Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Training citizens to communicate with the the visually impaired and promoting the language of "The White Walking Stick"
Friends of the Blind Foundation
Background
People with impaired sight use the sign language to communicate with the seeing participants in the traffic. There are signals through which drivers understand that they are supposed to stop and ensure for the blind to cross the street safely or passers by should help them in a difficult situation. Unfortunately, Bulgarian society is not so familiar with and does not use the sign language. Seeing people cannot communicate with the visually impaired and therefore cannot help them if they needed it. This is a serious impediment for people with impaired sight to be integrated in society, and it forces them to live in close-knit communities of their own.
People with impaired sight use the sign language to communicate with the seeing participants in the traffic. There are signals through which drivers understand that they are supposed to stop and ensure for the blind to cross the street safely or passers by should help them in a difficult situation. Unfortunately, Bulgarian society is not so familiar with and does not use the sign language. Seeing people cannot communicate with the visually impaired and therefore cannot help them if they needed it. This is a serious impediment for people with impaired sight to be integrated in society, and it forces them to live in close-knit communities of their own.
Practice
With the cooperation of the local Police Departments and the Municipalities of Varna and Shumen, policemen, municipality officials, crews of City Transportation Varna and Social Services , teachers, members of the Municipality Councils, and journalists were trained to understand and use the white cane language. Teachers conducted classes about communication with the visually impaired for the fifth grade in Varna and for the ninth grade in Shumen.
The organization in Varna worked actively with the Center for Specialization and Professional Training. From January to June 2001 teachers and policemen passed a training course, which introduced them to the specific behavior of the visually impaired citizens, their difficulties, as well as to the professional and ethical norms of communication with them in different situations. The project team in Shumen cooperated with the local Police Department. Together both organizations trained 220 policemen from the whole region: Shumen, Kaolinovo, Novi Pazar, and Veliki Preslav.
Well trained police crews from the region of Varna and Shumen was a guarantee for effective dissemination of the sign language among the society and a prerequisite for the safety of the visually impaired people to increase. The project team and the police officers reached the conclusion that the white cane signals should be included in the Road Transportation Act.
With the cooperation of Property and Economy Department, Transportation Section in the Municipality of Varna, all drivers of the city transportation firms were trained. Fifth grade teachers from Shumen were also trained within the project. The Culture and Education Deputy Mayor affirmed their qualification to train their students. Ninth grade teachers were trained in Varna.
With the cooperation of the Mayor s Office in Varna, municipality officials were trained, and in Shumen the members of the Municipal Council. All social workers, as well as journalists, who showed interest in the project, also passed the training course voluntary.
The project team issued a free education brochure White cane language which was received with great interest in the community. Copies of the brochure were given not only to workers and libraries of the partner organizations, but also to people and organizations closely connected to the problem outside the region.
An education film Open Hearts was produced. Not only all cable channels in the region broadcast it, but also some national TV stations did the same. This fact widened significantly the region of activity and proved the enormous interest towards the problem. In order to satisfy the needs of other municipalities, a second stage of the project should be carried out at a national level. Press conferences in Varna and Shumen concluded the project. Local TV cable channels invited the project coordinator to discuss the problems of the visually impaired and their possible solutions in their shows.
With the cooperation of the local Police Departments and the Municipalities of Varna and Shumen, policemen, municipality officials, crews of City Transportation Varna and Social Services , teachers, members of the Municipality Councils, and journalists were trained to understand and use the white cane language. Teachers conducted classes about communication with the visually impaired for the fifth grade in Varna and for the ninth grade in Shumen.
The organization in Varna worked actively with the Center for Specialization and Professional Training. From January to June 2001 teachers and policemen passed a training course, which introduced them to the specific behavior of the visually impaired citizens, their difficulties, as well as to the professional and ethical norms of communication with them in different situations. The project team in Shumen cooperated with the local Police Department. Together both organizations trained 220 policemen from the whole region: Shumen, Kaolinovo, Novi Pazar, and Veliki Preslav.
Well trained police crews from the region of Varna and Shumen was a guarantee for effective dissemination of the sign language among the society and a prerequisite for the safety of the visually impaired people to increase. The project team and the police officers reached the conclusion that the white cane signals should be included in the Road Transportation Act.
With the cooperation of Property and Economy Department, Transportation Section in the Municipality of Varna, all drivers of the city transportation firms were trained. Fifth grade teachers from Shumen were also trained within the project. The Culture and Education Deputy Mayor affirmed their qualification to train their students. Ninth grade teachers were trained in Varna.
With the cooperation of the Mayor s Office in Varna, municipality officials were trained, and in Shumen the members of the Municipal Council. All social workers, as well as journalists, who showed interest in the project, also passed the training course voluntary.
The project team issued a free education brochure White cane language which was received with great interest in the community. Copies of the brochure were given not only to workers and libraries of the partner organizations, but also to people and organizations closely connected to the problem outside the region.
An education film Open Hearts was produced. Not only all cable channels in the region broadcast it, but also some national TV stations did the same. This fact widened significantly the region of activity and proved the enormous interest towards the problem. In order to satisfy the needs of other municipalities, a second stage of the project should be carried out at a national level. Press conferences in Varna and Shumen concluded the project. Local TV cable channels invited the project coordinator to discuss the problems of the visually impaired and their possible solutions in their shows.
Results
- With respect to the conditions provided for the visually impaired people to use the city transportation, Varna has become a truly European city. A great part of the population in the region can now freely help the unseeing people.
- The level of social integration and safety of the visually impaired has increased, due to introducing the society to the sign language.
- Policemen from both Varna and Shumen Police Departments have become familiar with the white cane language;
- An opportunity for the growing up of a new generation, which would freely communicate with the visually impaired, was created owing to the training at schools.
- Some real steps in the area of disabled people integration were made, which is an approach in agreement with the requirements of the European Union.
- Trainings of a similar kind could and should be held in other municipalities. This is the goal of the second stage of the Open Hearts project.
- With respect to the conditions provided for the visually impaired people to use the city transportation, Varna has become a truly European city. A great part of the population in the region can now freely help the unseeing people.
- The level of social integration and safety of the visually impaired has increased, due to introducing the society to the sign language.
- Policemen from both Varna and Shumen Police Departments have become familiar with the white cane language;
- An opportunity for the growing up of a new generation, which would freely communicate with the visually impaired, was created owing to the training at schools.
- Some real steps in the area of disabled people integration were made, which is an approach in agreement with the requirements of the European Union.
- Trainings of a similar kind could and should be held in other municipalities. This is the goal of the second stage of the Open Hearts project.
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