Objectives: 

– Create opportunities for listening and sharing experiences among parents whose lives have been shaped by having a child with a disability, with the aim, wherever possible, of turning what may appear to be a problem into a resource for themselves and others.

– Provide psychological and educational support to help parents relate appropriately to their children with disabilities, using suitable strategies and motivation, and support their personal and relational growth so that they can develop their potential and achievable independence as fully as possible.

– Encourage a process in which friendships develop naturally among group members, increasingly enabling mutual support regardless of whether a professional facilitator is present.

– Allow the process to continue naturally by agreeing on the timing and format of regular future meetings for those who wish to continue sharing mutual support in their relationships with their children with special needs.

Methods:

– A theoretical and practical introduction to mediated learning and its criteria, based on the principles of the Feuerstein Method. Originally developed to strengthen cognitive and relational skills in children once considered beyond help, it is now widely applied in education for people with disabilities, including specific parent-training programs.
– Encourage parents’ motivation and energy through reciprocal sharing of experiences and emotions, developing new and more effective ways to interact with their children and with one another.

Tools:

– Five two-hour meetings, approximately every two weeks, beginning in March 2011
– Sessions led by an experienced professional
– Projected materials accompanied by guidance on their interpretation and practical application
– A publication for parents on educational mediation through the Feuerstein Method.

Resources:

– Specialist expertise provided by Dr. Sara Alighieri of Rimini, psychologist and psychotherapist, Feuerstein Method practitioner and trainer.
– A dedicated space at the facility in via Cimarosa, Casalecchio di Reno, made available free of charge through the cooperation of the Local Health Authority District management.
– Promotion, organization, and final reporting by the Passo Passo Association.

Report by the Parents’ Group Facilitator:
To view and print the final report, click here.

Costs:

– 10 professional hours leading the meetings at €60 per hour, gross
– 5 hours of planning and preparation at €60 per hour, gross
– Travel included in the cost

Total (invoiced): €900

Receipt Confirming Project Funding:
To view and print the bank transfer receipt, click here.