Sharing Lives
Basic information
Project Title
Sharing Lives
Full project title
Sharing Lives
Category
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most
Project Description
Sharing Lives offers opportunities where volunteers and persons with disabilities, from 18yrs and over, especially those who have little or no support, to
share experiences, create social interactions and befriend persons with disabilities. The service's befriending aspect will help initiate dialogue and collaboration between persons with disability and mainstream society.
share experiences, create social interactions and befriend persons with disabilities. The service's befriending aspect will help initiate dialogue and collaboration between persons with disability and mainstream society.
Geographical Scope
National
Project Region
Malta
Urban or rural issues
It addresses urban-rural linkages
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
EU Programme or fund
Yes
Which funds
ERASMUS
Description of the project
Summary
Everyone looks forward to spending some quality time with one's friends. Friendship is a relationship of reciprocal enduring affection, esteem, and trust between two or more people. It is a type of informal relationship, based on equal power of influence on each other without any pre-set social rules. As opposed to formal relationships based on clearly set roles and the social rules that go with them. Friendship is a simple thing, slow growing, often taken for granted, yet an essential element that colors life with meaningful experiences. A key aspect of socialisation and the embodiment of various values such as solidarity and communal belonging. For such relationships to evolve spaces need to be available and accessible that allow informal relationships to evolve. Spaces where individuals feel understood and comfortable being themselves without any formality.
Imagine if your only connections outside the family are solely your school teachers and care professionals. Imagine if you cannot leave your house alone to go to the local club or a restaurant. A dull life focused on one’s specific needs (mainly that surround the disability) whilst neglecting others (especially emotional and social needs). Unfortunately, this is the reality for many people with disability that are often seen as children and someone has to take care of them and supervise their every action. As professionals, we have met numerous people with disability longing for friends. To be able to be youths or adults, have fun and socialise with their own peers. Even for a short amount of time to have some coffee with a friend.
Sharing Lives is a service within Agenzija Sapport that with the help of volunteers organises activities and programs with people with disability to create spaces for friendship, targeted towards positive social experiences like youth groups for youths with disability; music concerts, artistic, cultural, and sport programs and other leisurely activities.
Imagine if your only connections outside the family are solely your school teachers and care professionals. Imagine if you cannot leave your house alone to go to the local club or a restaurant. A dull life focused on one’s specific needs (mainly that surround the disability) whilst neglecting others (especially emotional and social needs). Unfortunately, this is the reality for many people with disability that are often seen as children and someone has to take care of them and supervise their every action. As professionals, we have met numerous people with disability longing for friends. To be able to be youths or adults, have fun and socialise with their own peers. Even for a short amount of time to have some coffee with a friend.
Sharing Lives is a service within Agenzija Sapport that with the help of volunteers organises activities and programs with people with disability to create spaces for friendship, targeted towards positive social experiences like youth groups for youths with disability; music concerts, artistic, cultural, and sport programs and other leisurely activities.
Key objectives for sustainability
Sharing Lives aims to:
• Facilitate access to events / activities in the community.
• Enhance the social network of people with disability
• Initiate dialogue and collaborations between people with disability and mainstream society.
In order to achieve the above aims Sharing Lives operations focuses on:
• Reaching out to persons with disability who would benefit from this specific service.
• Reaching out to volunteers followed by a professional approach when recruiting such volunteers.
• Provide volunteers with continuous training, monitoring and supervision.
• Assess service users and volunteers followed by a matching process.
• Collaborating with NGOs and institutions to achieve the above.
The service outcomes envisaged are:
• The promotion of social inclusion,
• Easier access to activities/events within the community.
• Developing meaningful relationships and engage with peers.
• Developing relationships based on equality and collaboration
• Act as a stepping-stone for persons with disability to have access to more opportunities.
• Facilitate the integration of persons with disability within the community.
• Creating awareness, challenging stereotypes and reduce stigma of persons with disability.
This initiative can be exemplary as it reaches out to the community, creating opportunities, listen to the person and support the person in reaching his/her wishes and dreams. In the past 5 years, Sharing Lives, collaborated with several local organisations, private entities to create new experiences, challenge stereotypes, and bringing the best out of the individuals. Sharing a common humanity!
• Facilitate access to events / activities in the community.
• Enhance the social network of people with disability
• Initiate dialogue and collaborations between people with disability and mainstream society.
In order to achieve the above aims Sharing Lives operations focuses on:
• Reaching out to persons with disability who would benefit from this specific service.
• Reaching out to volunteers followed by a professional approach when recruiting such volunteers.
• Provide volunteers with continuous training, monitoring and supervision.
• Assess service users and volunteers followed by a matching process.
• Collaborating with NGOs and institutions to achieve the above.
The service outcomes envisaged are:
• The promotion of social inclusion,
• Easier access to activities/events within the community.
• Developing meaningful relationships and engage with peers.
• Developing relationships based on equality and collaboration
• Act as a stepping-stone for persons with disability to have access to more opportunities.
• Facilitate the integration of persons with disability within the community.
• Creating awareness, challenging stereotypes and reduce stigma of persons with disability.
This initiative can be exemplary as it reaches out to the community, creating opportunities, listen to the person and support the person in reaching his/her wishes and dreams. In the past 5 years, Sharing Lives, collaborated with several local organisations, private entities to create new experiences, challenge stereotypes, and bringing the best out of the individuals. Sharing a common humanity!
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
"Sharing Lives is something nice, because it allows us to meet and help each other. Apart from the youth group, we did a clean up, crafted a crib together and carried out voluntary work with horses. I feel very good during these activities. I enjoy it. I even enjoyed the time we sang. This was when we donated the crib that we did together to the priests. I really enjoyed it. Such experiences make you satisfied when you help people. I enjoy it that we meet with friends. It's something really special that every week we have something different to do. I learnt a lot of things. I learnt about photography, about the importance of recycling, how to take care of our environment" This is a testimonial by Jonathan Calleja, 28, Service User.
"I started volunteering with the Sharing Lives service in June 2021. Sharing Lives gave me the opportunity to meet new people with new abilities and I have learned a lot thanks to them, by sharing our ideas, talking about ourselves and our experiences. We did not let the pandemic stop us from doing what we love the most, but we juggled around it to make things possible and that is the experience that Sharing Lives wants to deliver. Looking forward to more activities, lessons and fun" This is a testimonial by Nicole Bartolo, 25, Volunteer.
"I started volunteering with the Sharing Lives service in June 2021. Sharing Lives gave me the opportunity to meet new people with new abilities and I have learned a lot thanks to them, by sharing our ideas, talking about ourselves and our experiences. We did not let the pandemic stop us from doing what we love the most, but we juggled around it to make things possible and that is the experience that Sharing Lives wants to deliver. Looking forward to more activities, lessons and fun" This is a testimonial by Nicole Bartolo, 25, Volunteer.
Key objectives for inclusion
One of the main principles we work with is Inclusion. This is reached by a number of elements:
* Tapping resources/events in the community and through engaging in discussions with the relevant organisations, and make sure that these events are physically accessible and also adaptable reflecting the needs of various disabilities.
*Sharing assets, knowledge and experience with various organisations and professionals.
* Connecting organisations and people. This can be proven by having build working relationship with organisations that have never worked with persons with disabilities and now they are organising events and initiating projects for persons with disabilities themselves.
*Listening to service users preferences, giving them a choice
*Encourage service users to take their own initiatives and take risks, explore new things and invest in their self-development.
* Tapping resources/events in the community and through engaging in discussions with the relevant organisations, and make sure that these events are physically accessible and also adaptable reflecting the needs of various disabilities.
*Sharing assets, knowledge and experience with various organisations and professionals.
* Connecting organisations and people. This can be proven by having build working relationship with organisations that have never worked with persons with disabilities and now they are organising events and initiating projects for persons with disabilities themselves.
*Listening to service users preferences, giving them a choice
*Encourage service users to take their own initiatives and take risks, explore new things and invest in their self-development.
Results in relation to category
As explained, Sharing Lives offers a variety of programmes in the categories of art, music, sport, culture, leisure, voluntary work and self advocacy.
One project in particular was 'Rhythm of Life' which was a project initiated by volunteer from two other local organizations namely YMCA and Youtheme Foundation to deliver workshop where people with disability were introduced to electronic music. The project spanned over the period of 8 months and the person with disability practice on DJ equipment, produced a track and also organized a rave party which they called Power Pie. The event hosted 100 attendees and it was so successful that we had organized similar dance party along the years . Moreover, Sharing Lives continued to collaborate with YMCA on similar projects, they opened up their services to people with disability and we were able to transfer skills and resources. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcS4r7k9iXU
"Sharing Lives is something nice, because it allows us to meet and help each other. Apart from the youth group, we did clean up, crafted a crib together, did voluntary work with horses where we did a lot of things on the day. I feel very good during these activities. Such experiences makes you satisfied. I love making new friends. It’s something really special that every week we have something different to do. I learnt a lot of things. I learnt about photography and how to take photos. For example, although I know how to do a crib from recycled material I feel that I also learnt more about recycling and so on. I learnt about the importance of recycling, that we can recycle many other things because you can invent many different things. - Jonathan, 28 years old, Service User
"I have learned to see the world in a different way." Malina, 22, Volunteer
The vision forward is to continue creating unique opportunities and meet the ongoing demand for the service.
One project in particular was 'Rhythm of Life' which was a project initiated by volunteer from two other local organizations namely YMCA and Youtheme Foundation to deliver workshop where people with disability were introduced to electronic music. The project spanned over the period of 8 months and the person with disability practice on DJ equipment, produced a track and also organized a rave party which they called Power Pie. The event hosted 100 attendees and it was so successful that we had organized similar dance party along the years . Moreover, Sharing Lives continued to collaborate with YMCA on similar projects, they opened up their services to people with disability and we were able to transfer skills and resources. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcS4r7k9iXU
"Sharing Lives is something nice, because it allows us to meet and help each other. Apart from the youth group, we did clean up, crafted a crib together, did voluntary work with horses where we did a lot of things on the day. I feel very good during these activities. Such experiences makes you satisfied. I love making new friends. It’s something really special that every week we have something different to do. I learnt a lot of things. I learnt about photography and how to take photos. For example, although I know how to do a crib from recycled material I feel that I also learnt more about recycling and so on. I learnt about the importance of recycling, that we can recycle many other things because you can invent many different things. - Jonathan, 28 years old, Service User
"I have learned to see the world in a different way." Malina, 22, Volunteer
The vision forward is to continue creating unique opportunities and meet the ongoing demand for the service.
How Citizens benefit
The service outcomes envisaged are:
• The promotion of social inclusion,
• Easier access to activities/events within the community.
• Developing meaningful relationships and engage with peers.
• Developing relationships based on equality and collaboration
• Act as a stepping-stone for persons with disability to have access to more opportunities.
• Facilitate the integration of persons with disability within the community.
• Creating awareness, challenging stereotypes, and reducing the stigma of persons with disability.
The above are the service's main outcomes. The success of this service is seen by the satisfied participants, being volunteers and service users, the increase in demand, and also in having other organizations reaching us to do joined activities.
• The promotion of social inclusion,
• Easier access to activities/events within the community.
• Developing meaningful relationships and engage with peers.
• Developing relationships based on equality and collaboration
• Act as a stepping-stone for persons with disability to have access to more opportunities.
• Facilitate the integration of persons with disability within the community.
• Creating awareness, challenging stereotypes, and reducing the stigma of persons with disability.
The above are the service's main outcomes. The success of this service is seen by the satisfied participants, being volunteers and service users, the increase in demand, and also in having other organizations reaching us to do joined activities.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Innovative character
AS highlighted in previous sections, Sharing Lives works with the potential that every individual brings into the service. This brings a lot of energy to the service, space for creativity but also entails that we adapt and evaluate our work on a regular basis. There is always something new going on. Moreover, the service serves as stepping stone to open new opportunities in the community for people with disability. It supports other organizations to be better equipped to offer a service to people with disability. It also assists people with disability and their parents to come together to organize themselves to continue making use of a service beyond the involvement of the service. In sustaining these initiative's and collaborations is also combating prejudice and challenging stereotypes and mentality associated with persons with disability.
The service is that there is a place for everyone. Sharing resources This in itself inclusion
The service is that there is a place for everyone. Sharing resources This in itself inclusion
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
A number of professional from different fields are involved in Sharing Lives such as social workers, occupational therapists, executives with social science background and youth workers. Their respective professions provide insight and approaches that makes it possible to utilize various tools and offers a comprehensive service to the service user. Thus , the service users can be supported emotionally and practically also in their personal development in learning new independent living skills and social skills in an informal setting.
The fact that the service involves volunteers that come from all walks of life and disciplines opens up doors and opportunities which the professionals in their capacity would not be able to reach on their own. A volunteers' hobby, talent, passion is often a source of inspiration to create a unique programmes and activities for our service users.
For all this to happen there is a lot of time invested in communication between the different disciplines, the volunteers and the service users. The service is motivated by a shared belief in the strength that the every individual including the service users. This in itself empowers everyone involved to strive for more. All this offers space where learning and growth is valued. As we work toward our goals we humbly recognize that we are all human beings, equally seeking connection with other and fullfil our dreams which reflects the quality of our lives.
The fact that the service involves volunteers that come from all walks of life and disciplines opens up doors and opportunities which the professionals in their capacity would not be able to reach on their own. A volunteers' hobby, talent, passion is often a source of inspiration to create a unique programmes and activities for our service users.
For all this to happen there is a lot of time invested in communication between the different disciplines, the volunteers and the service users. The service is motivated by a shared belief in the strength that the every individual including the service users. This in itself empowers everyone involved to strive for more. All this offers space where learning and growth is valued. As we work toward our goals we humbly recognize that we are all human beings, equally seeking connection with other and fullfil our dreams which reflects the quality of our lives.
Methodology used
Sharing Lives uses the following methodologies/approaches in delivering it service:
-Community Development Theory
-Social Work Assessment
-Risk Assessment
-Project Management
-Community Organization
-Community Development Theory
-Social Work Assessment
-Risk Assessment
-Project Management
-Community Organization
How stakeholders are engaged
The service was proposed by professionals involved in the field of disability who through their experience noticed that there were something missing in the quality of life of people with disability. As we opened up the doors to the general community we started to collaborate with volunteers and private entities and non profit organizations that contributed significantly into designing programmes and activities where persons with disability can be empowered and live their life to the full. The service has spaces where person with disability can self advocacy, contribute back to society through voluntary work and take charge of of their own social activities through committees and social group.
By time the service became more popular, a snowballing effect was noticed. Not only the demand for the service increased by person with disability but also connection and collaborations with other entities started to increase. Since we have been participating to training abroad and doing networking we have also been collaborating with other organization outside our shores in creating youth exchanges and other impactful projects giving our service users the possibility to interact with their European peers and have an experience abroad.
The stakeholders involvement in service gave the service relevance and achieve a greater impact not only to service users per se but to the general community as we strive to make people with disability and their needs visible and work towards a more inclusive society. In this manner we not only share resources and knowledge but the experience is richer for every individual involved.
By time the service became more popular, a snowballing effect was noticed. Not only the demand for the service increased by person with disability but also connection and collaborations with other entities started to increase. Since we have been participating to training abroad and doing networking we have also been collaborating with other organization outside our shores in creating youth exchanges and other impactful projects giving our service users the possibility to interact with their European peers and have an experience abroad.
The stakeholders involvement in service gave the service relevance and achieve a greater impact not only to service users per se but to the general community as we strive to make people with disability and their needs visible and work towards a more inclusive society. In this manner we not only share resources and knowledge but the experience is richer for every individual involved.
Global challenges
From our experience lack of inclusion, stereotypes and prejudice towards people with disability has always been a great barrier for our services users to achieve a full life and this is not just a local problem but though networking we have also noticed that such challenges are across the globe. Accessibility in its wider definition is another global challenge along with transportation and issues of overprotectiveness.
The solution that Sharing lives offers to these challenges are on various levels. We are not only working with the community to think differently about accessibility and the potential of people with disability but we are also working on one to one basis. It wasn't always easy and we did encounter a number of challenges and mishaps along the way however, we believe in our values and principles and keep on striving. Our success stories gives us motivation to continue pushing further. Its about changing one person at a time.
Moreover, the service has a number of professionals that have been long involved in the disability field in and in community development that lend their skills in order to achieve the goals of the service. Moreover, our committed volunteers also stand witness to the change that we have been creating in the community.
The solution that Sharing lives offers to these challenges are on various levels. We are not only working with the community to think differently about accessibility and the potential of people with disability but we are also working on one to one basis. It wasn't always easy and we did encounter a number of challenges and mishaps along the way however, we believe in our values and principles and keep on striving. Our success stories gives us motivation to continue pushing further. Its about changing one person at a time.
Moreover, the service has a number of professionals that have been long involved in the disability field in and in community development that lend their skills in order to achieve the goals of the service. Moreover, our committed volunteers also stand witness to the change that we have been creating in the community.
Learning transferred to other parties
The elements taht can be replicated from the service could be:
- Networking
-Evidence Based Approach
- Community Organization
- Open mindedness
- Evaluation and Discussion
- Space for Creativity
-Professional Methodologies
-Informal Education
-Expertise in Disability field
- Networking
-Evidence Based Approach
- Community Organization
- Open mindedness
- Evaluation and Discussion
- Space for Creativity
-Professional Methodologies
-Informal Education
-Expertise in Disability field
Keywords
Inclusion
Experiences
Networking
Creativity
Connections
