will be up to 1.5 million pesos, being the maximum contribution per member for up to 50 thousand pesos for the trade sectors, industry and services; and up to 100 thousand pesos for primary sector businesses: agriculture, livestock, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture and mining.
d. To develop and strengthen established business.
Is the support that is given in cash or kind, through business development services and marketing to develop business in the target population and/or beneficiaries of FONAES, and to strengthen existing businesses owned by individuals, groups or social enterprises that have previously received a support of FONAES to open or expand a business, or its equivalent, in whatever names or forms, for previous fiscal years and the present.
In the case of commercial development and in-kind support for events of individuals, groups or social enterprises with an established business, these may also be granted to individuals, groups or social enterprises that had previously received any other federal, state or municipal government support, only if they are given by them and accepted by FONAES.
In both cases, the involvement of individuals, groups or social enterprises with the characteristics and pointed conditions in the previous paragraph, it may not exceed 40% of the total number of beneficiary attending the events organized by FONAES.
e. Support for the development and consolidation of social organizations that promote the creation and strengthening of social enterprises.
These are supports granted by FONAES to strengthen the technical and operational capacity of social organizations, in order to promote the creation and strengthening of social enterprises. To be subject of support, applicant organizations must have signed an agreement for consultation during the period 2005 to the date and have no pending verification of support previously awarded through agreements with FONAES, based on the regulations applicable at the time.
How to know if I am subject for support?
It is necessary that the individual, if any or members of the social or enterprise group that apply for the support:
a. Are part of the Target Population, this means:
o Rural population. " Farmers.
o Indigenous " Low income urban population
b. Proving lack of resources, through:
o Affiliation to Policy Seguro Popular in which it indicates the range of income where it is located.
o Be an active beneficiary of any program that tackles poverty within the federal government or the federal entity where they live.
o If the subject doesn't have any of the previous documents, FONAES will apply a survey to each individual, social group integrant, or Social Enterprise partner, to identify the income range in which it is located.
As a requirement, each beneficiary must be located in the range 1 to 6, according to the National Survey of Income and Expenditure and Home Spends (ENIGH), this means, the family net income must be less than $7,500.00.
c. It is also necesary:
o To have an idea or business that generates employees and helps the economic development of the community.
o That the idea is viable and profitable.
o That the Project is listed in the catalog of FONAES business (available in the web page www.fonaes.gob.mx ).
The strategy of FONAES is TO FOSTER VIRTOUS CIRCLES:
1. Funding: Subsidize productive projects with the objective of generating employment and improving the quality of life of the poor population, supporting with seed capital to start or strengthen a micro, small or medium business.
2. Training; To obtain tools for planning, investing and developing their own business, to be their own source of employment. It also provides guidance to market their products and compete in global markets.
3. Production: The resources invested in the productive projects contribute to the creation of employment and the reactivation of the domestic market. It seeks to enhance projects that are related to production and processing of goods to give them added value in the market.
4. Marketing: To make available to social business tools to be competitive, and secure marketing channels to give viability and ensure their success through the following actions:
1. Incubation: Targeting Business Ideas
2. Accompaninment: Training to professionalize the business
3. Competitiveness: Training to understand and react to the market demands
4. Marketing: Link wholesalers through trade fairs, exhibitions and workshops.
5. Saving: It promotes, among the target population beneficiaries of FONAES, the culture of saving and the use of financial services through the promotion of social banking in the country, which provides four stages:
a. Expanding Coverage: Coming to a greater number of municipalities and areas that lack of financial services, with the intention to cover the 263 micro regions of exclusion identified in the country.
b. Professionalize services: Providing training to the members of the Funds to safely manage the resources and implement security best financial operations to protect the savings of its members. The supports are destined to improve their financial practices, obtain training and consolidate their capital to other more solid and with more experienced.
c. Financial empowerment: Through the promotion of Capitalization Scheme among the beneficiaries of FONAES raises the number of savers, increasing bank's capital. For the entrepreneurs who choose to capitalize the benefit is to acquire the habit of saving and reinvestment through preferential terms.
d. Diversification of services: In coordination with other Federal Government agencies, we urge the banks that have proved their strength and good management, to enable them to offer new banking and financial services like shipping and payment remittance, electronic banking, home loans or the purchase of machinery and inputs and foreign exchange.
What are the characteristics of FONAES supports for women and people with disabilities?
Support is given in co-responsible ways with different percentages of funding according to the nature of the applicants:
A. Projects consist solely of women: They can receive up to 80% of the total value of the project. The vision of women social entrepreneurs goes beyond its productive project; its action directly affects her family and community, so these companies become centers of development.
Therefore, we actively promote the initiatives of groups of women, because in the experience, they have grater permanence and growth in the market, are more consistent and invigorate the economy of their communities, providing the possibility to obtain a better quality of life.
B. Projects compromised of persons with disabilities: Can receive up to 90% of the total value of the project. Is the cash support is delivered to a disabled, individually or organized in groups or social enterprises that are integrated by at least 50% people with disabilities, to start or expand a business, including capital investment or capital work. People with intellectual disabilities and children with any disability, may be indirect beneficiaries of this support, through their parents or legal guardians as part of the business, so they must meet the eligibility criteria.
With this strategy, FONAES offers tools for people to initiate or strengthen a business that enables them to improve their quality of life, and have as well more options for development, independence and financial security for themselves and their families.
Do beneficiaries have to pay back the resources given by FONAES?
Once granted the resource, it belongs to the beneficiary. However, it is promoted voluntary membership to the Capital Savings Scheme (ECA), thereby saving the support given to reinvest in their business.
The Scheme is for each beneficiary who wishes to capitalize on singing a contract with a financing institution registered in FONAES to open an account in the name of the individual, group or social enterprise, which will begin to make deposits at the previously agreed project, to achieve together the total amount financed.
Once this goal is reached, the beneficiary may withdraw the interests earned on savings in growing their business, so they will have a second injection of capital to grow without having to incur debt when applying to a credit.
What is the procedure for applying for support?
1. Publication of the Call ( www.fonaes.gob.mx ).
2. Pre register applications (www.fonaes.gob.mx)
The process to access the pre registration is as follows (Annex 13):
o Answer a short questionnaire to know if it belongs to the target population of FONAES.
o Request a password in order to pre-register the application in any of the following options (not supported another figure to process support):
a. Individual b. Social group member
c. Social group representative d. Legal representative of a social enterprise
o Notify the state/province and provide CURP whom is making the request.
o It is generated a password that is personal and not transferable, and which have to be assigned a password to start the pre-registration, which must include the information contained in Annex of the Rules of Operation.
o Once checked the consistency of these data with the support offered by FONAES, generates a pre-registration receipt, which must accompany the project to be delivered in the Registration process.
o As part of the pre-registration shall indicate to which document attesting to the lack of resources of the individual and members of the social groups or enterprises, included in the pre-registered, which must be delivered at the DEFINITIVE REGISTRATION APPLICATION.
3. Reception and registration of applications. (In each Federal Representation)
4. Evaluation of Applications (Annex 14 to the Operating rules).
o It checks for all applicants and meeting the eligibility criteria.
o Verify the existence of resources and/or goods that the applicant provides to the project by co-responsible.
o It describes the viability of the business to ensure is profitable.
5. Prioritization of requests. (Ordered by highest to lowest according to the Social Profitable Index).
6. Authorization on the respective committee.
o The amount requested less than $600,000.00 are approved by the Technical Regional Committee
o The amount requested greater than $600,000.00, are exclusive competence of the National Technical Committee.
7. Delivery of authorized resources.
8. Comprobation of the resources (Annex 15).
Beneficiaries will corroborate and deliver to FONAES, within a period not exceeding 60 working days from the signing of the agreement, a copy of the documents that comply with tax requirements, where it is shown the correct application of the resources.
9. Monitoring of resources granted. There will be two visits (verification and monitoring) to verify the operation of the company and issued recommendations for business development.
Direcciσn General de Impulso Productivo de la Mujer y Grupos Vulnerables.
In FONAES the General Direction of Productive Promotion of Women and Vulnerable Groups is the area responsible to define and promote strategic policies and actions that strengthen cross entrepreneurial spirit of women and social groups in situations of vulnerability. It supports to beneficiaries in their production processes and human development to achieve balanced insertion in economic development and improve their quality of life and their families.
We consider social groups vulnerable to individuals or segments of the population who have an accumulation of disadvantages by social, economic, age, disability, ethnicity and violent situation, which limits their equal access circumstances of economic development opportunities.
Because these segments of the population have little opportunities to access economic programs, they receive specialized training and support in their production processes and human development, in order to encourage their participation in achieving a balanced integration of economic activity in the country.
To support women and social groups in vulnerable situations, the DGIPMGV has designed strategies focused on the following items:
a) Support to productive investment directly. For productive projects with technical, commercial and sustainable financial viability, and business groups composed exclusively of women and vulnerable people.
b) Comprehensive training.
c) Through the implementation of corporate training schemes, is seeking women entrepreneurs acquire skills, attitudes and knowledge that enable them to improve their productive projects, organizational processes, quality of life and their families.
d) Promotion and strengthening of the organization.
e) It promotes coordination and linkage of support and resources to various programs (government, international organizations, civil societies and NGOs, among others) that affect the area of business development with a gender and inclusion.
In addition, actions to promote economic and social networking as well as organize and incorporate the social entrepreneurs in productive chains.
CONTACT INFORMATION
TELEPHONES:
+ (55) 2636-4100 Ext. 4243
Fax: + (55) 2636-4371
01800 48 FONAES (366237)
E-MAIL mujeres@fonaes.gob.mx ecodis@fonaes.gob.mx
www.fonaes.gob.mx
Occupational therapy equipment on display, Mexico City © 2011
FEBRUARY 25TH, 2011
a) NATIONAL SYSTEM FOR THE FAMILY INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT
Mission
To lead and implement the national social assistance policy in order to promote the integral development of the families and their communities, and to diminish the causes and effects of vulnerable conditions -together with state and municipal DIF Systems, as well as with public and private institutions-, with the overall goal of creating social capital.
Vision
To be the governing institution of family and community-related policies, making of social assistance a tool to promote inclusion, trough the development of intervention models that address prevention, professionalization, and social co-responsibility.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE CENTERS
Specialized medical services that they deal with:
" Rehabilitation
" Orthopedics
" Neurology
" Human communication
" Pediatrics
" Odontology
Paramedic visits/consultation
o Psychology
o Social Work
o Nursing
o Physical Therapy
o Occupational Therapy
o Language Therapy
Programs that they run
" Identification of posture deficiencies
" Early stimulation
" Multiple early stimulation
" Center of adapted technology
" School for parents
Educational integration
They have a department of development and social integration which have the following programs:
" Coordination and supervision of integral services.
" School for parents.
" Integration of children in regular schools or centers of special education.
" Advisory services to schools.
They also have a department of teaching and research which have the following programs:
" Formation of human resources
" Ongoing training
" Quality guarantee
Research
c) MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
-This was the last and closing meeting of the trip. Closing remarks were made by Ms Sonia Gonzalez who is the Director of Technical and Scientific Cooperation with Latin American, Caribbean, Africa and Middle East.
-She stated that the two countries should start exchanging information. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico committed itself to support any action proposal agreed between the two countries.
-She further stated that the two countries should develop a proposal of agreement with prioritized areas to start with.
6. CHALLENGES FACED BY THE COUNCIL
o Locale of NDCN offices
The office space where NDCN is currently operating from is too small and the fact that it is in the city center, makes parking accessibility very difficult.
o Grant from GRN
The current grant of four (4) million from Ministry of Health and
Social Services is not sufficient to run the Council, it is thus limiting the Council from carrying out all it's necessary activities to ensure the fulfillment of its core functions of improving the lives of People with Disabilities as well as to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the National Disability Policy, Act No 26 of 2004.
o Delayed Appointment of Council members
The delayed nomination and appointment of the new Council members for the period of 2011-2011 is a great shortcoming to the Council as it is limiting the Council from taking major decisions and implementing Council resolutions. The Council secretariat is thus operating under great restrictions and risks; however the office must keep operating.
o Lack of Regional Integration
The lack of regional offices in the regions is limiting many People with Disabilities to access the Council and it is equally limiting the Council from to reach out to its people.
o Failure by line Ministries to implement the Disability Policy.
Line Ministries have failed to implement the National Policy on Disability; and this has led to no or few employment of People with Disabilities in Ministries, Offices and Agencies.
CHAPTER 7: RECCOMMENDATIONS
In view of the above mentioned the Council therefore recommends that:
o The budget is raised from 4 million N$ to 64 million N$ per year.
o The appointment of the Council members for the period of 2011-2014 is speeded up so that they may be sworn onto duty the soonest.
o A network of regional integration is established in all the thirteen (13) regions.
o The locale of the NDCN offices is moved as soon as possible.
o Approval of the 2011/2012 financial year budget as presented.
CHAPTER 8: STRATEGIC PLAN OVERVIEW AND EXTRACT
8.1 A Summative overview
The National Disability Council (NDCN) of Namibia was created through the NDCN Act No 26 of 2004 and promulgated in 2008. As part of the process of fully establishing the Council, the organisation embarked on a strategic planning process in 2011, which culminated in a strategic planning workshop in the town of Mariental from the 9th to the 13th of May 2011.
A review workshop called phase 2 of the Strategic Planning was then held in Oshakati from the 4th to the 8th of July 2011.
The Strategic Planning followed a five step process culminating in the development of a Balanced Scorecard and strategy implementation plan for the NDCN. The diagram below illustrates the actual process followed:
8.2 Major Achievements through the Strategy
The major achievements from the strategic planning process include:
" Formulation of the strategic destination i.e. the Mandate, Mission, Vision and Values.
" Development the Strategy Map based on the Strategic Themes and Strategic Objectives.
" Development of the Corporate Scorecard.
" Development of an operating plan for implementation of the gap closing initiatives
8.3 STRATEGIC FOUNDATIONS OF THE COUNCIL
8.3.1 Mandate
The NDCN Mandate is stipulated in the NDCN Act of 2004.
Our Mandate is to:
1. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the National Policy on Disability.
2. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of ratified international legal instruments affecting people with disabilities.*
3. Identify areas where legislation is required and advise on new legislation
4. Propose amendments on existing legislation to ensure that it entails the needs of people with disabilities
*It is important to note that point number 2 of the mandate has* been suggested as an addition to the existing mandate as this fits in well with the other three and is a key part of what the NDCN must do.
" Mission Statement
The mission statement provides a clear definition of the reason for existence for the NDCN in line with the mandate and is articulated belo
"To monitor and evaluate the implementation of the National Policy on Disability and other legislation."
8.3.2 Adopted vision statement of the Council
The vision statement clearly articulates the future direction of the NDCN in line with the mandate and reason for existence and answers the question, "What does NDCN want to be".
"To be the recognized central entity in ensuring compliance in the creation of an appropriate environment for effective participation, equality and empowerment of people with disabilities."
8.3.3 Core Values
The Core Values define the principles which the NDCN believes in and will live by:
We believe in:
" Accountability - Being responsible, accessible and answerable to all our stakeholder
" Integrity - Honesty, respect and value for others, putting the needs and interests of people with disabilities first
" Equality - Creation of impartiality and fairness on opportunities for all our stakeholders
" Transparency - Being open, visible, understandable and approachable.
" Results Oriented - Being driven to deliverables on all responsibilities tasked
8.3.4 Motto
NDCN's Motto is a rallying point for the organization to provide a central theme for all activities, this has been defined as:
"Nothing about US without US."
CHAPTER 9: SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
9.1 SWOT Analysis
A SWOT analysis of NDCN was undertaken through interviews with some of the key stakeholders and from workshop participants.
Strengths Opportunities
1. Ability to Network
2. Good leadership in the council and secretariat
3. NDCN Human and financial resources
4. Regulations, policies and the Act in place (legal mandate)
5. Power to summon Permanent Secretaries ,OMA and any other institution that deals with disability issues
6. Functioning council
7. Strategic Planning process
8. Commitment of staff and council
9. The structures in place. 1. Strong Supportive Stakeholders
2. Political will to support issues of disability.
3. Being part of NDP3
4. International Instruments (African Decade Plan, UN Convention)
5. Census (National Census on Demographic)
6. Poverty reduction Strategies
7. MDGs
8. Self-representation motion
9. Self-representation platforms
10. Education and training
11. Support and involvement of OPDs
12. Support of NGOs and private sector
13. Regional support
14. Degree of legislation
Weaknesses Threats
1. Lack of consultation by council to people with disabilities
2. Lack of commitment by council
3. Unclear roles
4. Lack of communication between NFPDN, OPDs and Council
5. Unprofessionalism
6. Structure outdated
7. Inappropriate pay structures (Gvt vs. Parastatal Pay Structure)
8. Marketing Challenge (Poor Brand Image marketing)
9. Absence of tools to advance and supervise implementation of policies 1. Low literacy levels amongst people with disabilities
2. Inaccessibility of education system
3. Inadequate funding to the council
4. Negative Social attitudes from community towards the council
5. Inadequate support from the line ministries offices, Parastatal, organisations or all other institutions.
6. Lack of accessible transport facilities
7. Change of leadership (Ministry, council,)
8. Non compliance of institutions to regulations and provisions of the Act.
9. Global economic crisis
10. Natural disasters (floods and earthquakes)
11. Continued use of outdated legislation and policies.
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
Key strategic issues Defined as
Leadership o Issues to do with the influence of leadership on strategic success and implementation of policy,
Partnerships o Issues of working with other stakeholders to promote the strategy and its implementation
Legislation o Issues of influencing and enforcing legislation to support the mandate and strategy of the NDCN
Resources o Issues of mobilising adequate resources to meet the needs of the NDCN and support strategy implementation
Roles o Issues of having organizational clarity on staff roles and national clarity on the roles of the different stakeholders
Marketing o Issues of building exposure and awareness amongst stakeholders
9.2 Operational Themes
These are the key focus areas which the Council adopted as operational guidelines in line with the mandate of the NDCN Act, No 26 of 2004 and which are necessary in dealing with the identified strategic issues, these themes are
shown below in a diagrammatic format that illustrates how fulfilling these themes will lead to the achievement of the Council's vision and mission.
In the Council's Strategic Plan, it is clearly evident that operational functions of the Council will lead to Strategic achievement of Council set goals and objectives.
Operational theme Defined as
Resource Mobilisation Securing sufficient funding through government, development partners and own revenue generating activities,
Institutional Capacity Ensure the capacity and efficient management of the institution.
Strong Relationships Fostering networking with all key networks through brand visibility, smart partnerships, regional integration and stakeholder's consultation, collaboration and co-operation.
Compliance Management Assuring that all the institutions adhere to the legal instruments. suggesting amendments to the existing and proposing new legislations for the benefit of people with disabilities
9.3 Strategic Objectives
Strategic objectives defined as relevant to the implementation of the Council's goals and objectives are defined as follows;
1. Stakeholder - To achieve our strategic theme and our mission what stakeholder / customer needs must we serve?
2. Funding / Budget - To satisfy our stakeholders, what financial objectives must we accomplish in line with this theme?
3. Internal Process - In line with our theme, to satisfy our Stakeholders/ customers, in which processes should we excel?
4. Learning & Growth - As we fulfil our strategic theme, what knowledge, tools and skills must our organization have to excel in our processes.
The Strategic Objectives provide greater clarity on the strategic themes and define the ways in which the strategic themes will be fulfilled as shown below:
Strategic theme Objectives
Resource Mobilization 1. Solicit Sufficient Funding
2. Ensure a Responsive Budget source, human resources, endorsement of letters
3. Generate Own Funding
4. Employ Proper financial controls
Institutional Capacity 1. Support strategy implementation and advocate for leadership and management.
2. Ensure appropriate management tools and infrastructure
3. Ensure conducive management policies and equality at all levels.
4. Conduct Research & Development
5. Motivate Staff
6. Train and Develop Staff & leadership
Strong Relationships 1. Ensure Stakeholder Capacity
2. Consult ,collaborate Stakeholders
3. Ensure Brand Awareness
4. Promote Regional Integration
5. Ensure Smart Partnerships
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