Creating a Model Independent Living Training Program for Armenia

When I came to Full Life we had only one working Russian XP Desk Top Computer, one password locked Lenova Desk top, three lap top computers and a pile of non-working desk top computers in a corner.  We got a Minnesota Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Grant to repaire two of the non-working computers got two donated Lenovo computers, got a new desktop, four flat screen monitors, and MS Windows and Office software to create six working computers in our Computer lab.  Even though some people felt that this was an adequate accomplishment for my Peace Corps Service I felt it was just a tool that I wanted to be able to use to do more within Full Life NGO than to just teach Computer skills to children.  The concept of an Independent Living Training Program came about while my Counterpart and I were taking a Grant Training Program and considered what we could do to teach people with Disabilities to be able to live more independently.  At first we considered how we could find a home that we could make Handicapped Accessible where we could teach Independent Living Skills to people with Disabilities.  When we presented this concept to my director he suggested that it would be better to put money into a home that Full Life owned than to spend money to rent a home to use for this program.

That gave us the idea that this would be a great project to put into our last building at camp that was needing restoration.  Since it was at our camp it also expanded the program beyond just thinking about working with Adults with Disabilities to where we would use it to promote the concept of being able to live independently to the Children of our Inclusive Summer camp.

Within a concept of creating an Independent Living Training Program there developed three parts to the program.  The first part was to have a residential program where people with disabilities could have a handicapped accessible home that they could use improve their skills in learning to live Independently.  This meant creating a kitchen designed to be accessible to people in wheel chairs with modern conveniences like a dishwasher and microwave to assist people with disabilities to learn to be more independent.  We had a clothes washing and drying machine within our Handicapped accessible bathroom and shower room to help teach clothing maintenance.

The second part of the Independent Living Program home was to have exercise equipment to be able to promote Physical Therapy and exercise for people with Disabilities to help them physically strengthen their muscles to adapt to any Physical Disabilities.  This we felt would be a helpful addition for not only working with adults with Disabilities within our community but it also could be useful for children with disabilities to promote exercise and physical therapy programs that could start while they were young to strengthen their bodies to overcome any physical disabilities.

 The third part of the program would be to promote vocational skills with people with disabilities through our computer lab at the Full Life Office so that they could improve their skills and opportunities to find employment to assist them in being able to afford to live more independently.  Within our Computer Lab we added Microsoft Office Software as well as typing, photo, video, and Power Point Presentation Software so that a person could work on improving their computer vocational skills.  This would allow people who are learning Independent Living Skills within the home to come to the Full Life Office during the day and work on developing the vocational skills needed to find employment to prepare them to afford to live independently.

The first major part of creating this program was to create a design for the cabin we had at our camp to turn it into a handicapped accessible training home.  This developed through different stages of the design where we decided how to remove some of the existing walls to open up a space for a kitchen and large living room area, create one handicapped accessible bathroom out of two small ones, create a hallway connecting the two halves of the building into a self-contained home with two entrances, and creating a large room to use for exercise and physical therapy.

  This has allowed this cabin to be able to be a handicapped accessible self-contained Home that could not only be used to support our Independent Living Program, our Summer Camp program, but also for smaller groups of individuals with disabilities to use while having special training as well as to house volunteer work crews who come to work within our camp.  

Video Made By Independent Living Program Residents about what they learned to cook during their Program

We were able to set up a first of its kind Model Independent Living Training Program in Armenia as well as to promote exercise therapy and Independent Living Skills within our Inclusive Handicapped Accessible Summer Camp Program.  We are applying and hoping to have funding to expand and continue this Independent Living Program next year.  But the program will be able to be continued as a part of our Summer Camp Program while allowing our camp to be used for more than just a month during the summer for Children’s Camps.  This program is meant to be a model to promote People with Disabilities to be able to learn to Live Independently together.  This could become a model that could be used in any city where people with Disabilities may have to move away from their homes to go to School or seek employment.  No longer do People with Disabilities have to be limited to spend their lives living with their families.  But they also can learn to go to school, get jobs, and to live on their own or together independently.

Armenian Slide Show Introduction To Independent Living Program

Full Life Camp - One of Stepanavan's Hidden Resources

Full Life Camp - One of Stepanavan's Hidden Resources

One of the things I was looking for in coming to Armenia was an Organization where I could help people with disabilities to live a Full and Independently integrated life within Armenia.  I was able to find that type of program in coming to Full Life NGO.  Not only are they involved in supporting Children with disabilities to feel accepted and included within their communities and the educational system while growing up.  But they also advocate for Adults with Disabilities to be be included within the workforce and to be able live a fully integrated life within their communities.

One of the hidden resources of Full Life and the Stepanavan Community is Full Life's Camp.  Most people in Stepanavan don't know that it exists except for a few Taxi Drivers who have learned about it because we have paid them to take us up the rough and rocky road to the camp.  But to the children and adults who have been there it is an Oasis of fun, fellowship, and support that they can not find all over Armenia.  Part of that is that there are very few places like it that are fully accessible to people with disabilities.  The other part is it is a place where people are accepted for who they are and they are included in a network of friends and supporters with and without disabilities who care about them. Full Life Camp became the center of attention in Stepanavan this summer when the potential future leader of Armenia, the Prime Minister drove through Stepanavan just to visit Full Life Camp.  Although I was two shy to ask for a picture with the Prime Minister I didn't mind sneaking into the background of a picture of him with one of my Peace Corps Friends.

One of my favorite times working with Full Life is any time we are working at Full Life Camp.  This year we were able to have 4 weeks of inclusive camp for younger and older Children from all over Armenia.  It was a time of fun where everyone was included no matter what type of abilities or disabilities you might have.  One of my favorite times at camp is whenever we had singing and dancing.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B3kTDgc0QuceMjh3TDZxUEI0UHc

 Everyone loves music and dancing. Just like this time when we were singing "If You're Happy And You Know It"  in Armenian.  

Camp was not just a great place for Children.  It was a place for Adults as well where we had Boccie Ball   Tournaments,  Legal Advocacy Camp, and it was the perfect place to set up my SPA Grant Project of and Independent Living Training Program For People With Disabilities.                                                            

 http://fulllifeam.weebly.com/

This program will be ready to start in April of 2016 and will last till the end of October.  We took a cabin that was in need of restoration and made fully functional Handicapped Accessible Home where people with Disabilities can learn to live independently, learn to cook, do their laundry, and have equipment to learn to exercise and do physical Therapy. 

Then we will have them come into the Full Life Office where we created a functional Computer Lab where

they can learn to work with computers and learn to be a part of an Office Staff.  Full Life Camp will then become an important tool in making People With Disabilities feel that they can be able to live Independently as well as learn work skills to be able to afford to live on their own to become included as a part of the world around them.  During the summer this program will enable people with Disabilities to be able to become role models for our children by showing them how a person can be able to live Independently no matter what their Disabilities are.  We will then add to our Camp Program teaching Personal Hygiene, Cooking, as well as a Exercise and Physical Therapy Program. With the addition of a new Swimming pool we hope to add Swimming and Aqua Therapy as well.                                                                             

Full Life camp is an important Resource for People With Disabilities in Armenia.  Not only is the camp one of the few Handicapped Accessible Camp Facilities in Armenia.  But with Boccie Ball Tournaments, Legal Advocacy Camp, four weeks this year of Children's camp, and now with 7 months of Independent Living Training Program our camp will be able to be used to enable Children and Adults with Disabilities to learn to be live as independent a life as possible while being included with their peers and preparing to find work for themselves in the working world.  Since all of these camps and programs are provided free to those children and adults needing the services of our camp the only limits to the Camp's use is what type of funding we can receive to enable people to benefit from the potential services our Camp has to offer.  This summer we would hope to find funding support to at least have 4 weeks of Inclusive Camp for Children with Disabilities and Disadvantaged Children to enjoy camp together while learning that skills that will help them to live as independent and inclusive a life as possible with their peers.  Hopefully we can not only have another Boccie Ball Tournament but also include other sports along with it.  With the Independent Living Program I would love to be able to have a camp that would have Adults with Disabilities be able to come together to work on gaining Independent Living Skills while having programs to share Legal Advocacy, teach career assessment as well as promote Vocational Training and job search skills.  Then I would love to have a camp for older children and adults with disabilities where they can learn to live as independent a life as possible while learning  to be active and included in the world around them. 

 I only have less than a year to a little less than a year and a half left if I extend my Peace Corps Service.  We have the potential of accomplishing a lot of things during that time but it may all depend on continued funding supports for all of these programs.  There are many things left to do through the Full Life Program within Stepanavan.  I am hoping that by the time that I will have to leave in 2017 that there will be another Peace Corps Volunteer able to take my place in not only sustaining the Programs we hope to start at Full Life.  But to use their own creativity to help Full Life NGO help meet the needs of People With Disabilities all over Armenia.  Full Life would like to expand their partnership with a program for Youth in Tashir as well as to expand their program to provide services and support for People With Disabilities in Yerevan and around Armenia.  There are many needs for People With Disabilities but Full Life NGO in Stepanavan is one of Stepanavan and Armenia's Hidden Resources that can help to meet those needs.  I am thankful for the Peace Corps and Full Life NGO for the opportunity to work with them to help to meet those needs.