HOW?

Produkt

People with intellectual disabilities deal with rejection when they frequent public spaces, e.g. on the bus, at a concert, in a store or a doctor's office, and are one of the groups most vulnerable to social exclusion. Studies have shown that it is caused by negative stereotypes and the lack of knowledge on how people with disabilities function. Unfriendly attitudes, indifference and more or less overt aversion hinder the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in social life, which can result in their loneliness and reduced quality of life.

The innovation aims to communicate the expectations of people with intellectual disabilities and/or their parents or caregivers to non-disabled people when meeting in person in public spaces. The tool used to do this is a small pouch in which a person with intellectual disability can put in a piece of paper with their expectations of another person. A small gift may also be put in the pouch. During the tests, a small seashell was used. This tool provides an opportunity to reinforce positive responses from the environment, avoiding moralising, conflict and aggression in favour of staying positive. This is achieved when a person with an intellectual disability reaches out to a non-disabled person, thus breaking the usual behavior patterns, and offers a friendly gesture and a 'gadget', i.e. a 'relationship warmer'. The recipients of the pouches become, so to speak, ‘ambassadors of the idea’ who themselves can inform other people about the needs of people with intellectual disabilities, their problems, expectations or hopes. The ‘Relationship warmer’ is versatile and can be handed out in virtually any space, for example at offices, schools, doctors' offices, clinic waiting rooms, on the buses, in theatres, cafés, parks, homes, at swimming pools, basketball games or parties. In addition, the innovation ‘How?’ can be used as an educational tool in schools and pre-schools. For this purpose, the future innovation users should be trained and have the idea behind the 'warmer' explained.

People with intellectual disabilities, their parents and caregivers

People with intellectual disabilities, their parents and caregivers People who work with people with intellectual disabilities on a daily basis Special schools, institutions facilitating support and adaptation, rehabilitation and care facilities, nursing homes, organizations and institutions supporting people with intellectual disabilities

A prototype of a pouch – 'relationship warmer' Instructions on how to make the ‘relationship warmer’ on your own

20 families tested the innovation ‘How?’. With the pouches they had received many people learned about the experience of people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, what their needs and expectations are. By starting a conversation with a gift helped overcome the barriers and evoke positive emotions towards people with disabilities and their caregivers.

Tak

People with intellectual disabilities Parents or caregivers of people with intellectual disabilities

Material for a pouch Printed rolls of paper Small souvenirs (optional) A string

Osoba fizyczna

Inkubator pomysłów [2020-23]