Our story begins in Slovenia, a country with a population of 2,108,732, between 12% and 13% of which consists of people with disabilities. These are surprisingly high statistics considering one very rarely encounters a disabled person in the cinema, on a coffee, in the library, etc. Where do they all go then? People with special needs are predominantly limited to welfare and work centres, where they are relatively isolated from the outside world. People with disabilities in mental or physical development are admitted to these institutions, where professional staff offer adapted forms of work under special conditions. There are 34 such centres in Slovenia, one of which is VDC Zasavje, which is also a business partner of the Miss Slovenia Project. We at the Miss Slovenia Project strive for a more inclusive, innovative, and connected society, which is why we actively participate in and organise projects and events for their members throughout the year. The idea behind the Širimo VIP Zasavje or the “Spreading IIC (Inclusiveness, Innovation and Connectivity) Zasavje” project was born from the desire to include all members of society, and I am proud to be the project’s ambassador. SPREADING INCLUSIVENESS, INNOVATION AND CONNECTIVITY The Spreading IIC Zasavje project’s main goal is to empower vulnerable groups to overcome their fear of integration into the local environment and to build and expand an inclusive society by creating a support network consisting of qualified individuals. As the project’s ambassador I therefore want to raise awareness of the importance of including people with physical or mental disabilities into our society, search for innovative solutions to make their integration as easy as possible, and to help them improve their self-confidence. TRAINING FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING We are aware that it can be difficult for people with special needs to lead independent lives, so we are building a support network of individuals who are ready to help them with everyday tasks. This year, among other novelties, we included in the support network for the very first time all the semi-finalists of Miss Slovenia 2023. VDC Zasavje has organised training courses for a network of amateur support staff to aid people with mental and physical disabilities in accordance with the new Rulebook on Social Inclusion Services. Training for independent living is vital for both the target groups involved as well as the country itself, because institutionalisation leads to social exclusion and is not compliant with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Article 19 of the Convention requires that all persons with disabilities are provided with the right to live independently and to be included in the community. Slovenia and other EU countries benefit from European structural and investment funds which support deinstitutionalisation and developing community-based services for persons with disabilities. The problem occurs when the ESI funds to build smaller institutions instead of ensuring regular houses and apartments. By doing so they are not working in accordance with EU legislation and hence deny people with disabilities a chance to decide where they want to live. Which means that Slovenian people will have to pay back the funds or ensure that the taxpayers’ money is used to develop community-based services. WE HELP BUILD SELF CONFIDENCE To get a better understanding of what I am trying to convey, first imagine that you could not answer a simple question, such as what you like to do in your free time, because others have always answered it for you. When you ask yourself who you are, the answer is not straightforward. Not because you are incompetent, but because those around you have labelled you as such. Unfortunately, this is a harsh reality for some. People with special needs should be helped in gaining more self-confidence in order to integrate into society. To improve self-confidence, we have organised public speaking training and workshops for members and employees of VDC Zasavje. If we wish to achieve better integration of vulnerable groups into our society, it is vital that we break down stereotypes about their inabilities. The Miss Slovenia Project cooperated in this area by allowing VDC Zasvaje members to perform at the semi-final event of Miss Slovenia 2022. Their main message was the crucial importance of mutual help. On our first catwalk, we the semi-finalists wore hand-made handbags made by VDC Zasavje members under the Prešito brand. I was fascinated by the incredible effort they put into these accessories, which is why I was very excited to learn that the VDC Zasavje members will also sew my dress that will accompany me to the Miss World pageant. For the first time, members of welfare and work centres also had the opportunity to vote for candidates prior to the semi-finals, their votes counting as one vote of a member of the expert jury. YOUTH INVOLVEMENT In order to achieve a more inclusive society for future generations, it is necessary to start educating young people in this area. With the aim of raising awareness among young people and teachers, I attended the professional conference Creative Learning Environment, where we presented our project and encouraged teachers to impart on students the importance of accepting others. At the end of the day, we are all just people who face different challenges and have various needs. Some just need a little more help in fulfilling their requirements. With this in mind, we will also organise IIC events, the purpose of which will be for vulnerable groups to connect with other groups in numerous organisations (e.g., kindergartens, schools, youth centres, etc.). This festive season, we continued the tradition of decorating the IIC Christmas tree together with members of VDC Zasavje. The event was also attended by the new President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, with whom we agreed that it is necessary to support ALL citizens of Slovenia and to create a more inclusive society for everyone. I am glad that the economic sector awarded the “Spreading IIC (Inclusiveness, Innovation and Connectivity) Zasavje” project with a gold plaque for innovation, and that the Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia also awarded IIC with an award for solving the innovative challenges of Covid-19. When striving for the inclusion of vulnerable groups in society, it is key to attract as many people as possible to participate, as only in this way are we be able to continue to fight for a more equal and united society, which will understand that people with special needs possess the same needs as everyone else, for example, a nice chat over coffee, a visit to the library, or simply the chance to socialise at home.
