Inclusion

Every democratic society deals nowadays with the challenge of helping children and adults with physical and psychical disabilities to be included successfully into the world of education and work, and to make better life conditions possible.

From more than 20 years in Italy there is a law about inclusion in kindergarten and schools, which is applied in the pedagogical process. The National Health Insurances are competent in measures of integration in the workplace. Local administrations are competent in assistance services and social centres. Social organisations conduct sheltered productive workshops, gastronomy companies and accommodations, to offer appropriate job opportunities to their target group.With the lack of public funding, a successful inclusion policy is becoming harder. But there are also many examples of sustainable best practices of every kind, which demonstrate that a realisation of higher quality is still possible.

The study visit is directed at employees and decision makers of the worlds of education, social services and local administration, and is designed to give participants a 360-degree overview of the Italian situation and to let them meet the actors first-hand.

The study visit can also be an excellent opportunity to establish contacts for a future transnational cooperation.

The topics covered during the study visit are:

• Inclusion in the early childhood education
• Inclusion in the school
• Staff initial and continuing training
• Family as part of the assistance out of home
• Organisation and market of sheltered productive workshops
• Tasks and offers of the public administration
• Regional inclusion policy in the vocational education
• Role of the social organisations for the inclusion in the company
• Job-shadowing

The study tour includes visits to kindergarten, schools, municipal and private institutions and companies. Meetings with experts, policy makers, managers of public and private institutions complete the program.
Program of the study visit and duration can be adapted to different requirements (2 to 5 days).

In addition to meetings and visits, which take place in Vicenza, Verona and Venice, the study tour offers relaxing moments for exploring the beauty of the places.