The information center for people with disabilities "Lotos" announces the start of the implementation of the project: "Together for an independent life", an initiative that gathers young people with disabilities from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina with the aim of promoting and advocating personal assistance as one of the key prerequisites for the equal position of people with disabilities in society.
Based on the fact that personal assistance is one of the basic services that enables young people with disabilities to live a dignified life and active participation in social processes, including education, employment and social life, I.C. "Lotos" has recognized the need for a system solution that will make this service available to everyone who needs it.
The project: "Together for an independent life" includes several interrelated activities aimed at empowering young people with disabilities. Through the educational program, which will be realized in the form of three workshops in different cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, participants will have the opportunity to develop advocacy skills and learn how to clearly articulate the need for introducing personal assistance into the system. As a result of this process, young people will jointly create a document with recommendations to competent institutions for the introduction and improvement of the personal assistance system. This document will represent a unique advocacy voice of young people with disabilities at the level of the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, street actions will be organized in three cities with the aim of raising public awareness of the importance of personal assistance, through direct communication with citizens and the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities.
The first workshop for young people is already scheduled for the last weekend in April and will serve as an introduction to the topic of personal assistance and public advocacy, and the first meeting of project participants who will jointly create recommendations for providing one of the most important services for people with disabilities, which is also used by many other groups of citizens.
Activities within the project: "Together for Independent Living" are implemented as part of the Dialogue for the Future 3 (DFF3) project, which is implemented by UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO, in cooperation with the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations, and in partnership with the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project is financed by the Peace Building Fund of the United Nations Secretary General (PBF).