Workshop for activists on disability issues
NLR Indonesia, together with several development agencies and disabled people organisation (DPO) networks are committed to strengthen the disability movement in Indonesia. To this end, an advanced 14-day workshop was organised for the cadre of activists with a focus on disability issues. Through this activity, NLR Indonesia hopes that new commited actors are raised to further develop and improve the disability movements and networks.
The workshop’s main goal is to realise a disability inclusive Indonesia in 2030. From previous workshops in 2019 we know that the impact former participants of a basic level workshop experience is that they are able to take good action on disability issues, such as organising parents with children with disabilities (Down Syndrome), initiating civic journalism activities, etc. After that workshop , it seemed necessary to organise an intermediate workshop to provide more skills and knowledge related to disability, organising issues for the community and research skills that can be used in evidence-based advocacy activities.
The intermediate level online workshop was attended by 15 participants. Online methods certainly have limitations over live-in methods. Participants can’t simultaneously make public awareness by provide insights and new perspective of disabilities directly to the community when they stay overnight at the residents’ houses. Moreover, the community also is not able to interact directly with participants that consist of persons with disabilities.
The intermediate level aims to produce cadres of activists in disability issues who are progressive and have advocacy skills. Through the 14-day of workshop, it is expected they are able to encourage more actors in various sectors who are committed to realising an inclusive society. At the end of the intermediate workshop, the gradiators (the term for workshop participants) are encouraged to develop a research plan through participatory action methods. The research plan will be carried out in their own location. The workshop ended with a webinar activity to disseminate the participants’ research plan.
