AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE TO BE HELD AT KARIKKAL IN AGU 2011

Dear All

I am happy to inform you that ARIGNAR ANNA GOVT. ARTS COLLEGE, Karaikal – 609 605. U.T. of Puducherry is going to organize "NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE Strategic Intervention for improving Marginalized" on 4th & 5th Aug. 2011.

This will be the forum for all the stakeholders to share their experiences,challenges, success stories and matching solutions. It also helps the students and other research scholars to get the feeling of the needs and demands with real situation at all levels.

Keeping this in view, i had shown interest and summited the abstract and full paper and were accepted to be part of this seminar. Accordingly, i am going to present the paper at karaikkal. The abstract of the paper which i intended to present and publish in the volume is as follows:
...................................................................................

REHABILITATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES – AN EMPOWERMENT MODEL
Lakshmi Narayana N, Director, Geo Rehab Centre.

ABSTRACT

Persons with disabilities are the most marginalized group which is out of the development and society. More than 10% of the Indian population is suffering from one or the other kind of disability and expected to be more complex in the ongoing 2011 Census. It is the known fact that disability, poverty and development are the cause and consequence of each other which further results for vulnerability for other health hazards. Water has been added later as it controls everything on this earth. The disability acts and policies extend services and support systems for training and rehabilitation of this marginalized group. In addition to the limitations of disability, persons with disability do face several barriers covering physical, technological and attitudinal for leading better living. In spite of the best efforts of government, civil societies, professionals, funding agencies and other stakeholders, the reach to this marginalized group is around 7 to 10% and the mammoth task of un-reached is the real challenge before us. The recent United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is the powerful right based tool for the empowerment of the persons with disabilities as an inclusion. UNCRPD has brought paradigm shift in the rehabilitation model from charity to developmental to human rights and focuses more on the environment rather than the disability. India has signed this convention and process is going on to amend its disability acts and polices with right based strategies, schemes and benefits.

The SWOT analysis of this marginalized group has lead for the formulation of individualized rehabilitation plan (IRP) covering medical, social and developmental areas which works as an empowerment model. This model works from the stage of identification to empowerment with better access for services and benefits as a right. The paper presents the stages of empowerment models and its implementation in the parts of Andhra Pradesh. The model is flexible and accommodates the skills and needs of the persons with disabilities with need based strategies. Uses of local resources (M³) in the model supports for better adaptability with sustainability. The empowerment model has resulted for an early identification & intervention, mainstreaming, skills development, enhanced employability and to be part of the society as a productive member. The advantage of this model is to address the component of prevention of disability which certainly minimizes the barriers of development. Participation of parents and family members of the targeted group has resulted for the transformation of rehabilitation from welfare to developmental activity which further minimized the existing barriers. The results are encouraging and motivated others to replicate it matching to the prevailing environment and vulnerability.
...............................................................................

I will be posting more on this issue after presenting the same on 4th - 5th Aug. 2011.

With thanks