National News
Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) we were able to assist families and schools in the past. With this years funding we are in the process of developing and printing an ‘Inclusive Education’ pack which will be able to be used by educators and parents and hope to have them available from May 2013. These packs will be used in conjunction with training to those who wish to do so. We too have developed other training material and will be conducting training in the near future on the following: • New Parent Support and Basic Counseling Skills; • Basic Support and Early Intervention Strategies for people with Special Needs; • Inclusive Education; • Self Advocacy – For young adults with intellectual disabilities; • Right to Know – series on Friendships, Sexuality, Safety and Protection; • Promoting and Protecting the Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families; Read more about Inclusive Education on page 23. Keep a lookout on our website and Facebook for all training dates and details relating to venue, date, costs etc.
Fundraising is an important component of keeping the organisation going, as without the funds we would not be able to continue the work we do. We are fortunate to receive funding from two international organisations. The Danish organisation LEV has been one of our major contributors over the past 9 years now. Read more about the current project on page 8 and 9. We furthermore continue to be supported by staff members of KARE in Ireland who contribute a percentage of their monthly salary to us. Thank you to all our funders for your support which is gratefully appreciated by all. Working to improve the lives of people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities is just one of the areas of our daily work. As an organisation we often give input into various policies and documents as well as meet with various government departments to ensure that our members needs are included and met.
which gave us first hand knowledge of the status of people living in the townships and what their experiences were. This study clearly shows that the UNCRPD has not made an impact on the lives of people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities and their families, because of this study I was able to give a presentation to the Parliamentary working group regarding the status of the CRPD and people with Intellectual disabilities. I urge members to familiarize themselves with the convention and know what their rights are. DSSA has this document available on our website: www.downsyndrome.org.za The Easy to Read version for people with Intellectual disabilities is also available.
South Africa is one of the many countries that has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). As part of the LEV “Break the Barrier – Strengthen the Township” project we conducted a “Baseline Study”
Sibaleni Nathi- Volume 9
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