1st stakeholder meeting held in the Czech Republic organized by Kozodoj

Within the ELEVATE project, project partner Kozodoj z.s. organized three stakeholder meetings in 2025. These meetings aimed to introduce the ELEVATE project, engage relevant organizations and map needs, experiences and good practices related to the inclusion of seniors and people with disabilities.

On February 24, 2025, an educational seminar was held to present the ELEVATE project to Czech and Bavarian organizations and institutions whose work involves the inclusion of seniors and people with disabilities into mainstream society. The organizations were invited to participate in the ELEVATE project. They were introduced to the project concept and roles – a pilot event by partner Kozodoj z.s. The director of Fokus pro Karlovarský kraj z.ú. gave a presentation on mental health care for people with disabilities. He familiarized the participants with comprehensive care for mental illness in the Czech Republic. The summary information contributed to the ELEVATE project for comparison with systems in Bavaria, Slovakia, and other areas of the Danube region. The presentation focused on various options for helping to include people with mental disabilities, from severe to mild diagnoses. It targeted various options for assistance. The aim was to map the situation and prepare the groundwork for the implementation of the project's pilot activities. The lecture was followed by a brainstorming session, where all participants shared their experiences and insights. These were incorporated into a concept for future methodology and the sharing of good practice in the Czech Republic. Materials for the methodology and a schedule for the individual project pilots began to be prepared.

On April 10, 2025, an educational seminar was held to present the ELEVATE project to Czech organizations focused on visual impairments. The topic was various approaches to helping blind or visually impaired people with inclusion. Various visual impairments were simulated in a practical demonstration. The aim was to illustrate the individual limitations resulting from visual impairments. Participants, therapists, and caregivers tried out the simulations. This gave them a personal insight into the insurmountable obstacles that blind people face on a daily basis. This was followed by a demonstration of group animal-assisted therapy. The aim was to show how animals can help expand and strengthen perception through other human senses. How they can contribute to the mental well-being of individuals through physical contact and petting. Another added value of animal-assisted therapy is team building and bonding within the group. It creates an environment for easier communication and the release of hidden emotions through new stimuli. The aim was to map the needs of blind and visually impaired people, which would be incorporated into the concept for the pilot activities of the ELEVATE project. This will create a tool for work methodologies and the inclusion of blind people in society.

On May 28, an educational seminar was held to present the ELEVATE project by organizations focused on health disabilities such as hearing loss, autism, Down syndrome, ADHD, mild mental retardation, etc. The seminar aimed to demonstrate social pedagogical work in practice with adult clients. The lecturer used practical examples to demonstrate the possibilities of working with individuals and groups of disabled clients. The second half consisted of brainstorming with the aim of finding innovative solutions for the emerging ELEVATE project concept. Ways of using verbal and non-verbal signals that individual groups would be able to accept appropriately were demonstrated. Finally, feedback was developed – evaluation, suggestions for innovation, evaluation of individual approaches.

Author: Šarka Kuthanova