Refresher Training to Strengthen Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR)
through a Participatory Comprehensive Approach
The Refresher Training to Strengthen the Communitybased Rehabilitation (CBR) through a Participatory Comprehensive Approach was organized by APCD in Bangkok from 27 February to15 March. The course was designed for APCD's high-profile ex-participants, who had developed their CBR projects or Self-help Groups (SHG) of People with Disabilities (PWD) in their localities after their first training with APCD. The 18 participants came from five countries, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam (CLMV) and Thailand. The main purpose of this training was to strengthen CBR projects in these countries by enabling the above target group to:
- Nurture their insights and attitudes to be effective managers of the CBR projects;
- Equip themselves with practical managerial and training skills; and
- Formulate strategies and action plans to ensure localization and sustainability of their CBR projects.
To promote their practical learning, APCD arranged field visits to Pon-ngam Sub-district, Chainat Province and Jodnongkae Sub-district, Khonkaen Province, where CBR projects have been effectively implemented through the collaboration of stakeholders. In addition, APCD conducted a one-day seminar on a CBR sub-regional network, in which the training participants and invited Thai NGOs working for CBR shared their challenges and future visions, and agreed to initiate their network to further their experiences and learn from each other.
Field Visit to Chainat: SHG of PWD and Excellent Collaboration among Stakeholders
The field visit to Pon-ngam Sub-district, Chainat Province on 3 March was very successful; participants could learn about a comprehensive CBR approach through collaboration among various sectors and empowerment of PWD through SHG.
Due to the recent decentralization of the Thai domestic administration, a Sub-district Administrative Organization (SAO) consisting of village representatives has the authority to make relevant decisions on their policies and budgets, and takes an important role to implement a CBR programme. The SAO in Pon-ngam works closely with professional service sectors such as health and education, and facilitates these organizations to cooperate in supporting PWD and their families in the community. For example, the Provincial Special Education Centre promotes inclusive education for children with disabilities (CWD) by providing supplemental educational assistance to the CWD and technical support to regular school teachers while it also refers some CWD to special schools and educates them at the Centre according to each child's capacities. Also, the Community Health Centre develops a family and community health portfolio, which includes the number of PWD and their disability types, in order to provide appropriate medical/health care and prevent causes of disabilities.
Approximately 10 SHG of PWD have been formed in the Sub-district so far. For instance, a SHG led by a person with physical impairment is engaged in embroidery; another SHG consists of blind masseurs. The members seemed to enjoy their SHG activities since they could communicate with other PWD, be financially independent through their income generative tasks and become more confident and content. The SAO has been supporting SHG by setting a policy and allocating a budget to strengthen them. Also, community volunteers support the development of SHG. These volunteers went through a basic training course organized by the Provincial Office for Social Development and Human Security. They have been active in home-visits to PWD who seldom go out of their home, provide information support for PWD and encourage PWD to form their SHG with income generative activities.
In the Pon-ngam Sub-district, the SAO, service providers, volunteers and SHG of PWD work well independently and cooperate with each other.
Field Visit to Khonkaen: Community's People's Participation and Sustainability
From 7 to 9 March 2007, APCD arranged another field
trip to Jodnongkae Sub-district in Khonkaen Province to learn
about their CBR practice which has been recognized as an
excellent project on Health Insurance for People with
Disability by the Thai Ministry of Public Health this year.
The CBR project in Jodnongkae Sub-district was initiated
by its SAO late in 2003. They organized a seminar for
representatives from SAO, the Health Center, schools,
monks, PWD, their family members and other relevant
community people to set up an action plan toward an
"inclusive community". After the seminar, a CBR
Committee was established with various stakeholders
including PWD, their families, and village leaders who have
become volunteers. Currently the CBR project in Jodnongkae
serves 98 PWD and pursues its mission to improve the
quality of life of PWD concerning their medical, educational,
vocational and social aspects.
Since its inception, the CBR project has involved PWD, their families and village leaders as volunteers, and their participation has become a driving force to sustain all the positive changes occurring in the community. PWD and their the community is also able respond to their needs utilizing their local resources and with appropriate referral.
During the visit to Jodnongkae, the CBR Committee gave a presentation and APCD participants visited PWD; participants could clearly see how sustainability of CBR and active participation of various community people are related. The participants were also engaged in field work to enhance their skills as effective facilitators and trainers at the community level. They were divided into three teams and spent 2 days with their respective target groups such as village volunteers, parents of CWD, and SHG of PWD. Teams of the APCD participants analyzed the learning needs of each target group and conducted sessions to share relevant knowledge/skills according to their learning needs.
The villagers appreciated the learning sessions organized by the APCD participants while the participants treasured this opportunity to learn about CBR practice with a participatory approach in Jodnongkae.
CBR Network Seminar: Forum among CLMV and Thailand
In order to share CBR experiences among organizations of the APCD participants and other relevant NGOs in Thailand, and to build up a network among them, a CBR Sub-regional Network Seminar was conducted as part of the
APCD training on 13 March 2007. Besides 10 organizations joining the forum, there were special observers from the UN
ESCAP, WHO and JICA. In the morning, a panel discussion was organized among representatives of five countries with
relevant topics: challenges in their CBR projects, how to sustain CBR activities in community, how to empower PWD and
strengthen the community, etc. Concerning their challenges, for example, the panelists raised issues such as insufficient information and resources, lack of the government policy and their support, people's attitude toward disability and needs of a paradigm shift from the medical/charity model of disability to the social model, a holistic support for PWD, a systematic network among local stakeholders. In the afternoon, the participants had a group discussion to develop an appropriate manner for their sub-regional networking. They agreed that a network among them would promote the CBR movement in this region and improve respective CBR projects if they could regularly exchange relevant information and diversified experiences through their network. They concluded their discussion with concrete steps for their networking:
setting a common goal, writing the term of reference of their network, developing a communication channel, setting up a basis for networking (e.g., via website), sharing of information and experiences, conducting meetings among members, field visits to members' projects, monitoring this CBR network, etc.
Throughout the Refresher Training, the participants developed significant insights on how to improve their CBR projects and are ready to take concrete actions by applying knowledge, commitment and network among the participants. As the APCD Director mentioned in the Closing Ceremony, APCD anticipates seeing all the participants sharing their learning with relevant people in their countries, and fully utilize what they gained to improve the quality and quantity of CBR in the Asia-Pacific region. APCD looks forward to an inclusive and barrier-free society through the continuous effort by these participants and their various partners.
