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Supporting Me About Rights to Sexuality

Funder: European CommissionProject code: 2020-1-ES01-KA204-082783
Funded under: ERASMUS+ | Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices | Strategic Partnerships for adult education Funder Contribution: 164,925 EUR

Supporting Me About Rights to Sexuality

Description

Persons with intellectual disabilities (PwID) & Persons with mental health conditions (PwMHC), like any other human being, have sexual desires, need affective relationships & freedom to express their sexuality. In this regard, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with disabilities (UNCRPD), ratified by the European Union, states that People with Disabilities have the same human rights as everyone in all areas of life. These rights include rights related to sexuality. However, commonly, people with intellectual disabilities & mental health conditions have lacked an integral sexual education & support to help them in their sexual lives. This context is slowly changing. Policy makers & key stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of addressing the sexuality of PwID & PwMHC as an inherent right. However, in spite of the fact that lot of excellent educative material has been produced to raise awareness & train with regards to sexuality it seems to have had a low impact so far with regards to how PwID & PwMHC are actually able to practise sexual activities & express their sexuality in whatever way they choose. The SMARTS Project (Supporting Me About Rights to Sexuality) is devoted to filling this gap, between knowledge learnt & practical implementation. This will be done through 2 perspectives: 1) By promoting Active Supported decision making (SDM) in real life contexts in the field of sexuality & 2) by promoting the Implementation of specific policies & procedures from support service organisations to better address sexuality issues. SMARTS will have a duration of 36 months and be implemented by an international partnership of 5 organizations with complementary expertise from the following countries: Spain (Astres Foundation), Portugal (Associacao para a recuperacao de cidadaos inadaptados da lousa (A.R.C.I.L), Greece (Theotokos Foundation), Belgium (European Association of Service Providers for persons with Disabilities-EASPD) and the UK (Social Care Training ltd). The project will have 2 main target groups: 1. Care providers supporting PwID & PwMHC. 3 profiles: 1) Family members 2) Professionals & staff members 2) Support provider organizations 2. Adults with intellectual disabilities & mental health conditions who wish to exercise more control over decision affecting their daily sexual life. Specific objectives:1.To better identify support needs of PwID & PwMHC in the field of sexuality.2. Develop skills of PwID & PwMHC & care providers to make supported decisions in the field of sexuality3. Capacitate care providers to implement practical support in the field of sexuality. 4.To create user-friendly resources for PwID & PwMHC to better address their rights with regard to sexuality.5. Raise awareness on the need & available means to address SDM in the field of sexuality for PwID & PwMHC6. Advocate at EU & local level on the importance to address sexual support for PwID & PwMHCThe project will produce 6 complementarily outputs: 1.UNCRPD compliant guidelines on SDM on sexuality issues for people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities-Guidelines for professionals and staff members2.UNCRPD compliant guidelines on SDM on sexuality issues for people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities-Guidelines for family carers3.Policy & practice guidance on sexuality for service providers4.Awarenes Toolkit for PwID and PwMHC5.Training course for caregivers6.Policy recommendations3 rounds of LTT activities will be implemented to train users in the SMARTS materials. Project materials will be also tested and reviewed in subsequent pilots implemented at local level by service provider organizations members of the SMARTS partnership.Expected results are: PwID & PwMHC feel more empowered to make decisions with regard to their sexuality and supporters will feel better equipped & skilled to support decision making after using the SMARTS materials, service managers feel better equipped to assess & address procedural changes to better support the sexuality rights within their services.Expected long term impacts of the project are increased general openness & positive attitude to address the ( still often sensitive) topic of sexuality of PwID & PwMHC both by users & supporters, The SDM approach is increasingly accepted by professionals, support organizations & users themselves as the appropriate strategy to address & implement the rights of PwID & PwMHC with regards to their sexual needs, wishes & expression in accordance with the UNCRPD principles, Key organizational procedures proven positive to support sexuality of PwID & PwMHC within a variety of support services are progressively accepted & integrated by organization managers.

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