Title: Online Platform for Exchange of Special Needs Youth Work Methods (OPEN)

Web site, FB, other contact details

Fb: https://www.facebook.com/CYA.KRIK/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KRIKcenter @KRIKcenter

Instagram: cya_krik

Short description of the organization’s goals and mission (200 words)

Centre for youth activism KRIK is non-governmental, non-profit organization established by young people, led by young people and it works for and with young people. The translation of the word KRIK is SCREECH/OUTCRY and the inspiration for it came out of the vision of this organization, which is to be the voice of the youth that will be heard and will make changes and contributions in the society. KRIK strives to encourage greater youth participation, youth activism, encourage young people to be more included in the policy making process on local and national level. The target group that KRIK works with are young people with disabilities and without. The activities offered are aiming towards their social and personal development.

The mission of KRIK is empowerment of youth by motivating them for raising their voice and contributing in the society, as well as supporting youth work and youth workers by acting in different areas in order greater youth participation, youth activism and involvement in policy making process on local and national level.

Brief description of activities (300 words)

*Local

On local level, Krik is implementing youth programs in cooperation with 3 special schools and in the youth center “Krikni” which is run and managed by the executive office. The participants of the youth programs are young people with disabilities and without and main topics are developing motor skills of the body, non-formal education, youth participation in different spheres, life skills and creative expression. The activities offered on local level are different workshops, trainings, events etc.

*National

CYA Krik is a member of 3 national youth networks - National Youth Council of Macedonia, Union for Youth Work and Y-Peer network. Members of Krik are also part of the bodies that run these networks such as executive board, advisory board etc., as well as the working groups and other operating bodies of the networks. In 2018 Krik is working on delivering activities for promotion of the Youth Guarantee program in 3 municipalities in Skopje. The Youth Guarantee program is implemented by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, the Employment Agency and the National Youth Council of Macedonia. This is the first year in which Macedonia is implementing the program.

*International

Through the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, Krik is sending young people to participate in European educational opportunities abroad. Furthermore, Krik creates opportunities by organizing and hosting youth exchanges for young people on different topics. At the moment, Krik participates as a partner in 2 strategic partnerships and has one already finished. Nonetheless, Krik also sends and hosts EVS volunteers on various long and short-term projects.

Legislation in the country in the context of the project (500 words)

Deinstitutionalization process in Macedonia

The deinstitutionalization process started in 1999. With this process, the families which have children with disabilities can decide whether they want to enroll their children in a regular or special school. This means that the children who are enrolled in special schools and different institutions have the opportunity to be part of the regular education process. In order for this process to be fully functional, there are International organizations who support it.

People with disabilities in regular schools

People with disabilities can attend the classes in the regular schools. When the child is enrolled in the regular school, an assistant can attend the classes with him/her. From 2017, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies is financing assistants who help the kids fully attend the classes. This process is coordinated together with the schools and the municipalities. Each municipality has 1 special educator who is visiting the schools in the municipality and consulting on the program with the teachers, assistants and staff.

People with disabilities in inclusive schools

Some of the regular schools in Macedonia became inclusive schools. An inclusive school is a school which has one special class consisted of students with disabilities. The special class is led by a special educator and they have one room specially designed where they attend the classes. The children attend some of the classes with the other students with typical development and some of the classes with the special class. These schools have full-time employed special educators to educate the students from the special class. In the schools there is usually an equipped sensor room or a room where there are materials suitable for the target group.

People with disabilities in Special Schools

In Macedonia there are 8 special schools in total, from which 4 are high schools, 4 are primary schools and 1 is an Institute for Rehabilitation of Children and Youth, which among the other activities offers educational support. From the total number of 9 special institutions, 7 have dormitory for the students who can live there during the school year. The dormitory and the education are for free.

People with disabilities in Daily Centers

The Daily Centers in Macedonia are the place where people with disabilities aged 5-18 years old can attend after/before school and get psychological-social rehabilitation and reeducation, counseling, care and food. There are 25 daily centers in Macedonia in total, opened and operated by the Ministry for Labor and Social Policy. The participation in these centers is free for anyone.

For people with disabilities which are over 18, the Ministry is funding 6 daily centers operated by an NGO -  State and Regional Center for Support of people with intellectual disabilities Poraka.

Private daily centers are also present in Macedonia. These centers are operated by NGOs or companies. These centers usually offer specific treatment to the beneficiaries according to the level of disabilities the person has and psychological-social support. In these centers, there is a participation fee in the range of what usually a person would pay when visiting specialists.