As a part of the programme activities aimed at professional and methodological support for improving the work of its services for persons with intellectual disability, the Republic Centre – PORAKA organized a workshop on 25th of February 2022 titled: “Practical activities for advancing the independent living skills of the users at the Day Centres and Social Clubs of the Republic Centre – PORAKA”. The workshop was held at the premises of the Republic Centre – PORAKA’s Day Centre in Skopje, and the participants were the engaged personnel at the Day Centres from Skopje, Radovis, Prilep and Stip and Social Clubs from Vinica, Bitola and Strumica.
The Republic Centre – PORAKA’s Secretary General, Vasilka Dimoska De Jong MD, opened the workshop, and in her opening statement she stressed the need for restructuring the programme for work in the services of the Republic Centre – PORAKA, primarily with a greater emphasis on developing and maintaining the practical skills and the independent living skills of the users. Strengthening the practical skills is extremely important for the users who in the past period have lost their parents, in order to enable them for more independent functioning in their home, with the support from their wider family. Also, some of the users, due to the pandemic and staying at home, have regressed in their practical skills.
Afterwards, the personnel in the Day Centres of the Republic Centre – PORAKA in Skopje presented their experiences from implementing the modified programme for practical activities. The educators specifically explained all the foreseen areas in the programme, divided into daily level – morning activities, afternoon activities, evening activities and other activities for independent living.
Furthermore, four working groups were formed, that practically developed a certain area of the programme, and then each of the participants presented his/her proposed activities, which will be included in the restructured programme and then implemented in the services.
The workshop ended with discussion in which all participants agreed that this new structure of the programme for work in the services of the Republic Centre – PORAKA will provide better opportunities for the users in gaining practical skills.
