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AGORA is a professional-oriented social networking site for interaction between key stakeholders. Here you can browse through the different categories and interact with other participants.

You'll find two types of AGORA forums/chats:

Opened to everyone: these are forums/chats based on the core interests of EASPD, where anyone can participate
Closed to certain participants: some topics are closed because they are forums/chats dedicated to a specific group (projects, communities of researchers, etc.)

Our open forums are free, however you will need to enroll before accessing. This is a one minute process!

Take a look first at the different AGORA forums before publishing your comment or doubt. Please try to integrate your publication in the most adequate topic.

Agora section

The FORUM is a space for reflection and sharing of experiences, where you can express your doubts, comments or opinions in with other users that share the same interests as you. Here you can start your own topic or browse through the other topics to join the conversation.

Please check the other topics before creating your own.

There will be an assigned moderator for each forum, an expert on that topic from EASPD.

Don’t hesitate to ask your questions and participate in the discussions! The AGORA depends on the engagement of its public!

EASPD Members' Section

EASPD Board

EASPD ex-com

AMiD

AMiD - Access to services for Migrants with Disabilities - is a EU project that aims to support an efficient management of the reception and integration of asylum seekers and migrants with disabilities in the EU. Coordinated by EASPD, AMiD outlined a Needs Assessment tool to empower NGOs and Local Authorities to assess and support with adequate responses migrants and refugees with disabilities in Europe. The project has develop guidance modules to improve knowledge and responses of multidisciplinary professionals (NGOs staff): Local organizations working with migrants and refugees services, Disabled People organisations and Service providers for people with disabilities. AMiD had also created a Community-Advisory Board (CAB), a permanent task-force able to support the modelling and valorisation of project results and to coordinate future common actions.AMiD project is funded by the AMIF Programme of DG HOME.

ARTS AND CULTURE

The Interest Group on Arts provides a platform for the exchange of information, good practices and the sharing of common concerns in the field of supporting access to arts (addressing barriers such as the lack of accessible formats that inhibit persons with disabilities to access artistic and cultural activities, materials and places for performances and services such as theaters, museums, cinemas) and supporting artistic careers (artistic education and training for persons with disabilities). EASPD members with an interest in Visual Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Theatre, Technology in Arts or Arts Therapies explore new cross-border partnerships & synergies between the Arts and Disability sectors.In this forum your moderator will be Sydney Vonihering.

Early Childhood Intervention - Interest Group

In order to build an effective inclusive society, persons with disabilities have to be included in every step of their lives. From the very early stages of life, we must build on the capabilities, skills and resources of the person and their family, not their deficits. EASPD recently launched an Interest Group on Early Intervention, to join existing groups on education and employment and cover the whole life-span. This group exchanges best practices, develops projects and proposes policy recommendations to promote family-centered ECI practices across Europe.In this forum your moderator will be Timothy Ghilain.

EDUCATION

Access to education and lifelong learning programmes in mainstream schools and other educational facilities are still far from being the reality for many pupils and learners with disabilities. This is often due to a shortage of qualified staff, a lack of appropriate accessible buildings, facilities/equipment and widespread and persistent prejudice about the skills and potential of persons with disabilities. EASPD is however convinced that the goal of inclusive education is real and achievable, and this forum is the perfect place to exchange ideas on how to do it. In this forum your moderator will be Rachel Vaughan.

ECI Agora

IE+

EMPLOYMENT

Employment and job opportunities are high on the agenda of service providers in Europe. While EASPD recognises that employment on the open labour market is the best option, it also acknowledges that many people with disabilities are in other labour schemes for reasons of culture, history, policy or degree of handicap. The standing committee covers all areas of employment and work opportunities.

INCLUSIVE LIVING

Independent living is only possible when the necessary support services and systems are made available, as well as having the right attitude with staff and management in social services.The Standing Committee (SC) on Inclusive Living aims to find and propose solutions to these challenges.In this forum your moderator will be Sabrina Ferraina.

COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

The EASPD Communication Network is a platform dedicated to communication officers and those who are responsible for communications in our Member organisations. This forum is moderated by Rachel Vaughan This forum is private and can only be accessed by the communication officers from the EASPD members, if you are a communication officer and can’t access this forum, please contact us.

LIGHTHOUSE NETWORK

This is the workspace for the Lighthouse Network members. Here you can share documents, tools and any other important information with the other members of the Network. Important announcements will be placed by EASPD secretariat in the announcements section. You can use the forum to speak, share documents or set up online meetings. If you encounter any difficulties in setting up meetings, sharing documents or posting questions in the forum, please contact the EASPD secretariat.

PERSON CENTRED TECHNOLOGY

This Interest Group is a special working group on ICT and Assistive Technology, which was created to look at all the benefits that new technologies can bring to disabled people in areas such as communication, employment, commerce, learning, independence, safety and free time. It also follows up relevant EU policy objectives concerning Person centred Technology/Assistive Technology and the existing barriers at EU level. In this forum your moderator will be Domenico Manente.

POLICY IMPACT GROUP

The Policy Impact Group focuses on developing EASPD’s ability to have an impact on cross-cutting or horizontal policy issues; in other words on policy areas which affect all social service provision (care, support, employment, education, etc). This primarily means working on EU policies or activities which impact funding (public procurement, state aid, European Social Fund, Investment Plan for Europe, European Semester) and workforce matters (job creation, working time directive, etc), as well as the EU’s strategic vision; Europe 2020 and the European Pillar of Social Rights being good examples of this. The Group acts both pro-actively and re-actively to influence EU policies in these fields.In this forum your moderator will be Thomas Bignal.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & HR

The Interest Group on Workforce Development and Human Resources aims to promote high standards of knowledge, skill, competence and understanding within the social care workforce of the EU in general and amongst those of EASPD members in particular as a means of delivering quality services. It seeks the development of a social care workforce, widely respected and qualified, delivering services based on shared principles of care.In this forum your moderator will be Renaud Scheuer.

EURECO

The European research platform for inclusive community planning and service development for people with disabilities (EURECO) is aimed at bringing research and practice together for more innovative research on inclusive community development.In this forum your moderator will be Renaud Scheuer.This is a private forum, only accessible to the EURECO partners. If you are a partner and can't access this forum please contact us.