Life and active participation in the community is the way forward to ensure true inclusion for the common good. This was the message of Prime Minister Robert Abela during a visit he made to Dar Warda Pembroke, a residential home in the community where four young people with disabilities live.
Young people aged between 14 and 19, who with the support they are being given by the support workers of Aġenzija Sapport, are living among the community while improving their skills. This is because they are given individual attention according to their skills and what is of interest to them. What also stands out is the preparation that these young people, in a family environment, are being given to become more and more independent.
Among others, accompanied by the support workers, every week they go shopping for daily needs or for other things they need. They are also reaching their aspirations by being given support to train in what interests them. From support to those who are studying, to those who excel in drawing or sports such as swimming.
Prime Minister Robert Abela noted with satisfaction, during a visit to this residence accompanied by the Minister for Inclusion, Volunteering and Consumer Rights Julia Farrugia Portelli, that with these residences in the community, we are not only offering an appropriate environment to these children and young people in our cities and villages, but we are also investing in their abilities to continue walking forward and fulfill their dreams. He claimed that for this government the rights of people with disabilities are linked to equality, and even though among others the rate of people with disabilities in the world of work has increased, we can never say that we have arrived and therefore we will continue to strive so that every person with a disability is given all the support they need.
He added that while we are continuing to increase these types of homes in the communities, we are also investing in new services including that of a personal assistant that are allowing these children and young people to live an active life in the community where they grew up. in it.
In fact, this house is one of the number of places that the agency manages in the community in various localities in Malta and Gozo with the service of Supported Independent Living, which project was central in the government policy for inclusion, in recent years.
With this service it is intended to offer accessible spaces and an environment where people with disabilities can acquire and improve their skills by following individualized plans prepared for them according to their wishes and needs so that eventually they can live in the community independently.
A total of 90 people with disabilities are currently benefiting from these transitional programs on an independent living basis while Aġenzija Sapport is working to open more transitional facilities, including in Kirkop and Qrendi while a house in Had-Dingli will be opened to be used for respite services.
Present for this visit was the CEO of Aġenzija Sapport, Oliver Scicluna.
Photographs (OPM-DOI)
