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Peer Counseling in Upper Austria: Empowering People with Disabilities

Learn about the history and development of peer counseling in Upper Austria, including the qualification process, activity fields, and successful outcomes. Discover how peer counseling is recognized as a social profession and the impact it has on empowering people with disabilities.

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Peer Counseling in Upper Austria: Empowering People with Disabilities

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  1. Peer Counseling in Upper-Austria Drawing andCopyright byDavid Werner

  2. History 2008: Peer Counseling was formalizedundertheUpper Austrian EqualOppurtunitiesAct. (§17) 2008: The Empowerment-Center (EMC) as a centerforPeer Counselingandeducation was founded in Linz bythe Independent Living Initiative Upper-Austria (SLI OÖ). The EMC isfinancedbythelocalgovernment. 2009: The EMC submits a conceptfordisability-specificPeer Counselingqualificationcoursesatthelocalgovernmenttogetherwith FAB Organosasresponsibletrainingorganization.

  3. History 2009: Juristsofthelocalgovernment in Upper Austria create an amendmentoftheSocialProfessionsActintroducingPeer Counselingasa socialprofessionbased on theconceptforthePeer Counselingqualificationcoursesandachievedtheformalization in September. 2009: In November startof a Peer Counselingqualificationcourseforpeoplewithpsychiatricexperiencesandstartof a Peer Counselingqualificationcourseforpeoplewithphysicaldisabilities in theEmpowerment-Center with FAB Organosasresponsibletrainingorganization.

  4. History 2011: In June startofthefirstPeer Counselingqualificationcourseforpeoplewithintellectualdisabilities. Forthiscoursethewholecontentwas translated in easy-to-readlanguagebyan organizationcalledKI-I. KI-I is a networkofcompetenceandinformationtechnologybased in thetechnicaluniversity in Linz , to promote theintegrationofpeoplewithdisability. http://www.ki-i.at 2013: Start ofthesecondPeer Counselingqualificationcourseforpeoplewithpsychiatricexperiences. All courseshavebeenfinancedbythelocalgovernment. Today 76 peercounselorsoffer Peer Counseling in Upper Austria. Most ofthemareworkingforsocialorganizations. The working placesofthe Peer-Counselorsare also financedbythelocal government.

  5. Peer Counseling in theUpper Austrian SocialProfessionsAct The qualificationprocessofPeer Counselingiscomprisedofat least 240 teachingunitsand 80 hoursofinternship. The theoreticqualificationincludesthefollowingtopics: 1. Fundamental communicationskills (16 units) 2. Fundamental counselingskills (80 units) 3. Introduction in Peer Counseling(48 units) 4. Information andreflectionaboutlivingwithdisabilities (48 units) 5. Political Education anddisabilityrelatedlaws (32 units) 6. Social Services in Upper Austria (16 units)

  6. Peer Counseling in theUpper Austrian SocialProfessionsAct • Totakepart in a qualificationprocessofPeer Counselinga minimumageof 18 yearsisrequiredas well astheexperienceoflivingwithsome form ofdisability. • Peer-Counselorshavetoattendat least 16 unitsofspecialfurtherqualificationcourseseverytwoyears.

  7. ActivityfieldsofPeer Counseling • The experienceoflivingwithsome form ofdisabilitymakesPeer Counselingveryspecialanddiffersfromothermethodsofcounseling.

  8. ActivityfieldsofPeer Counseling • Peer-Counselorsofferotherpeople withdisablities a trustfulexchange ofviewsandexperiences. • Peer counselorshelpotherpeople withdisablilitiestoincreasetheirself-confidence andtoreachtheirowntargets. • Peer counselorsprovidethenecessarysupporttohelp a personwithdisabilitytosolveproblemsandto find therightsolutions on her orhisown. • Peer-counselorsprovideguidanceandadvicetootherpeoplewithdisabilitythusenhancingtheirlife-quality.

  9. ActivityfieldsofPeer Counseling • Peer-counselors also provideguidanceandadvicetootherpeoplewithdisabilitywhenhelpisneeded in officialaffairs, e.g. toget a serviceaccordingtotheUpper Austrian EqualOpportunitiesAct. • Peer-counselorsprovideguidanceandadvicetootherpeoplewithdisabilitywhentheyarediscrimatedbecauseoftheirdisability, e.g. Peer Counselorscanaccompanypeoplewithdisabilitiestoconciliatoryproceedingsaccordingtothe Austrian Federal DisabilityDiscriminationact.

  10. SuccessfulIssues • New jobsforpeoplewithdisabilitieswereestablishedbythePeer Counselingqualificationcourseswhicharefinancedbythelocalgovernment. • Peer Counselingshowsthatdisabilityisnolongerconsideredas a deficit but as a competencetobehelpfulforotherpeoplewithdisabilities. • Peer Counselingis a usefulinstrumenttoempowerpeoplewithdisabilitiesfor an independentliving. • Peer Counseling in Upper Austria islegallyrecognizedas a socialprofessionthatneedscomprehensiveeducation. Thisisuniqueworldwide.

  11. Contact Forfurtherinformation pleasecontact Mag. Wolfgang Glaser, Manager oftheEmpowerment-Center E-mail: w.glaser@sli-emc.at Telephone: ++43-732-890046

  12. Thankyouforyourattention!

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