@kaleidoscope

Context

The social image of people with disabilities has been an element of concern in all studies that have been developed on inclusion of these social groups. How we perceive functional diversity set a collective way to consider skills, abilities, expectations of these people and their way to perform in society, are not always positive.

There are, of course, social barriers that inevitably appear in everyday life and it is hard to be eliminated. Numerous investigations point that the barriers, obstacles, prejudice, stigma, finally, discomfort or inability to live a "normal" life are sometimes present in the psyche of the people affected by disabilities and their families, but mostly in civil society. Representations and perceptions about disabilities are built from stereotypes and unverified information, instead of direct experience. And that means that it can be changed.

These perceptions about disabilities are crucial to organizations like Autismo Sevilla, that work hardly in order to promote a positive vision about autism and the possibilities to manage and independent life. In order to break those stereotypes Autismo Sevilla promotes this project, from the conviction that improving knowledge about functional diversity is the best way to modify attitudes towards people with disabilities.

Objectives

o Understand and compare the perceptions about disabilities among the participants and also their thoughts about inclusion, independend and self determined ways of living.
o Offer concreet tools to participants in order to break stereotypes, improving their knowledge through direct experience.
o Promote volunteer activities among the participants showing the collective benefits of collaborate with the community.
o Launch a social network to share all the experiences in order to detect ways to promote a positive vision of functional diversity and publish a guide.
o Share all the contents with policy-makers, youth experts and representatives of public authorities in charge of youth, .
o Promote the active participation of young people in democratic life through an empathic attitude and taking in consideration other visions.

Participants

Young people
Disability organizations, civil society organizations, youth organizations, municipalities, universities, citizen and others.