Professional training courses and employment opportunities for disabled young people

The Moldovan foundation “Ecoul Cernobalului” (“The Echo of Chernobyl”) Thursday launched the project “Identify the Value!” that is implemented in partnership with the Romanian foundation “Alaturi de Voi” (ADV) (“Near You”). The project envisions vocational therapy and training services for 40 young persons with disabilities from Moldova. Workshops will be opened within the project, where the young people will be able to work, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on June 16, Iasi ADV Center director Irina Isacila said that stigmatization and discrimination in Romania, as in Moldova, prevent the disabled young people from integrating into society and finding a job, though the law guarantees these rights. The social services are insufficient and not adjusted to the needs of the persons with disabilities as they are not conceded to NGOs that have experience and capacity to do this. “No funds are earmarked for preparing specialists in the area so that they could provide adapted services, while the public policies concerning the disabled are still based on the feeling of pity and helplessness. There are no services that could develop the persons’ potential,” said Irina Isacila. The major goal of the project “Identify the Value!” is to develop, under the principle of crossborder cooperation, vocational therapy services for 40 young persons with disabilities, who are beneficiaries of the Chisinau-based foundation “Ecoul Cernobalului”, according to the model of the foundation ADV. There will be set up two vocational therapy workshops – a computer workshop and manual bookbindery. The Moldovan young persons will also travel to Romania’s Iasi, while the Romanian ones will come to Chisinau for experience exchange. According to Angela Achitei, executive president of the foundation “Alaturi de voi” Romania, the disabled young persons will attend training courses and receive certificates. Afterward, they will be employed at the workshops, depending on their abilities, and will make goods for sale and earn money. Natalia Hasan, president of the foundation “Ecoul Cernobalului”, said that during her visits to Romania she saw many young persons with disabilities taking part in training courses, who were later promoted and employed at companies. The Moldovan foundation will distribute leaflets about the project. The project activities are set to start in autumn. The budget of the project is €147,000. Of this sum, €132,000 represents the European Union’s contribution through the Joint Operational Program Romania-Ukraine-Moldova 2007-2013. The rest of the money is provided by the two foundations.