SERVICES OF THE SERVICE CENTER “DAJTE NAM ŠANSU”
Psychological support
Psychological support is intended for parents/caregivers and additionally to other family members. Strengthening of parent leads to strengthening of a family as a core of a community. Parent is then capable to continue dealing with everyday pressure and becomes a better partner and parent of a child with disabilities and typical child.
Work of the psychologist includes:
- Initial interview
- Individual support/counseling, psychotherapeutic interview and crisis interventions
- Supportive and educational workshops – workshops with group of parents (4-5 participants)
- Work with children and persons with disabilities – individually within Short-stay
Mobile team – support at family’s home address
Intended for the families that don’t have possibility to leave home because of high level of disability of a child/person, architectural obstacles etc. Mobile team consists of educated professionals, whose profile depends of the needs of the family, and educated volunteers. Services provided at the home address are following:
- Parents (psychological support, informative aid)
- Child/person with disability (care support, individual work, socializing)
At the same time, parents are given free time to complete other obligations and get some rest
Mobile team – transport service by specially adapted van
Transportation is done by a specially adapted van for persons with disabilities (wheelchair elevator) and organized on the basis of priority – families that have crisis/emergency situation (illness, death case etc.); families whose children have multiple/combined disabilities which don’t allow them to use public transportation; families whose children don’t attend any form of educational institution; families that live in rural areas and don’t own family vehicle.
Mobile team – performing tasks for the families when they are prevented from completing them in the case of crisis/emergency situation (delivering food, medications, prescription, diapers).
Safety of our beneficiaries is responsibility of our nurses. They provide following services: first aid in case of epileptic attacks and in case of injury, feeding of beneficiaries that are not capable of eating for themselves (difficulties with swallowing, chewing, PEG feeding), providing assistance with hygiene and toilet, changing diapers, toilet training.
Nurse is also a part of Mobile team that goes to home address and escorts beneficiaries during transportation of children and persons with higher health risks. Service center is the only place in Sarajevo Canton where, without supervision of parents, can stay a child/person with specific disability like PEG feeding and suction tube (pulmonary aspiration).
IT and English language workshops are adjusted to children and persons with disabilities based on their capabilities and needs and are intended for learning basic interactions (touchscreen monitor), basic and advanced programs, use of social networks, YouTube, basics of English language as well as upgrade of existing knowledge through thematic lessons, creative classes, knowledge quizzes, competitions etc.
Some of our beneficiaries are not capable of verbal communication. In that cases music with all its elements is an excellent tool of expressing of what’s happening in their heads. Music intervention has got medical, educational and social characteristics, and as such affects development and quality of life of persons with disabilities, as well as ours.
After working hours support
This is a support provided at the home address after working hours (weekend and nightshift), providing care for a child/person with disabilities as well as individual work during which parent/caregiver can finish all his obligations, spend some quality time with the rest of the family or in crisis situation. This kind of support is given by nurse.
Crisis situation support
In the case of illness/death or some other crisis situation we provide intervention by engaging all capacity of Service centers.
When your children are beneficiaries of our Service center, they have an opportunity to feel something that typical children take for granted – spending time with their friends outdoors. Our employees will go with them to the playgrounds, visit malls, markets or some other places where they can enjoy in the world around them, under carful supervision of our caretakers.
Short-stay
Short-stay – children/persons with disabilities spend up to 4 hours at the Service center as needed with previous reservation
All-day-stay
Children/persons with disabilities spend up to 8 hours at the Service center as needed with previous reservation
NEW SUPPORT SEVICE – SHORT BREAK
Children/persons with disabilities spend up to 24 hours at the Service center “Dajte nam šansu 2” with previous reservation.
This service includes individual and group work based on their needs and capabilities designed to develop new and preserve existing abilities and social integration, socialization, learning different life skills, making friends, familiarizing themselves with new life situations.
All activities are performed under supervision of nurse.
During that time parents have an opportunity to dedicate their time to some other activities and needs of the family, as well as part-time jobs in order to improve their financial situation.
This also provides necessary time for the parents/caretakers, who are under constant pressure from taking care of their child 24/7, to take a short break.
All that you want to know about your possibilities in the social environment, legally guaranteed rights and obligations and all information that can help you about your family member with disability – you are welcome to ask us. Professional staff of Service center – jurist – will provide you with quality information about your rights and the rights to your child, and help you with achieving them.
All the necessary information can be obtained in person with previous reservation or over the phone and e-mail.
If you have suspicion that your child might have disability – the least you can do, but also the best thing for your child, is to do his/her assessment. Considering that waiting lists for this in public health institutions are very long, and that this process from its beginning until its end can be quite long, we have formed a team that can do this for you.
We know that the steps from doubt, through acknowledging the justification of it and then deciding that there is a reason for assessment, is difficult and courageous, and therefore we are here to help you at this important moment in life.
One of the greatest sources of guilt is questioning yourself if you are a good parent/caregiver. This is especially the case when you have typical children beside the one with disabilities. It is inevitable that typical children are given less attention when there is a child with disabilities. That’s why it is very important that typical children learn that the fact you give them less time does not mean that they are less loved or cared for. This is exactly what we teach your children during these workshops – through games, socialization and conversation.
Every first Saturday in the month is a work Saturday in one of the service center. This allows a family additional free time to finish all other activities that can’t be finished during the week.
We perform education of prentices as teaching assistants through direct work with children and people with disabilities as a part of the project with The Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton. After education is completed, they are sent to regular and specialized educational institutions where they complete their internship as a teaching assistants for the children with disabilities.
Whenever there is a possibility, we design activities with our staff, volunteers, family members, friends of the Service centers and its partners, intended to help increase inclusion and decrease negative effects of stigmatization of persons with disabilities.
As a result, visits of children volunteers, business subjects or partners and friends of our projects are common, as well as involvement of our experts and staff in different activities in order to help decrease discrimination of our families and children in the society.
Do you want to come and visit us? Please, contact us!
In order to improve the status of the families with child/person with disability, Dajte nam šansu conducts additional activities – education and lectures for interested parties (NGO, relevant institutions, representatives of the government, media, pupils and students, professionals) and transfer of the model of The Service Center “Dajte nam šansu” throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
