SPRING 2014
Newsletter of the Association for Self Advocacy
Topic of the issue:
Volunteering
Issue 14
EDITORIAL Dear readers, some of our self-advocates volunteer in their free time. That is a very good and noble activity. That's why we decided to explain volunteering in this issue. We asked our members who volunteer to tell us a little about their experiences. I hope you will have fun as you read the new issue of the Voice of Self Advocates.
TOPIC OF THE ISSUE: VOLUNTEERING Volunteering is voluntary and free work for the benefit of others or the community. In this way, volunteering helps the development of society and inclusion of people in community life. Values of volunteering are: respect for diversity, solidarity and freedom of choice.
Editor Senada Halilčević Journalists Hrvoje Forner Snježana Kanjir Fadil Špuren Nera Bajzec Gordana Huzek Assistants Ana Janjušević Ivana Poslon Hrvoj Damjan Janjušević Mladen Katanić This newsletter was supported by a grant from the Open Society Fundations and City of Zagreb.
Persons who choose to volunteer are called volunteers. They do it for free because they want to help the community and other people. With their knowledge they help in the community and they do not want money for the work they do. Many people often need help. For example, an older person may need help of another person to buy groceries or gardening. Some associations may need help with distribution of flyers. Or maybe the community will need help to build a children's playground. Anyone can become a volunteer, regardless of gender, ethnicity or years. In order to become a volunteer man or woman should only decide that he or she wanted to help others who need help.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
Volunteers have rights and obligations which protects them against discrimination and exploitation. These rights and obligations are written in the Volunteering Act. Each volunteer is required to comply with the rules written in The Ethic Code of Volunteers. The Ethic Code of Volunteers is a list of rules which must respect each volunteer when volunteers. For example: respect other people with whom volunteers take care about the community to do its job responsible If you want to to volunteer or get information about volunteering you can contact Volunteer Center. Regional Volunteer Centers are organizations that develop volunteering in Croatia. There are 4 regional volumteer centers in Croatia: in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek. Activities that regional volunteer centers do: maintenance training about volunteering providing information on volunteering campaigning and voluntary actions implement volunteer projects and publishing brochures about volunteering. Written by Senada Halilčević i Mladen Katanić Source: Volunteering Act Volunteer Center Zagreb http://www.volontiram.info
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VOLUNTEERING OF PEOPLE WITH INTELECTUAL DISABILITIES Volunteering is a noble activity. You can be a volunteer as much time as you want. Persons with intellectual disabilities can be volunteers. Volunteers Act talks about how is voluntary work regulated. This Act specifically care for persons with intellectual disabilities who want to volunteer. Volunteering of persons with intellectual disabilities is called inclusive volunteering. In an inclusive volunteering persons with intellectual disabilities helping other and by dooing that thay are more involved in society. When a person decides that wants to help others he of she can check volunteer ads in the Volunteer Center of his or hers city . When a person chooses a place for volunteering he or she goes to the Volunteer organizer. The Volunteering organizers will give him or her all the necessary information about what he or she should do. The Volunteering organizers can be only non-profit organization. These are, for example, associations, foundations and state or municipal institutions. Volunteering organizer must pay special attention that all have equal opportunities when they volunteer. This means that someone must not prohibit volunteering because of someones sex, religion or because persons intellectual disabilities.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
It also means that some volunteers can not only work easy and the other just hard work. When persons with intellectual disabilities decides to become volunteers Volunteering organizer must enable support for them. When person which is partially or fully deprived of legal capacity become volunteer then he or she sign the Contract on Inclusive Volunteering. This contract shall be signed by the volunteer and his guardian. Every volunteering contract regulate the rights and obligations that volunteer and Volunteering organizer have. It also says how much time will person spend volunteering. Persons who are partially or fully deprived of legal capacity may terminate the Contract on Inclusive Volunteering whenever volunteering becomes too difficult for them. If person can not or do not want to volunteer he or she has to say that to his or hers guardian. That means that you do not have to do all the time which was agreed in the Contract on Inclusive Volunteering. Written by Snježana Kanjir and Ana Janjušević Source: Volunteering Act
VOLUNTEERS EXPERIENCES VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD Self-advocate Lav Ulični was named best volunteer of 2013th year. To mark Volunteer Day 2013th year he received Volunteer of the Year award. His award was presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Policy and Youth Milanka Opačić. Lav volunteering at a hospital in Slavonski Brod for 1 and a half years.
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He provides support and help to patients and their family members. Dear Lav, we congratulate you and wish you success in volunteering! Written by Fadil Špuren LAV ULIČNI, SELF-ADVOCATE AND VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR I am a volunteer in the hospital Dr. Josip Benčević in Slavonski Brod. I'm helping people to get on hospital wards they need to or going to shop with them. I am alwyas here for them. For me it is not hard to volunteer, I like helping people. I decided to volunteer because after I finished school I could not find a job and did not want just to sit at home. I wanted to be with people and not home alone. I volunteer for nearly year and a half now. I started on 11.2.2013. Mom helped me to find this volunteer position. I signed a Volunteer Agreement and have all the necessary paperwork. I volunteer on the second floor of the hospital at the internal ward. When they have time, nurses and other staff help me in my work. I volunteer every day for 5 hours from 9 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon. I recived the award for Volunteer of the Year 2013. I feel good as a volunteer of the year but I work normally as if nothing had happened. Minister Milanka Opacic presented me the award in the building of the Croatian Government. A doctor from the ward where I work proposed me for the volunteer of the year. My parents were very glad that I became volunteer of the year. They were proud. Volunteering means a lot to me.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
I socialize with people and I gained new friends. This is my first voluneering experience. My colleagues are delighted that someone helps them at the ward. Patients need to be taken on different wards all the time and that how I help. I did not have any bad experiences. People are satisfied with my work. We helping each other whenever is needed. I am the only volunteer in the hospital, all others are employed. I would like to invite other people to volunteer. My advice is: do not hurry, be kind to people and help them. People need help. ŽELJKO BARTOLIĆ, SELF-ADVOCATE AND VOLUNTEER I volunteer at the Baptist Church, at Radićeva Street 30. There I make coffee and wash the dishes. I have been attending this church for a long time, from the 2007. There we have prayer meetings. One day, people from the church offered me to be a volunteer. I liked that a lot and I decided that I wanted to volunteer at this church. After that I went to the Volunteer Center Zagreb, on Ilica 29. They made me my volunteer card. At 10.6.2013. I started to volunteer at my church. I like doing it. My impressions are very good. The Baptist Church has a lot of other volunteers except me. Soon we will have a Volunteer Day, which we will celebrate in Baptist Church in Maksimir. There we will have a luncheon. On that day I will not be volunteering I'll just hang out with my friends from church.
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Everyone that come to our church in Maksimir will receive lunch, coffee and chocolates. There will be beer to. For me, volunteering means helping other people and socializng with them. I like to volunteer because it's good to help people. DUNJA GAZIBARA, VOLUNTEER My name is Dunja Gazibara. I volunteer at the Association for Self Advocacy. I live in Sisak, so a lot of time I spend on a trips to Zagreb. For me, travelling is not a problem. It's never hard to come to Zagreb to volunteer. Often my friends help me with transportation, but also it is not a problem for me to pay a return ticket to Zagreb. For a tram ride in Zagreb I get a tickets from the Association for Self Advocacy. My work with self-advocates in association began 2.12.2014. I volunteer aapproximately 3 and a half hours per week. As a volunteer I provide support for self-advocates from the Center for rehabilitation Zagreb, a subsidiary Orlovac, on arrival and leaving from the computer workshop at the Association for Self Advocacy. Right at the beginning of volunteering, I saw that this would be a fascinating experience. Now I can safely say that I adore to volunteer. I love working with self-advocates, it fills me up and makes me happy. Every time I am re-excited with questions on a computer workshop. I realized that I wanted to volunteer for self-advocates as long as I can. Through volunteering, I met many Association for Self Advocacy members and made new friends.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
For volunteering, I decided after talking with a young girl which was a volunteer in Africa. Her story inspired me to help others, but I wanted to work in Croatia because I think in our country there are many people who need help. After that conversation I searched the ads for volunteer placements on the website of the Volunteer Centre Zagreb. My attention drew two ads, one of the Association for Self Advocacy and one of the another association. My friend Natalie Lisak from the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences recommended to me to choose the Association for Self Advocacy. After that I got all documentation that is required to become a volunteer, I submitted a Certificate of Good Conduct and signed a Contract on volunteering. Now when I saw how nice this work is. I am telling to all the people around me to start volunteering. I think most people can find a few hours a week to help people in need. Sometimes we do not know how little of our time and goodwill takes to make others happy. To persons who are thinking to start volunteering I would like to say that this is very noble work and the inner satisfaction that you get in return is more than worth of the spent time. Try to volunteer, you will see that you will not regret it! All interviews conducted by Fadil Špuren, Snježana Kanjir, Senada Halilčević, Hrvoje Forner, Tomislav Ivašković
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TOMISLAV BAŠIĆ, EMIN BAŠIĆ AND JADRAN BALENOVIĆ, SELF-ADVOCATES AND VOLUNTEERS Self-advocates Tomislav Bašić, Emin Bašić and Jadran Balenović are volunteers in the association Ruka šapi. This association takes care about abadonded, abused and ill dogs and cats. Self-advocates told us about their volunteer experience. Where do you volunteer? In Vodnjan, in the association Ruka šapi. How did you find out that association Ruka šapi needs volunteers? Our friends from association, Marko and Ozren told us. When did you start to volunteer? We started more than a year ago. What is your task there? We take care about abadonded dogs and take them for a walk. We divide in 2 groups. Every group takes 3 dogs. Kristina and Grga from the association Ruka šapi provide us support. We take dogs out for the walk in town and fields outside Vodnjan. How often you go there? We volunteer 3 days a week. On Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
Are you affraid to work with dogs? We are not afraid. The only thing we need to be careful is that dogs do not brake free from the leash. Dogs are scared of cars, so we need to look out when we walk them on the main road. What are your impressions about volunteering in association Ruka šapi? We like to volunteer a lot. We met lots of new people, and also we gain 2 new friends. We are socializing with people and animals. Everybody liked us very much. What do you think about volunteering? Volunteering is good because is nice to help other. Interview conducted by Ivana Poslon Hrvoj
NEWS PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE OCCASION CHANGES TO THE FAMILY ACT At 02.20.2014. Association for Self Advocacy held press conference on the occasion proposed changes of the Family Act. At the conference were Damjan Janjušević and Senada Halilčević. They informed present journalists on the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.
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Especially, they talked how deprivation of legal capacity affects lives persons with intellectual disabilities and about flaws in the new draft of the Family Act. Association for Self Advocacy advocates that persons with intellectual disabilities can make their own decisions. Some persons need support to do that. Unfortunately, the proposed Family Act still says that person can be deprived of legal capacity. This means that guardians will continue to make decisions for the persons with intellectual disabilities. Written by Mladen Katanić
ROUND TABLE IN CROATIAN PARLIAMENT – CHANGES OF THE FAMILY ACT Under sponsorship of Parliamentary Commitee for Health and Social Policy the round table in ZABAVNIK Croatian Parliament was held on 24 February 2014. Association for Self Advocacy, GONG and Ombudsman for persons with disabilities organized the round table. In the first part representatives of faculties, service providers and represenatives of state institutions expressed their experiences and opinions about guardianship and supported-decision making model. Self-advocates from the Association for Self Advocacy Nenad Sekušak and Romana Sekušak shared their life stories and told their opinion about depriving of legal capacity. In the second part participants of the round table disscused about changes of the Family Act.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
Participants concluded that the new Act gives more rights to persons with intellectual disabilities and also respect more the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Although the new proposal for the Family Act makes improvement, guardians still have big influence on the life of persons with intellectual disabilities. Association for Self Advocacy and GONG demanded that the new family Act ensure more support for persons with disabilities. Written by Mladen Katanić
EDUCATION ON USING VIDEO CAMERA Association for Self Advocacy organized on 15th and 16th of March an education on using video camera. We have lernd how to use a camera and how to make a film. Lecturers were Željka Kovačević and Morana Komljenović from organization Fade-In. Brett Davidson from Open Society Foundations lernd us how to present films to the audience. On educating our guests were self-advocates and assistants from Belišće, Osijek, Rovinj, Slavonski Brod and Split. Each self-advocacy group received a camera as a gift. With this camera groups should record their short film. These films will be presented at the Croatian Conference of Self-advocates which will be held in September. This education was organized as part of the Using new media to advocate for our rights project with financial support from the Open Society Foundations. Written by Snježana Kanjir and Ana Janjušević
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PROJECT I UNDERSTAND In February of this year the Association for Self Advocacy started cooperation with the Association Solem from Macedonia. Together, we are implementing project I understand that is funded by the European Union. Through this project Association Solem will establish a group of self-advocates in Skopje. Self-advocates will be introduced with their rights written in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. They will also make easy to read brochure on the Convention which will be shared among other persons with intellectual disabilities in Macedonia. Association for Self Advocacy is a partner on the project. Two self-advocates and two assistants from our association implemented several activities. The first activity we have already carried out in April. From 6 to 11 of April we stayed in Skopje, the Macedonian capital. There we educated self-advocates and assistants about the importance of self-advocacy and how to start your own group. In addition, we educate them about making easy to read material. Self-advocates and assistants from the Association Solem showed great interest in education and they welcomed us very nicely. Looking forward to the next reunion. Written by: Ivana Poslon Hrvoj
A VISIT FROM SLOVENIA On 17th of April 2014 visited us guests from Slovenia from Association Skupaj zmoremo.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
In visit came 10 self-advocates and 3 assistants. We talked about the work of our associations and common problems that self-advocates have. It was very nice and we look forward to future cooperation. Written by Snježana Kanjir
EUROPE IN ACTION The president of the Association for Self Advocacy Tomislav Ivašković and self-advocate Senada Halilčević with the support of their assistant Mladen Katanić participated at the Europe in Action conference held in Belfast from 15 till 17 May 2014. The conference was organized by Inclusion Europe in cooperation with organization Mencap from United Kingdom. The theme of the conference was Growing up with an intellectual disability. The conference discussed the impact that intellectual disabilities have on the lives of individuals and their families. There was also a discussion about the ways for improving the lives of persons with intellectual disabilities and their inclusion into community. Self-advocates participated at many meetings and workshops. Regular EPSA General Assembly was held as part of the conference. EPSA is short for European Platform of Self Advocates. Our self-advocate Senada Halilčević was again elected for EPSA president. Written by Senada Halilčević i Mladen Katanić
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WORKSHOP ON EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS An easy-to-understand workshop for self-advocates on European Parliamentary elections was held in the Association for Self Advocacy on 23 of May 2014. We have informed self-advocates about the role of the European Parliament, about the tasks that Members of Parliament have and how to vote on these elections. We also had a short presentation of candidates lists and the ballot paper. European Parliament electiones in Croatia were held on 25 of May 2014. Written by Ana Janjušević
GREEN CLASSROOM A garden party of the Green Inclusive Classroom of the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences was held on 5 of June 2014. Green inclusive classroom is a project through which a garden and multisensory park were made. The multisensory park is a place in which people can see, smell, touch or eat the plants that grow in it. The band Foster Home Antun Gustav Matoš, string quartet Musica pro bono and coir Čipkice performed at the party. Asylum seekers in Croatia prepared the food. Self-advocate Snježana Kanjir and assistant Ana Janjušević visited the party on behalf of Association for Slef Advocacy. The party was very nice and entertaining. We also learned a lot and we happily look forward to new gatherings. Written by Ana janjušević
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
NEJKO'S CORNER My name is Nejko Perko. I am a self-advocate from Slovenia. Soon I will be 48 years old. I work in Varstveno delovni center Draga. There I work with clay and I paint on glass. In my free time I volunteer in a tourist office. I help there with organization of events. I work with medicinal plants since I was 14 years old. In my article I will wright about medicinal plants, what they are for, when to harvest them and how to prepare them. NETTLE Harvest time for nettle is from May till Septmber. Only the tops of the plant are harvested. That means that we pick only upper 10 centimeters of one stem. When we harvest the nettle we have to be careful because it can cause burns. That is why we have to put protective glowes or plastic bag on our hands. The best places for harvesting the nettle are those without many cars, the forest for example. We have to dry the leaves right after harvesting. We prepare tea from dried leaves. That kind of tea is good for treating many illnesses. It helps with treating gout, reumatic illnesses, liver problems, bile and diabetes. The nettle is especially good at treating illnesses related to urinary tract infections, problems with iregural urination, kidney stones, kidney purification and prostate infections. Nettle coating helps with treating scarlet fever and smallpox.
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The nettle is also being used in cosmetics. The nettle shampoo is recommended for strengthening of hair, prevention of hair loss and removing of dandruff. The nettle can also be used in diet. Here is one recepie for tasty and healthy meal. For 2 persons you will need:: 300 g of fresh nettle water 1 little spoon of wheat flour 1 slice of garlic 2 dcl of cooking milk cream 2 dcl of milk 2 cooking pots choping board strainer oil salt Procedure: 1. Boil 2 litres of water in a middle sized cooking pot. 2. Throw in the nettle into the boiling water and immediately remove the pot from the stove. 3. After 5 minutes drain the nettle and chop it into small pieces on a choping board. 4. Peel and chop the garlic into small pieces. 5. In a dry cooking pot pour some oil, heat it and briefly fry the flour on it. 6. Remove the pot from the fire, put garlic in and stir everything. 7. Put in choped nettle, milk, cooking milk cream, salt according to your needs and then nicely stir everything. 8. Return the pot on the fire and continue stiring till it boils. 9. Keep stiring and after 4 minutes of cooking the nettle is ready to be served. Written by Nejko Perko
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
FUN PAGES RECOMMENDATION Armadillo Fuleco - the mascot of the From 12 June till 13 July in Brasil will be held Football World Cup in Brasil 2014 Football World Cup 2014. The first game at the Cup was played between Brasil and Croatia. Open-air watching of the games is organized in many cities in Croatia. FINALS OF ABA LEAGUE The finals of ABA league basketball tournament were played from 24 April till 27 of April 2014 in Belgrade in the Arena hall. Cibona and Crvena Zvezda met in the first half-final game. Cibona won with the result 75 to 70. In the second half-final game Cedevita and Partizan met. Cedevita won with the result 81 to 79. Cibona and Cedevita played for ABA league champion on 27 April. That was the first finals of Zagreb clubs in the history of ABA league. Cibona won with the result 72 to 59 and became the basketball champion of ABA league. The best player in the finals was Šarić. Cibona and Cedevita secured this way their participation at Euroleague next year. Written by Fadil Špuren
FOOTBALL WORLD CUP IN BRASIL 2014 Football World Cup started in June. The Cup will be played in Brasil from 12 June till 13 July. Croatian team opened the Cup on Thursday on 12 June in the match with the host Brasil. That game was played in Sao Paolo with the beggining at 22 o'clock. Unfortunately, Brasil beat the Croatia with 3 goals to 1.
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At the transition from 18 June to 19 June right at midnight we played against Cameroon. Croatia won the game with 4 goals to 0. Last game in the group we played against Mexico on 23 June at 22 o'clock. Unfortunately, Croatia lost from Mexico with 1 goal to 3. This means that the Cup is over for Croatia. We hope that we shall play better next time. In September 2014 start the qualifications for UEFA European Championship which will be held in 2016 in France. On Tuesday on 9 September 2014 we play with Malta at 20:45 o'clock. On Friday on 10 October 2014 we play with Bulgaria at 20:45 o'clock. On Monday on 13 October 2014 we play with Azerbaijan at 20:45 o'clock. On Sunday on 16 November 2014 we play with Italy at 20:45 o'clock. In 2015 we have 6 more games. On Saturday on 28 March 2015 we play with Norway at 18:00 o'clock. On Friday on 12 June 2015 we play with Italy at 20:45 o'clock. On Thursday on 3 September 2015 we play with Azerbaijan at 18:00 o'clock. On Sunday on 6 September 2015 we play with Norway at 18:00 o'clock. On Saturday on 10 October 2015 we play with Bulgaria at 20:45 o'clock. Last game we play with Malta on Tuesday on 13 October 2015 at 20:45 o'clock. Napisala Nera Bajzec
GOGA'S RIDDLE Why potatoes were created? So that the poor could have someone to peel.
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Newsletter of the Association for Self-Advocacy
QUIZ 1 What does volunteering mean?
a) water
b) Coca Cola
c) brandy
2 Which country is this years host of the Football World Cup 2014?
a) to work for salary
b) to work without salary
c) to build a house
3 Which is the healthiest drink?
a) China
b) Germany
c) Brasil
Created by Hrvoje Forner, Senada Halilčević, Snježana Kanjir, Tomislav Ivašković i Fadil Špuren
WORDSEARCH Find these words in the wordsearch: BRASIL FLOWERS SWALLOW SEA FOOTBALL
SPRING COMPUTER SUN PLAYER VOLUNTEER
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ADVICES CORNER QUESTION How can I know am I doing my job well? ANSWER This question is really hard to answer. But we shall try to explain what is important in order to be a successful worker. There are many jobs, but all of them have some common rules. For example: you have to arrive at work regularly and on time you need to do all of your work tasks responsibly and conscientiously. That means that you have to be hard-working and take care that you do all of your tasks on time. you have to respect your colleagues because we get better results when we cooperate. you have to respect other peoples opinions and actively participate in work If you respect these rules it means that you are a good worker. If you are still not sure how good are you in doing your job, you can always talk to your colleagues.
CONTACT US
Bleiweisova 15, 10 000 Zagreb Telephone: 01 555 66 80, Fax: 01 555 66 89 E- mail: kontakt@samozastupanje.hr Visit our web site: www.samozastupanje.hr or visit us on Facebook!