The Republic Centre for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA in cooperation with the Association “Halfway There” from Serbia and SUMERO from Bosnia and Herzegovina started the implementation of the project Intercultural Learning for All in January 2023. This project is based on the long-term experience of all three project partners in the field of social inclusion, development of skills of persons with intellectual disability in terms of occupational therapy, creativity, self-advocacy skills, intercultural learning, and tolerance.

The Republic Centre for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA in 2023 will continue to realise the activities arising from its foreseen goals and principles. The programme activities of the Republic Centre – PORAKA are based and in line with the implementation process of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as an exceptionally important document that is legally binding for the states that have ratified it.

Western Balkans Fund (WBF), with the support of the EU, supported the project of the Association “Halfway there” under the name “Intercultural Learning for All”, which will be implemented in the period from January to September 2023.

City of Skopje and the Centre for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA Skopje signed a Contract for supporting both Day Centres for persons with intellectual disability above 18 years of age, in Kapistec and Aerodrom, in accordance with the programme for activities in the social, children’s and health care protection on 27.01.2023.

PORAKA Radovis observed 3 December with numerous activities. On 21.11.2022 two different creative workshops were realised at the Day Centre of the Republic Centre – PORAKA in Radovis. The first one was aimed at introducing the ways of providing first aid, and during the second one, the users of the Day Centre created handicrafts from clay.

The Centre for Performing Arts and Education Theatre PI organized multimedia campaign “Wonders in Alice” in cooperation with the Republic Centre – PORAKA and its social services in Skopje.

In organization of the National Coordinative Body for Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the National Council of Disability Organizations in Macedonia, and in cooperation with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) there was a formal session for observing 3 December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

As a member of the EASPD Member Forum on Early Childhood Intervention, the Republic Centre – PORAKA, during 2022, participated in the preparation of the EASPD Position Paper “Family-centred Early Childhood Intervention: The best start in life”.

For years back, the Republic Centre – PORAKA organizes and holds workshops where the SWOT analyses of the local organizations are being reviewed and discussed. The SWOT analysis is a structured planning method for the future strategies of the organization, and at the same time a very useful tool for assessing the current situation within the organization, with all its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and the threats that come from the environment where the organization acts.

The European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), in the past period, developed a report on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on support services for persons with disability, paying special attention to rising energy costs.

The Day Centre for persons with moderate and severe intellectual disability above 18 years of age in Radovish observed 20-year jubilee on 2nd of November 2022. In presence of friends and supporters on local level, we remembered the beginnings and the path taken to reach the today’s modern Day Centre.

The programme activities in the Day Centres of the Republic Centre – PORAKA in Skopje are being implemented in accordance with the foreseen programme for work following the Protocols for work in the Day Centres for children/persons with disability. As usual, the accent is put on gaining new and advancing the existing independent living skills.

The Republic Centre – PORAKA and PORAKA Radovish, in the past period, have been implementing activities for renovating the facilities at the Day Centre of the Republic Centre – PORAKA in Radovish, which will help to overcome the long-standing problem with moisture in the premises of the Day Centre, and which will significantly improve the working conditions with the persons with intellectual disability in the Day Centre.