"Presentazione dei partners del progetto: LEONARDO TEAM-NET"

I have been asked to speak about the partners of our Leonardo da Vinci project, TeamNet.
A little history may help to put the partnership in context.

(slide 1)

LEONARDO DA VINCI is a European Community programme which supports transnational training projects. It aims to add a European dimension to national policies and programmes by promoting the exchange of good practice and innovation.
Our project funded under the Leonardo da Vinci Programme is called TEAM-NET.

TEAM-NET (Tele-Employment Access Methodology through New Technology) involves twelve partners led by the Italian organisation ASPHI. All partners of TEAMNET had previously been involved in Working Group 3.12 of the HELIOS 2 network and although the partners run many different schemes, the common theme is the betterment of people with disabilities and their opportunities for integration into the Labour Market. As a group, we decided to continue the theme of Working Group 3.12, to use information and communication technologies to support Teleworking which we see as an effective future method of working, specifically for people with restricted mobility.

TELEWORKING has been defined as:
Working at a distance through the use of Telecommunication Technologies.

TO.W.N. (Towards a teleWorking Network). A database, accessed via the Internet to enable individuals and companies to match supply and demand for teleworkers.
WEB site address: http://euro.bonus_senza_deposito_non_aams.it/town

(slide 2)

Our partnership is truly PAN EUROPEAN, with 13 different members, working in 9 different countries.

(slide 3, 4)

Our slides show the partners’ locations in Europe and their respective logos. (Read list)

I intend to take each partner individually and describe their particular involvement in the field of working with people with disabilities.

TEAMNET PARTNERS

AMI (ArbetsMarknads Institutet) is based in Vejbystrand in Sweden.
AMI (The Employability Institute in Vejbystrand) is a regional part of the National Labour Market Administration in Sweden.
The Institute specialises in the vocational rehabilitation of people with physicla disabilities and it also supports the central Labour Market function in development work, personnel training and information.
Our slide shows the location of AMI on the west coast of Sweden.

APAHM (Aide aux Personnes A Handicap Moteur) is based in Dunkirk in France. APAHM, founded in 1989, is an organisation for motor-disabled people and works for social integration.
It aims to assist people with disabilities to find a better social, professional and physical situation in their everyday lives.
To meet these aims, APAHM has five departments:

• The Social Department
  which works in two ways: support and advice on the adaptation of accommodation to encourage and allow disabled people to continue to live in their own homes, also providing self-evaluation flats, which have been specifically adapted for disabled people and give the opportunity to prepare for independent living.
• The Driving school  
  which gives disabled people the opportunity to learn to drive adapted vehicles.
• The Professional Integration Department which offers careers advice and guidance to both unemployed disabled people and employers to promote the integration of disabled people in the work place.
• The Teletraining centre which gives secretarial training at a distance to those who have severe physical disabilities and are not able to access centre-based courses, giving them the skills to work from home.
• The Insertion Structure in Teleworking, which aims to develop partnerships with employers willing to take on a teleworker with a disability and then customising the training for the potential teleworker to meet the precise requirements of the employer.

Our slide shows the spectacular Museum of Contemporary Art in Dunkirk, and the location APAHM on the coast of France.

ASPHI (Association for the Development of Computer Projects for Disabled people), based here in Bologna.
ASPHI is a free, non-profit making association founded 20 years ago, which today has approximately 50 members, amongst Companies, Public and Private agencies of primary importance.
ASPHI’s main purpose is as a reference point and stimulus in the use of new technologies to encourage the independence and integration process of disabled people into daily life, school and employment. ASPHI strongly believes in sharing experiences and creating new initiatives in co-operation with national and international organisations that operate in the same fields, with similar or complementary aims.
ASPHI’s activities include:
School Integration, by co-ordinating the development of technical aids and software to support students, and the education of their teachers and tutors.
Work Integration, by providing Vocational training in the fields of Programming, Desktop Publishing and Office Automation, providing Job Coaching, also researching new job opportunities such as Teleworking.
Rehabilitation, by promoting the design, development and testing of various aids in numerous rehabilitation areas.
Social integration and independent living, by promoting the design, development and testing control systems to enhance autonomy in daily life.
Information and Awareness, by providing information to disabled people, enterprises, public bodies.
Training, which began in 1979 with the first course for blind programmers, was extended in 1983 to the motor disabled; finally, in 1988 courses began in Office Automation, aimed for people with hearing impairment and physical disabilities.
The aim of the programming courses is to provide students with a theoretical-practical background allowing them to practise this profession in an environment of open development. To date, ASPHI has delivered 21 courses of one years duration, from which 230 young programmers have graduated and over 80% have found employment.
To encourage the integration of school-aged disabled children into public schools, ASPHI has contributed to the computer component for didactic projects to support children with hearing and visual impairments and cognitive difficulties.
Our slide of ASPHI shows the Leaning Tower of Bologna and its location in Northern Italy.

CIDEF (Centro de Inova��o para Deficientes)  was created as a Professional Rehabilitation Centre in November 1992 through a Co-operation Agreement between the Portuguese Creativity Association (Associ��o Portuguesa de Criatividade) and the Vocational Training and Employment Institute (Instituto do Emprego e Forma��o Profissional) with the main focus on Research and Development of solutions to overcome the disadvantages for disabled people in the area of Vocational Training and Rehabilitation.
Their work involves:

• The Promotion of Technological Investigation
• The Introduction and dissemination of new technologies existing in other countries
• The Promote of the training of trainers, aiming to use innovative systems.

CIDEF: 

• works with people with Visual and Hearing impairments, as well as physical disabilities through Professional Rehabilitation Programmes, identifying appropriate methods and processes suited to individual’s needs and for the fulfilment of their general goals.
• is a member of a national network of research centres (CITE) and a specialised centre of technical aids for training and employment.
• is situated in Lisbon, Portugal. Our slide shows a view of Lisbon and the monument to the early maritime explorers. Also the location of CIDEF on the coast of Portugal.

CoGaMi (Galicia Co-Federation of People with Disabilities), is a non Government organisation, working within the limits of the Galicia Autonomous Community, constituted in 1990. Nowadays it is made up of four provincial Federations placed in Atlantic Spain, the north-west corner of the country. These federations comprise more than 40 local and regional associations, giving a membership of about 5000 disabled people in Galicia.
Since 1991, CoGaMi has been involved in European Community Initiatives, working to improve the living, training and employment conditions of people with disabilities.
With HORIZON 1, CoGaMi was involved in the DELFOS Project, for Computer-assisted Distance Learning, a pilot scheme to validate Tele-learning as a system aimed at those with very severe physical disabilities or those who are isolated in rural areas. With the use of new technologies, this work has continued in the NODUS project , with a focus on Teleworking, also in HERMES, a project trailing Teletraining through the Internet.
On a different theme, CoGaMi is involved in a number of Eco-environmental initiatives, recycling paper and cardboard, also currently recycling vehicles at the end of their ‘ working lives’.
Apart from European Initiatives, CoGaMi also runs a labour service aimed to help the integration of disabled people into employment, by providing assessment, advice and training for clients and information and awareness raising of employment issues with employers. CoGaMi has set up its own enterprise to support the employment of disabled people, several business initiatives making plastic bags, ceramics, steering wheels, woodwork, brushes etc. CoGaMi will advise clients on any matters relating to the improvement of living conditions for disabled people.
CoGaMi is based in Santiago de Compostela, in the north western corner of Spain. Our slide shows the Cathedral of St James in Santiago and the location of CoGaMi.

CRPF (Centre de R�adaptation Professionnelle et Fonctionelle) de Nanteau-sur-Lunain is a vocational and functional rehabilitation centre located 50 miles South of Paris.
It is a non-profit-making private organisation founded in 1951.
CRPF aims at the vocational integration of people at risk of exclusion, be they disabled people, long-term unemployed people, young people with no qualifications or women returning to the Labour Market. More than 1500 people are hosted by CRPF each year, which represents a daily number of 450/500 trainees.
In order to support its training activities CRPF is involved in the development of a number of transnational projects, co-funded by the European Commission.
CRPF is offering:

• Functional Rehabilitation and adapted physical activities.
  The re-appropriation of physical abilities, thanks to sport in particular, is very often one of the first steps towards integration into employment.
• Evaluation/ Assessment and Vocational Guidance.
  Guidance is offered in terms of assessment of general functionality, from a medical or psychological perspective, followed by action planning and organisation on a path towards integration.
• Vocational training in Industrial and Information Technologies
  CRPF is very aware of the need to offer training courses that meet the requirements of the Labour Market and is constantly assessing the developments in proximity jobs and teleactivities. Their training courses cover new industrial technologies as well as new information and communication technologies. Training in the field of Tourism is also offered.
• Support in Job finding
  The Job research strategy applied at CRPF focuses on on-the-job training with successive periods at CRPF and in the company, on proactive participation of trainees as well as on personalised coaching.
  Our slide shows CRPF’s wonderful training centre at Nanteau-sur-Lunain, the Royal Palace of Fontainbleau nearby and the location of their training centre, just to the south of Paris.

DIAS is a private research and development corporation based in Hamburg, Germany. Their main areas of work are technical aids and services for people with disabilities and elderly people.
DIAS tests the quality and usability of technical aids, and services them on behalf of public bodies, consumer organisations and manufacturers.
DIAS has also developed various databases and information systems.
Two current projects are:

• The BARRIER INFO Project running 1997-1999.
  For disabled and elderly people, public facilities (local public transport, theatre, hotels etc) are often not accessible due to barriers of mobility. For this group of people, information on means of access is a great step in the direction of independence. On the basis of Transnational Standards, a database with information on Barriers to Mobility in European cities and local districts is to be produced. The information it holds will be made available through CD-ROM and ON LINE Services.
  DIAS is the leader of the BARRIER INFO Project. It is a transEuropean project, co-funded by the European Community with companies and organisations from Germany, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and Switzerland taking part.
  Also
• BJTE - Usability tests of Information Technology for blind people 1996-98
  In order to support the improvement of counselling regarding technical aids, BJTE is conducting usability tests on technical aids which help blind and visually impaired people to access computers.
  For the first time, these computer aids will be tested in a practice-related, objective comparison. The tests and their results will make it possible to have a clear overview of the market and will support quality assurance of the supply of technical aids.
  A catalogue of performance standards, inquiry mechanisms and test results will be produced for the following products:
  Window’s adaptations for the Blind, Braille Bars, Text-recognition systems, Voice Simulators, Large-type systems and Image-enlarging video systems.
  Our slide shows a view of the city of Hamburg and the location of DIAS in Northern Germany.

Fondazione Pro-Juventute Don Carlo Gnocchi is based in Milan.
The Foundation of Don Gnocchi, established as a non-profit organisation by the priest Don Carlo Gnocchi just after the war, is one of the most important Italian institutions for the care and rehabilitation of different neuro-psycho-motorial pathologies.
Activities in the socio-educational field and in the field of vocational training are targetted towards the employment and social integration of people with a disability.
The Don Gnocchi Foundation is situated in Milan, northern Italy. Our slide shows the magnificent cathedral in Milan and the location of Don Gnocchi

Disabled People’s Electronic Village Hall is a non-profit making company owned by disabled people. It is registered as a charity with the aim of educating and training local disabled people in the use of computers. It is managed by a Board of directors elected from its membership.
Founded in 1993, with the help of the local town council, it is now completely independent and draws its funding from a variety of sources, including Central Government and the European Social Fund, grants from charitable trusts and fund raising by its members.
The DP-EVH is founded on the belief that Information Technology can have special importance for those with a disability. It is above all, an ENABLING invention, one which brings new ways of doing things. Used correctly, it can be of tremendous use to many disabled people by offering new ways of communicating from home or at work, more independent living, with new adaptations making it possible for almost everyone to control a computer and thus begin to control their own lives, better employment prospects, where the use of computers opens up new opportunities and methods of working, possibly from home.
The DP-EVH offers a variety of opportunities for learning to use the computer, suited to individual needs. Courses range from intensive Job-training to beginner’s courses offering the opportunity for people to judge for themselves what advantages the new technologies can offer.
The DP-EVH is situated is Dewsbury, near Leeds in West Yorkshire. Our slide shows the facade of Leeds City Hall and the location of Dewsbury.

GOCI, joined the TeamNet Project as an external expert.
GOCI, based in Aarschot, in Belgium, is funded predominantly by the Flemish Fund for the Social Integration of People with Disabilities. They have 50 trainees per year on a 2-year training course.
The main role of the organisation is to provide vocational training for people with physical and sensorial disabilities and mental illness. The only objective is to place their trainees in high level jobs in information technology and Computer Aided Design.
GOCI achieves a very high rate of employment placements, approx 90%, by working closely with employers, who are involved in the selection of trainees, and by providing customised training programmes to suit the need of the employers. A significant part of GOCI’s training is organised on-the-job, where the trainee joins the company to experience a real work-environment.
GOCI has developed a very successful JOBCOACHING scheme to support both trainees, during their training and when they move into employment and their new employers, to ensure an optimum match and successful transfer into employment.
GOCI uses all kinds of technology in very different areas. They try to be in the front of general developments on the Labour Market, because they want the trainees to be better trained than their non-disabled colleagues!
Our slide shows the magnificent City Hall in Leuven and also the location of GOCI in Belgium, to the north east of Brussels.

Heliomare consists of a number of institutes, of which the most important are:
A Rehabilitation centre, with 115 beds and a department for daily rehabilitation treatment for disabled people, who visit the centre between 2 and 5 times a week.
A Comprehensive school of 400 pupils with 150 in external support, having three departments offering:
Special education for disabled pupils up to 12 years
Special education for disabled pupils up to 19 years
Support and special education to pupils and their teaching in main stream schools.
The Housing Unit which offers accommodation to 40 young people who attend the Comprehensive school, when their travelling distance to home is too great. They gain experience in independent living, in a caring environment.
The Institute for Vocational Integration (IvAS)
The institute has two departments: the vocational education unit and the assessment and integration unit.

Together with four other institutes, Heliomare is a trendsetter in the Netherlands for the development of methods of integrating disabled people into work.
Sport and Fitness
Sport is one of the most important activities for disabled people to cope with and overcome their problems. During the rehabilitation period a lot of attention is given to sport and fitness. The institute advises clients on the availability of sportsclubs in their own neighbourhood.
Activity Centres
This year Heliomare has merged with two activity centres in North Holland. These centres offer the possibility of a meaningful life if work is no longer a possibility.
Heliomare, meaning SUN and SEA, is situated near the coast of the Netherlands at Wijk-aan-zee. Our slide shows an aerial photograph of the Heliomare centre and Wijk-aan-zee and their location.

NewLink Project Limited is constituted as a charitable company, limited by guarantee, governed by a Board of Trustees.
It is a member-led organisation dedicated to assisting physically disabled, visually impaired and socially isolated adults in a wide range of educational and training programmes in and through Information and Communication Technology, from basic numeracy and literacy skills to National Vocation Qualifications in Information Technology, Business administration and imminently Teleworking. Many of our trainees achieve nationally recognised qualifications but the most important outcome is their remarkable growth in self-esteem, confidence and ambition.
Our Board of Trustees consists of four disabled people, all volunteers, whose personal experience and expertise in management and disability matters gives them the knowledge and insight necessary to govern the Project.
Our training takes place in 10 centres across the East Midlands region of UK and also, for those who are unable to access our centres because of restricted mobility, we offer training at home. Currently we have approximately 350 people in training. In four centres, we have established Word Processing and Desktop Publishing workshops, run by and for our trainees, gaining work experience while producing goods to commercial standards. It is our hope to develop a Teleworking Centre, which will collect work from small businesses and distribute it electronically to our teleworkers in the centres or at home.
We have been involved in a number of European partnerships, with TeamNet partners and others, our main focus always being to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, through the use of new communication technologies, for work, for education or just for fun.
Our slide shows the Nottingham Council House where one may meet the Sheriff of Nottingam, also Lincoln’s beautiful cathedral and the geographic area of the East Midlands in which we work.

PROMI ( Asociaci�n para la Promoci�n del Minusv�lido), is a non governmental organisation created in 1976, whose main aim is the economic and public integration of disabled people. Its first centre in Cabra was opened in 1976.
Since then PROMI has developed a net of centres; Special Employment centres, Occupational centres and other Residences, with the aim of offering jobs and assistance to disabled people, in different towns such as C�rdoba, Jaen, Cadiz, Almer�a, M�laga, Melilla, Sevilla, Huesca and Salamanca.
Over 800 disabled people all over Spain benefit from learning and working through PROMI, producing quality goods and becoming financially independent.
Occupational centres for disabled people offer the opportunity for professional and social adjustment, without a profitable goal.
Residential centres offer a permanent home to those who are not able to live on their own.
PROMI’s Centre for Research and Training of Disabilities (C.I.M.) aims to promote scientific and technical research in the field of disability in general, but with particular emphasis on Information and Communication technologies.
Our slide shows a view across the Guadalquivir River to the town of C�rdoba, and the Mezquita Cathedral. It also shows the location of PROMI, in Andalucia, Southern Spain.

By now it will be clear that the TEAMNET Partners collectively have made a great contribution to the integration and employment prospects of disabled people across Europe and we hope that the TO.W.N. database will become a standard tool to support disabled people in their search for jobs in a teleworking environment. It will only succeed if both employees and employers, who are positive about the employment of disabled people, are prepared to support it. We believe it can work to the benefit of all.

Thank you.