INITIATIVE 4ALL - Disabled for inclusive Life will raise awareness, empower disabled (physically handicapped; deaf and hard of hearing; blind and visually impaired) to advocate their rights in local environment for better accessibility to the built environment, communications, information of public facilities, as well as equality in municipality Celje. The disabled will become actively involved in local democratic decision-making processes.

Our idea will take place in City Celje, but impact will be on all Savinjska region.

In Savinjska region there are more than 3000 disabled people (physically handicapped; deaf and hard of hearing; blind and visually impaired). They are thus an important group that can make an equal contribution to the development of society, but their possibilities for inclusion, advocacy are hindered as empowerment is not done in local environment.
Specific challenge in Celje:
- poor advocacy and awareness of the rights/needs of disabled people (also in relation to the specific needs of different types of disability) in local environment, which prevents social inclusion and equality.
- poor awareness of people with disabilities about their rights makes significantly weakens the excluded disabled’s opportunities to defend its own interests in local democratic decision-making processes.

Primary focus will be on building 6 disabled advocates (blind and visually impaired, deaf and hard of hearing, physically handicapped), representatives/members of disabled organizations. Disabled advocates will be involved in preparation of discussion, action plan, raising awareness, promoting advocacy among 1500 disabled members of 3 organizations of people with disabilities and 500 relatives of disabled.
On local discussion, with at least 30 participants, we will connect the disabled, local representatives (municipality, health, social services…) with national experts (on public spaces, accessibility, disabled rights, …). With dissemination event we will reach out to decision-makers in region and nationally, with PR communication we will reach out to general public.

- 3 focus groups among 3 groups of disabled (knowledge about their rights/needs).
- 1 training for 6 disabled (legislation, rights, public speaking, advocacy (problem identification, possible solutions).
- 3 workshops by disabled advocates for members of disabled org.
- 1 analysis of hotspots in local environments where the disabled are NOT guaranteed access to the built envir. and information and thus equality by law.
- 1 discussion of the disabled, local decision-makers, national experts.
- 1 action plan for municipality Celje – decision-makers.
- 1 dissemination event with presentation of initiative + “Easy guide for inclusive life”. Guide for decision-makers in Savinjska region with information on rights of disabled, examples of good practice in Celje.

- Raised awareness of 1500 people with disabilities (from 3 org.), 500 of their relatives about disabled rights, emphasis on accessibility to the built environment, communications and information of public facilities, equality, advocacy of these rights. In local environment we will have empowered, qualified 6 disabled advocates, competent to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, involved in the structure of local decision-making processes, working on improving conditions for the disabled.
- Raised awareness and implemented solutions from action plan will enable better social inclusion of the disabled and better understanding of their needs (removed obstacles, auditory loops for deaf and hard of hearing, tactile ground surface indicators for the blind and visually impaired).

INITIATIVE 4ALL - Disabled for inclusive Life:
- builds and empowers local disabled advocates that stand up for rights of disabled in their local environment, therefore strengthening democracy and ensuring equality of individuals with fewer opportunities.
- engages the disabled, promotes democracy, active participation of the disabled in local democratic decision-making processes and cooperation with representatives/institutions – local decision-makers.
- strengthens democracy with local discussion of the disabled, experts and local representatives on the topic of rights of people with disabilities, finding solutions to improve accessibility of the disabled to the build environment, communication, information of facilities in public use, therefore promoting equality of local residents.

We wish to bring this idea to life as it represents ONE strong voice coming from people with different types of disability. As organizations that involve people with disabilities we see first-hand the needs and challenges people with disabilities face in local community as well as opportunities for improvements that bring us closer to equality in the local community.
By empowering disabled people into recognizing, preparing solutions for problem they and then advocating this to local decision makers, we set the foundation for active citizenship of people with fewer opportunities (disabilities) and strengthen democracy in local communities.
We wish to bring the initiative in local areas where voice of disabled in overheard and their needs not recognized.

FINANCE:
- Personnel costs (organizing team + educators) = 24800 €
- Travel and accommodation (organising team + educators) = 840 €
- Activities (focus groups, training, workshops, analysis, discussion, action plan, dissemination, evaluation) = 16430 €
- PR and communication = 3200 €
- Indirect costs = 2985 €
SKUPAJ: 48255 €

Good practice, experience of other members on the platform. Their suggestions on how to implement our idea more effectively.