Independent Living
- Thai Persons with Disabilities Empowered by Independent Living Training
- Independent Living in Thailand: Review of Three Pilot Projects by Suporntum Mongkolsawadi
- Interview with Peer-Councilor for Independent Living Training: Ms.Emiko Nakahara and Ms.Hiroko Akiyama
Thai Persons with Disabilities Empowered by Independent Living Training
Mr.Anurak Jureemart, Ms.Panit Nitipanpropas,Permanant Secretary(left).Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
The Second Independent Living (IL) Training was organized by the Redemptorist Vocational School in collaboration with APCD for Thai persons with disabilities (PWDs) from 27 January - 1 February 2003.A one day seminar with more than 300 participants was held in Bangkok to learn about the concept of IL which was followed by a five day workshop on peer-counseling in Pattaya. Thirty-seven leaders of PWDs studied the technique of peer-counseling from two Japanese experts.
The training "Promotion of Understanding and Technical Transfer of Peer-counseling" was the second of a three year IL Training program supported by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The first training concentrated on the concept of IL the third focuses on management of an IL center. The goal is to empower Thai citizens with disabilities by training local leaders of PWDs to understand the concepts and skills of IL.
Empowered PWDS Empower PWDS
"Thai leaders with disabilities are getting empowered and have some confidence", said Ms. Akiyama, a Japanese expert on IL, who has participated in the training program from the beginning. She could already see a positive attitude among the Thai leaders. "During the technical workshop on peer-counseling, the Thai leaders began to look brighter and brighter", reported Ms. Nakahara, another Japanese expert.
IL training was first introduced to Thailand three years ago. Mr. Suporntum Mongkolsawadi, Principal of the Redemptorist Vocational School, one of the initiators, is an avid practitioner of IL. The first training resulted in three pilot projects in different provinces that meet monthly to pursue IL and in turn inspire others.
Having learned about the concept and movement of IL, they will be capable of implementing an IL center with peer-counseling. APCD hopes that the IL training will expand from Thailand to neighboring countries and to the Asian and Pacific region.
What is Independent Living?
Independent living is a philosophy and movement of people with disabilities (PWDs) who work for self-determination, equal opportunities, and self-respect. This does not mean that PWDs want to do everything by themselves, do not need any assistance or want to live in isolation. But rather, it means their needs are to have the same choices and control in their daily lives as others in society. They also need to support and learn from each other in order to organize themselves to work for political changes towards legal protection of human and civil rights.
According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, (UNESCAP), "independent living" means living just like everyone else, having opportunities to make decisions and being able to perform activities like others in society.
