The priority of our project is based on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Countries should ensure that persons with disabilities have their fundamental right to live at the same level as others. The transition from childhood to adulthood is one of the key changes in personal life because it has a great impact on the life of person and the life of his family. The main goal of life long education of persons with disabilities is:1. Social education - Social rehabilitation - support of self-reliance, independence, self-sufficiency, through development and training of abilities, strengthening habits related to self-reliance and basic social activities,2. Work education - Work therapy - developing work habits and skills related to work and spare time activities under professional supervision with the aim to maintain or develop physical and mental skills and to integrate the client into society,3. Cognitive education - Alternative communication, aid with expressing the clients’ thoughts, exploring the world, time perception, memory work. Project team members are working with young people and adults, supporting and helping them to become more independent. They are trying to find better approaches to lifelong learning through alternative methodologies and ways to engage parents in this process. Furthermore, the project team members are trying to work with other institutions, and therefore share experiences with other professionals. Each country has different experiences with alternative methodologies in lifelong education , therefore it is very important for them to meet transnationally. Participants are employees of special schools, social institutions, sheltered workshops with years of experiences, who work in direct contact with young people and adults every day. They are engaged in day-to-day training and participating on creating their own individual plan that respects their needs. Quality of education is conditioned with quality professional training of educators. The main outcome of the project will be the recommendation of alternative methodologies: art-therapy, music therapy, ergo-therapy, hydrotherapy, hippo-therapy and alternative communication, supporting the development of gross and fine motor skills and cognitive functions. New innovative learning processes will help improve the quality of education for people with disabilities - helping them to be independent and being part of the community - social inclusion.Getting new approaches and learning processes will help improve the quality of lifelong education by the standards of each organization and strategy of the European Union that aims to improve the position of people with disabilities in society. We expect participants to introduce and bring new innovative methods and practices in the field of education for people with disabilities, bring the flexibility of teachers' thinking, especially in the search for new ways of education and problem solving. Willing to cooperate and share new insights through internal seminars in partner ´s countries and online material that will be offered to the professionals , families and lay public. Our on-line material with recommendations for alternative methodologies in education will be available on each partner organization´s website for free.

The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities demands the right of being included in the community. Thus all countries are in charge to developsupporting systems to foster the social inclusion and to promote systems that the inclusion and participation of them can be ensured. The main and long-termaim of the project MINCE was to attain the social inclusion and participation of people with severe intellectual disabilities in the community.The partnership developed a variety of methods and education programs which, taken as a whole, represent the Model for Inclusive Community Education. Themodel provides multi-level methods and tools to promote social inclusion. It consists of six Intellectual Outputs:• MINCE Curriculum for Peer-Mediators including easy-to-read version: This curriculum is a training program in the course of which people with learningdifficulties or minor intellectual disabilities get empowered to act as mediators between people with severe intellectual disabilities and society.• MINCE Guideline for Peer-Mediators in easy-to-read (STEP UP Guide) (brochure and audiobook): The so called STEP UP Guide for Peer-Mediators offerspeer-mediators support representing the interests of people with severe intellectual disabilities. It can be used by people with intellectual disabilities whileparticipating in the training for peer-mediators (developed in the IO1) as a training handbook and a learning diary and also when acting in their new role aspeer-mediators as it provides tools and support for this new task.• MINCE Curriculum for disability care workers: This is a supplementary curriculum created for professional assistants and care workers. It deals with theevery-day challenges of the professional staff in disability care organisations with regard to the social inclusion of people with severe intellectual disabilities.There was developed on the one hand a curriculum which identifies the core competencies and the areas that should be addressed during the training. On theother hand and additionally there was developed a more detailed version that provides additional material and knowledge.• MINCE Guidelines for disability care institutions: These guidelines are developed to help organisations in the disability field to gear the contents of theirexisting services towards the social inclusion of people with severe intellectual disabilities. Additionally they contain action strategies and good practises fordisability care organisations to expand their mission to include the idea of Community education.• Mince Compendium: The MINCE Compendium is a systematic instruction guideline that serves as a basis for the practical implementation of inclusivecommunity education which also provides the theoretical background of the MINCE project (aims and effects of social inclusion, community education, modelsof disabilities, deeper description of the developed material and its use).• MINCE Movie: This film brings the subject of social inclusion of people with severe intellectual disabilities closer to a broader audience. It shows threesituations (work, visit in a café and leisure time – disco) like they are nowadays and points then out solutions for the future. To keep it barrier-free the filmcomes without spoken language.The objectives MINCE was pursuing were:• Raising awareness of the society to meet the needs of people with severe intellectual disabilities• Collaboration with Peer- Mediators in the matters of inclusion of people with severe intellectual disabilities• Expert training for Peer-Mediators for Advocacy and Inclusion• Development of professional skills for disability carers working with people with severe intellectual disabilities in the community• Rethinking the role of organisations in the disability field – Facilitating processes within society• Support for the Implementation of Inclusive Community EducationThe MINCE project initiated developments which impacts and long-term benefits turn out on the following themes:• Empowerment of people with intellectual disability to play an active role in the community• Enabling communities to learn together with people with severe intellectual disabilities• Facilitating the process of inclusion of people with severe intellectual disabilities into communities• Enhancing the sensibility of communities and its members for the needs of people with severe intellectual disabilities• Building up an inclusive community in order to facilitate the de-institutionalisation processes of people with severe intellectual disabilities.--

<< Background >>Early childhood is a time of great promise and rapid change, when the architecture of the developing brain is most open to the influence of relationships and experiences. A remarkable expansion of new knowledge about brain development in the early years of life is now giving us deeper insights into how quality early childhood intervention play pivotal role in promoting children’s well-being. An effective, qualitative family centered Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), that provides holistic support and services to CwD, engages and empowers family, fosters child’s development and social participation and improves life outcomes for children who face adversity.The Burnout Free ECI project aims to craft a roadmap to better outcomes and lead to innovative, mutually empowering techniques and solutions to some of the most complex challenges parents with Children with Disabilities (CwD), professionals in the disability field and Organizations face, hindering the prospects of early childhood. Empowering those who are responsible for their care and education will result in empowering the children themselves.Our experience from working with parents and Children with Disabilities (CwD) and recent studies have revealed the seriousness of burnout implications on parents with CwD and Professionals in the disability field. The Burnout FREE ECI project addresses the tremendously serious issue of professionals’ and parents’ burnout on the family centered Early Child Intervention. It has also revealed the need to enhance the protective factors for family and ECI professionals and reduce the burnout risk factors which threaten to result in social isolation of professionals and in social exclusion of parents and CwD. While economic, social and legal contexts in different countries may vary, the project will meet common needs, taking into consideration each organization’s challenges, fostering change within the organizations. The complementarity of methods will foster mutual learning, enable partners to build capacity, transfer the learning outcomes across borders and sectors and build a collaborating network.Through an Innovative Interdisciplinary Burnout Free approach applied in ECI services, the project will address Parents’ with Cwd and Professionals’ needs:- to strengthen their personal, emotional, social skills, enhance parenting capabilities and professionals’ competences, improve their cooperation to meet the requirements of their demanding roles and cope with challenges- to identify, avoid or recover from burnout enhancing their resilience, improving their wellbeing and ensuring that professionals and parents remain socially active- to have direct access to structured, flexible and high quality learning opportunities, adapted to the learning needs of adults so as to better support the CwDThe project will address the Organizations’ needs:- to enrich their capacity to adapt their structure and tools, build connected and dedicated teams, create a positive culture of resilience and increase the quality of services offered-to detect the risk factors for burnout and apply effective leadership approaches to adequately support professionalsThrough development of innovative digital tools & education content, the project will meet the needs of Parents with Cwd, Professionals and Organizations:-to enhance their digital readiness- to be more digitally adept in order to cope better with their personal and professional challenges- to ensure accessibility to up to date knowledge for allThe ultimate aim of the project is to meet the needs of the Children with disabilities (CwD) to have better quality of care and support, maximizing their strengths and potentials and promoting their social inclusion.The project also addresses the needs of participants with fewer opportunities, which has become even more crucial during COVID-19 . All accessibility and financial measures will be taken to provide everyone with access to the project results.<< Objectives >>1O Partners & 1 Associated Partner from 8 different countries participate in the project including Universities, ECI Organizations, IT developers, a certification organization, and a European organization. Participants consist of ECI professionals, parents with CwD, researchers, university professors, developers and experts on dissemination, sharing & lobbying in European level.By implementing the Burnout Free ECI Project the ultimate aim is to ensure CwDs’ healthy development and to promote their social inclusion. Positive early experiences, effective support and early development of skills can counterbalance the lifelong consequences of adversity children with disabilities face.Through the innovative and integrated approach of the project, the aim is to ensure that Parents and Professionals will also manage to escape from the condition of vulnerability and fragility, empower each other, cultivate interpersonal relations based on empathy and understanding of diversity, stimulate changes in attitude regarding disability and improve their own participation in any aspect of personal, social and professional life.In addition, the Burnout FREE ECI Project aims to promote digital transformation, by developing a high-performing digital ecosystem for Early Child Intervention (ECI) Professionals, Organizations’ staff and Parents. The project also aims to provide high quality learning opportunities tailor made to the participants’ needs, enabling the cultivation of meta-cognition skills as well as of personal and social competences.The Burnout Free ECI project general objectives are related to increasing quality in the work and practices of the Organizations, building capacity, enabling transformation and change.The specific objectives of the Burnout Free ECI project are to: •Develop a Screening inventory to acquire solid knowledge on burnout through cross-sectoral and cross-national research •Provide in-depth knowledge of the needs of professionals and parents with CwD in ECI services and identify the burnout risk factors and implications •Develop Burnout FREE ECI Methodology to support professionals and parents with CwD in order to improve their wellbeing, resilience, and facilitate supportive adult-child relationships •Create an Innovative Train the Trainers Burnout FREE ECI Program so that professionals will master the above Methodology and replicate the knowledge in an organizational, national and European level •Develop a digital ecosystem for ECI field to enhance digital readiness of participants, ensure inclusion and full access to learning for all, even in challenging circumstances.•Validate and certify the Burnout FREE ECI Program to ensure quality assurance and compliance with the project requirements•Ensure sustainability of best practices, to raise awareness in local, national and European level, promote involvement of social welfare and community services, foster social inclusion and extend the impact of the Project beyond the participating organizations•Establish effective collaboration among individuals, Organizations and Universities to promote synergy, interdisciplinary communication, strengthen networking and capacity building and create a community of shared learning opportunities for parents and professionals.The project is transnational and transectoral so as to develop collaborative, innovative solutions and tackle joint challenges. All project partners will share their expertise to realize the objectives and fulfil the aim of the project, namely promote social inclusion, increased competences and prosperity for families with CwD and ECI professionals and capacity building within the Organizations.<< Implementation >>The overall strategy of Burnout FREE ECI Project is based on a synthetic plan of activities to achieve its aims. To ensure high quality objectives a PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle process will be applied and all activities will correlate directly with the objectives and the results. The project activities will be: •European & International Literature Review on Burnout affecting Professionals and Parents with CwD within the context of ECI Services•A Needs Assessment survey related to burnout per Partner Organization & respective assessment tools regarding the identification of ECI professionals’ and parents’ with CwD needs•Workshop for professionals to work together, structure the Training Material content and the work division among partners, according to their expertise •Development of Burnout Free ECI Training Material & Content for Professionals & Parents, covering the need of enriched knowledge on burnout prevention and treatment techniques and addressing the specific needs of professionals and parents•Webinar to structure the guidelines on how to test and try Burnout FREE ECI techniques during the Pilot phase in ECI settings•Pilot Implementation in a minimum of 15 families from each ECI Organization Partner, for a five-month period during ECI Sessions•Design and development of E-Learning Game and authoring tool, giving Professionals and Parents an extra tool to deal with burnout and cope better with their personal and professional challenges•Development of Certification Scheme for the certification of Curriculum & Training Material and Certification Scheme for Persons to enhance quality assurance in adult education, in correlation to EQF Level 5 and ECVET standards •4 Days training Activity (C1) leading to 22 certified professionals who will master the innovative Burnout FREE ECI methodology so as to act as Train the Trainers of the Methodology and replicate the knowledge in an organizational, national and European level•Development of Digital Toolkit with Library of re-usable OER and newly developed e-learning courses, enhancing digital readiness of participants, ensuring full access to open and flexible learning and inclusion for all, even in challenging circumstances •Development of Replication Burnout Free ECI Methodology Guide, enabling the successful replication of the project results to organizations beyond the consortium•10 Workshops on Burnout FREE ECI methodology to be organized in partners’ organizations, other organizations and members of EASPD to familiarize more parents and professionals (approx. 200 persons) with the mutually empowering practices to prevent or treat burnout•Performance of Train the trainers’ activities to equip other professionals with the knowledge skills and competences required to be “facilitators of change” in organizations beyond the consortium, according to demand.•Adaptation of 3 universities courses curriculum to incorporate the Burnout FREE ECI Methodology, adding value to the ECI field knowledge and enhancing the responsiveness of the research community to the societal needs •Development of the Burnout FREE ECI Hub, as vibrant Burnout FREE ECI community, extending the project impact beyond its lifetime •Realization of 4 Multiplier Events giving the opportunity to more than 200 persons to attend live and virtually, through the e-conference tools •Application of internal evaluation tools and performance of external evaluation to assess the project outcomes & results •Organization of TMs as participatory project management activities and cooperation processes to minimize risk factors and enhance the quality of the Project Results•Incorporation of green practices when designing all project activities and adoption of alternative greener ways of implemention (Webinars, E-Multiplier Events, E-Conferences, Adaptation of the Universities’ curricula in hybrid format, e-leaflets, etc)<< Results >>Overall the project will lead to an increased capacity of partner organizations to anticipate and welcome change, to synchronize with the opportunities and constraints of the digital transformation, proactively support professionals and build connected and united teams.The expected results and outcomes are: •The website of the project, evolving into an empowering network and active community, the Burnout Free ECI Hub•A Report on Burnout (PrR1) including Literature Review and Needs Assessment Survey •Workshop on structuring the Burnout Free ECI Training Material •Burnout Free ECI Training Material & Content for Professionals & Parents (PrR2) covering the need of enriched knowledge on burnout prevention and treatment techniques•Methodology (PrR3) with Guidelines to be applied to ECI services during the pilot phase in each ECI Organization and Assessment tools•Webinar on Pilot guidelines •Report on the Burnout Free ECI Pilot (PrR3), including the results derived from piloting Burnout FREE ECI techniques in partner organizations •E-learning Game (PrR4) consisting of free applications and an authoring tool •Certification Scheme (PrR5) leading to Certification of Curriculum &Training Material and Certification of 22 Professionals, according to EQF and ECVET •4 Days training Activity (C1) leading to 22 certified professionals who will acquire the required knowledge, skills and competences to help others overcome burnout, and act as Train the Trainers of the Burnout FREE ECI Methodology •Digital Toolkit and Replication Methodology (PrR6) enabling the development of digital tools, e-learning courses, hybrid learning opportunities, innovative approaches for addressing target groups, increasing the reach and impact of the project beyond ECI Organizations•10 Workshops on Burnout FREE ECI methodology to be organized in partners’ organizations, other organizations and members of EASPD to familiarize more parents and professionals (approx. 200 persons) with the mutually empowering practices to prevent or treat burnout.•3 Universities’ scientific curricula, in hybrid format, providing future professionals with knowledge, skills and key competences on the issue•Digital Educational material on OER format on the E-learning Platform The results and outcomes of the project will benefit the broad community of ECI service providers as well as other Associations in the disability field.The quality assurance framework and impact measurement methodology used in the project will be based on the Theory of change assessing the intermediate goals and the progress towards the desired impact and ultimate objectives and it is guaranteed through a sound management system. The project is expected to help people live a better life and create a “muscle of resilience” during times of crisis. The partnership between parents and professionals is expected to alter the society’s stereotypes on disability and encourage child inclusion in society. As for the longer term benefits, it is expected that the project will pave the way for the development of new areas of complementarity in the disability field aiming at longer term perspectives and upscaling collaborations for long lasting sustainable impacts.

Children with vision impairment and additional disabilities (VIAD) or deafblindness (D/B) have unique needs and require adaptations on intervention strategies. Early intervention services (EISs) are vital for children's health, education and quality of life. The ErISFaVIA project concerns the training of professionals regarding EISs for children with VIAD or D/B. Early intervention services are demanding programs and can only be implemented by highly skilled and trained professionals. The ErISFAVIA project aims to address the following objectives: a. to develop a training program for professionals working in early intervention settings, b. to create early intervention opportunities for children with VIAD or D/B, c. to promote the collaboration between universities, schools and associations of children with VIAD or D/B, and d. to point out the best practices and guidelines for the development of effective EISs for children with VIAD or D/B. Ten organizations (e.g. universities, NGOs, schools) are included in the ErISFaVIA project, consisting of researchers and practitioners of common interest and a unique combination of skills and experience both within and outside the academic field on EISs and VIAD or D/B children's education, and will share the knowledge and experience to meet the above objectives. The activities of the ErISFaVIA project are distributed according to the intellectual results and the management and implementation of the project. In particular, activities could be described as follows: a. designing and creating the program collaboration platform, b. literature review and needs assessment study, c. educational material and training events, d. reflective logs and questionnaires, e. collating case studies and elaborate relevant research data, f. best practices guide, g. dissemination and exploitation and h. policy recommendations and guidelines. The proposed methodology in the ErISFaVIA project will be oriented at two levels, namely the local and the overall level. Regarding the item Project management and implementation, each beneficiary is responsible for the local management of its time and resources. The overall strategy of the ErISFaVIA project will be based on a synthetic plan of activities to meet its goals. This plan will include possible avenues through which project activities can be pursued taking into account quality, time, finance, risks, feasibility, IPR (Intellectual Properties Rights) protection and dissemination.In the long-term perspective, the project will benefit families, young children with VIAD or D/B and the participating educational settings and associations. The project is likely to have a substantial positive impact on professionals and their future professional practice. The trained professionals can exploit their knowledge and skills and the training material to support and enhance families and children with VIAD or D/B at their associations, educational and family settings. Parts of the above will be uploaded in the ErISFaVIA portal as an Open Educational Resources and stakeholders will have the chance to interact through the ErISFaVIA portal, to exchange their experience and ideas, share their concerns and improve their methods and techniques. Additionally, participating organisations will involve other stakeholders from the local community as much as possible in the project activities (national conferences, European conference, development of best practices guide and Police Recommendations and Guidelines Report). Also, it is expected that several organisations for people with disabilities at national or European level will host in their websites these outputs in order to enrich their website and increase the number of visits in their website. The academics from all participating universities will be invited to integrate ErISFaVIA results in their lectures and refer to ErISFaVIA in future publications or projects. Furthermore, they could organize conferences or workshops based on the ErISFaVIA results. It is strongly supported from the above that the program will contribute to enhancing and developing effective EISs, enhancing the skills of professionals and supporting families and children with VIAD or D/B.