This is a strategic partnership entered into by 7 European countries (Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Romania and Turkey) and 8 partners. It involves the inclusion of young people with disabilities and / or chronic health problems in society. This includes applying for assistance, involvement in learning mobilities by organizations and the lack of risk management plans at organizations, which means that these young people are often left out. The resulting project is based on the principle “Nothing about us without us”, and aims to increase inclusiveness for this target group and thus better map out the problems they may face.
Get assured
Get assured, we'll manage the risks!
Strategic Partnership for
Risk Management and Crisis Intervention in International Mobility Projects for Young People with Impairments and Chronic Illnesses
Aim and Definitions
A | AIM
The aim of this strategic partnership is to create safe environments for young people with impairments and chronic illnesses in international mobility projects, and by this to reduce access barriers to international mobility programmes for these target groups.
B | DEFINITIONS
B-1 | Risk Management
Risk management refers to the practice of identifying potential risks in advance, analyzing them and taking precautionary steps to reduce the risk. The risks that we are concentrating on are risks for the well-being, health and even lives of our participants.
Risk management implies the following steps:
– general risk analysis
– risk attitude and criteria of the organizations involved
– risk assessment for the individual participant
– provision of special needs’ support (to reduce the specific risk to a level of general risks for all)
– information, communication and guidelines (for both, participants and partner organizations)
– joint crisis intervention plan
B-2 | Crisis Intervention
While risk management intends to avoid or minimize the risks for the individuals, it cannot guarantee that nothing will go wrong. In case that risks become a real danger or harm to participants in international mobility projects, we need a strategy, as well as the capacity and the tools for crisis intervention in order to stop or reduce the danger or harm that may have occurred. This intervention will be more successful, if we have planned a strategy, build up capacity and know how to use tools in advance of the international mobility project, based on an agreement between sending and hosting organizations (joint crisis intervention plan).
B-3 | International Mobility Projects
Guidelines and tools that will be created within this strategic partnership apply, when young people with impairments and chronic illnesses are crossing borders, not for their personal (individual or group) holidays, but for stays abroad with a non-formal learning purpose, such as youth exchanges, work camps, internships, voluntary services, au pair. These international mobility projects are usually planned and put into practice by one or more sending and one hosting organization.
B-4 | Young People
As a strategic partnership within the Erasmus+ programme we are focused primarily on international mobility projects for young adults aged 18 – 30 years. In such cases that minors (age 13 – 17) may be included (e.g. youth exchanges), we are aware to also include their parents into all communication and planning.
B-5 | Impairments and Chronic Illnesses
Instruments for risk management and crisis intervention are needed by all organizations that are sending or hosting individuals or groups in an international context. In this strategic partnership we are focusing on the specific (higher) needs and risks that may occur, when we are sending or hosting young people with impairments and chronic illnesses, such as:
– sensory and motor impairments
– cognitive impairments and psychic disorders
– chronic illnesses such as hemophilia, diabetes, epilepsy, morbus crohn
