• Skip the side menu list
• Newsletter
  • 2002 (volume 1)
  • 2003 (volume 2 - 5)
  • 2004 (volume 6 - 9)
  • 2005 (volume 10 - 13)
  • Newsletter 14
  • Newsletter15
    • Laos Disability Legislation Workshop
    • Independent Living and Peer-Counseling for PWDs
    • ICT for All: Training of DAISY for Persons with Print Disability
    • APCD Missions
    • APCD Project Activities
    • Regional News
    • Editorial Message
  • Newsletter 16
  • Newsletter 17
  • 2007 (Volume 18 - 21)
  • 2008 (volume 22 - 25)
• Pamphlet
• Video

Independent Living and Peer-Counseling for People with Disabilities
28 February - 17 March 2006

APCD organized the Training for Managerial Personnel for Independent Living Centers (ILC) and Peer-counselors for People with Disabilities (PWD) in Bangkok. This training consisted of 2 courses; among 17 participants from selfhelp organizations (SHO) of PWD in Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand, 9 persons continued to take a 10-day course on Peer-Counseling (P/C) from 9 March after completing a course on Independent Living (ILC) until 7 March. All participants had severe physical disabilities with most accompanied by personal attendants since APCD fully respects the "IL of PWD", so PWD can enjoy their lives in the community, make decisions and take responsibility for their daily activities with necessary external assistance. APCD also provided accessible accommodation and other necessary logistic support to facilitate optimum participation and comfort.

ILC Course

The participants gained necessary knowledge and skills for initiating and strengthening ILC. Since the IL concept was first developed in the USA in the 1970's and currently exists primarily in developed countries, the participants needed to consider their socio-economic situation and available resources for feasible and sustainable implementation of ILC in their locality and respect the fundamental philosophy of IL which is equally significant for PWD in developing countries. In conclusion, 11 groups of the participants according to their respective developed SHO, presented their Action Plans on how to initiate and strengthen ILC.

Peer-counselor Course

The "future peer-counselors" for the ILC were trained to equip themselves with adequate knowledge, skills and attitudes to conduct peer-counseling (P/C). P/C can be a very powerful driving force for empowerment by discharging PWD's emotions, enabling them to regain self-esteem and selfreliance. To have it realized, peer-counselors must develop their expertise through their own experiences to take and conduct P/C. Participants had individual consultation in which they received P/C from an experienced short-term JICA expert, Ms. Emiko Nakahara and resource person, Ms. Hiroko Akiyama, from the Human Care Association, Japan. Also, participants could brush up on their attentive listening skills and respond appropriately according to a client's situation. The course cultimated with "Commitment Statements" by each participant and resource person; how to realize an effective implementation of P/C in their countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower many PWD.

Thai ILC and Resource Persons from Developing Countries

Thanks to a 3-year pilot project supported by the JICA Thailand Office prior to the establishment of APCD, there are now 3 ILC in Thailand; Nonthaburi, Nakhonprathom and Chonburi. Many former participants of the pilot project have become resource persons with rich experiences in managing ILC and conducting P/C through challenges. For this training, Mr. Topong Kulkhanchit and Mr. Theerayut Sukolthan from Nonthaburi, Ms. Nanta Sampeenong and Mr. Santi Rungnasuan from Nakhomprathom, and Mr. Udomchok Choorat and Mr. Ong-art Khanthong engaged in preparation as taskforce members and provided lectures as resource persons. In addition, APCD invited 2 former participants as resource persons: Mr. Muhammad Shafiq-UR Rehman from Pakistan and Mr. Abner Manlapaz from the Philippines. In Pakistan, Mr. Shafiq has initiated the first ILC, the LIFE Independent Living Center, and now collaborates with other SHO to start IL activities in order to support PWD due to the earthquake in October 2005.

Participant Interview Corner

1. Malaysian participants shared that "IL is very important for severely disabled persons, who have been marginalized and discriminated against because it can empower them to stand up. The philosophy and concept are liberating. Although in Asian culture, beliefs and perception of disabilities are always negative and disabling, we believe that IL will provide a long-term solution and solve the problem."
2. Participants from the Philippines stated that "If we look up to Japan, which has become a modern developed, and rich country, we might think that IL is difficult for developing countries. However, I think IL can be simple like the Nakornprathom or Nonthaburi cases. I hope that an IL program can be started in the Asia and Pacific region. This is substantial and worth while for the whole world."
3. Participants from Pakistan shared that "First of all, I am very impressed with this course. I have already worked on it but didn"t know its importance until I joined this course. This training helps me to move forward to help PWDs in my area (Kashmir). There have been many people who have become disabled after the earthquake.

Special Interview on Independent Living

Mr. Shoji Nakanishi, is a short-term JICA expert with expertise in the area of Independent Living (IL) in the Asia and Pacific region. APCD promotes the importance of the IL concept to empower persons with disabilities in the region. From this perspective and relevant to the IL course that has just been completed, APCD would like to share valuable knowledge from an interview with Mr. Shoji Nakanishi to develop IL.

1) Talking of the IL Concept, does the concept differ in various countries?

Mr. Shoji N: The concept is the same, "the IL movement changes each person and their way of thinking". Then, empowered PWD can form IL groups which promote the disability movement in order to change the social system. The aim is for society to provide support and good service for persons with severe disabilities who have multiple needs and the community. This means that severely disabled people living in the community need personal assistant services, accessible housing, pension for the disabled, assistive devices like electronic wheelchairs, and a lift to transfer them from the wheelchair to their bed. In the community, transportation, accessible buildings, and other kinds of needs arise if one severely disabled person lives in the community. Most of these PWDs are found in their parents' homes or institutions. No disabled persons can live in the community because their multiple needs are not known. The IL movement can change society in other countries in Asia if the "needs" can be fully known and met for persons with severe disabilities no matter where they live, be it in Japan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc.

2) How many approaches are there in the IL concept?

Mr. Shoji N.: IL Center Management and Peer- Counseling. The IL concept changes the charity-based approach to a rights-based approach. A charity-based approach does not really think about PWDs needs but rather what people think their needs are, which does not consider the real needs of PWDs themselves. Nondisabled persons think building institutions will best meet their needs which is not true. This approach is highly dependent on community-based services to organize these services, which is difficult and requires costly human resources. A charity-based approach consumes "money and time". On the other hand, a rights-based approach respects the rights and real needs of the PWDs themselves.

IL also changes the medical model to a social model. The government sector must help communitybased services; poor countries especially, should start with a community-based model not institutions. One should find a person with a severe disability and provide services needed and then expand as needed. With this approach, persons with disabilities themselves are the specialists, not like in institutions where non-disabled professionals are employed.

3) How can Governmental sectors support IL?

Mr. Shoji N.: From the IL perspective, the aim of society is "to protect the poorest of the poor and the most severely disabled"; if society has the same aim but progress is different, no country should neglect the rights of persons with severe disabilities because PWD are considered part of the population. The "survival system" of the IL concept is the need for human resources more than money. One PWD needs 1 PA; from this you can see that this requires one person's salary only (depending on the employment rate in each country.). No matter where you are, Japan or Pakistan, the labor cost differs but the IL needs are the same, "only human resources, no facilities" are needed. If the government wants to build institutions they require much funding. But as I mentioned, IL needs only human resources, so IL can be effective even in the poorest country.

4) From APCD's training course, would you like to share anything with our friends in the region?

Mr. Shoji N.: This course makes leaders for each country and a commitment to establish independent living centers in two years. APCD leadership training courses have fortunately made new IL leaders in each country and/or organization. Trainees can already teach techniques and transfer them to other leaders in the country so the "future is promising." APCD would like to thank Mr. Shoji Nakanishi for a very comprehensive interview providing more understanding of the IL concept to be implemented effectively and efficiently in this region.