1. Deaf-blind Support Foundation Main activities
Con-nection
Deaf-blind Support Foundation
Main activities
12/26/2018

2. Who we are
The Deaf-Blind Support Foundation is a Russian charity established in April 2014 by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.
Our goal – systemic changes in the area of support and social integration of the deafblind population in Russia (state + civil society = breakthrough).
Our mission is to connect our world with the world of the deafblind, to elaborate and aggregate the best practices and solutions enabling the deafblind people to develop and integrate in the society. 2

3. Why we do this?
Deafblindness is unique and it is one of the most complicated disabilities, when one is doomed to live in darkness and contact the world with his hand.
Despite the rich experience and historical achievements in this area, the deafblind in Russia have been out of reach and attention of the government and civil society. There is no statistics, their needs are not appropriately taken into account in social policy.
Meanwhile, with proper assistance they can succeed in social integration, get university degrees, fulfill themselves in art and civic activism. 3

4. Global trends
Growing number of the deafblind due to premature delivery
Increasing number of senior deafblind people 4

5. Our objectives
To develop the register of the deafblind and their needs
To elaborate the individual development strategy for each deafblind person
To enhance the life standards of the deafblind and their relatives
To develop, identify and incorporate the best Russian and international practices aimed at assisting the deafblind and providing for their social integration
To unite the akin by maintaining the network of partnerships in the regions (relatives and parent associations, volunteers, NGOs, academics, local donors, etc.) 5

6. Our programs
Information and awareness – increase public awareness about problems and opportunities in the field of work with deafblind people, create opportunity to change social policy, taking into account needs and abilities of deafblind.
Science and education – revive scientific school that studies deafblindness, elaborate a system of channels to transfer knowledge and experience of work with deafblind (from mentors to students), actively include Russian school into international studies and research.
Regional development – creation of regional centers to support deafblind people and multiply successful projects of assistance to deafblind people in the Russian Federation.

7. Our programs
Social integration – stimulate professional and creative activities of deafblind people, their self-fulfillment in work and leisure.
Technologies of opportunities – provide new quality of life and rehabilitation for deafblind people, developing innovative national assistive technologies in the field of complex socialization of disabled people with hearing or vision impairment.
Family and society – social abandonment prevention, complex assistance to deafblind people’s relatives, provision of full range of medical, educational, rehabilitation services for children with simultaneous hearing and vision impairment.

8. Key projects International educational center of excellence;
Association of universities and program “Mentors and students”;
Publishing (Russian and translated publications);
Annual research-to-practice conference and seminars;
Development of electronic multimedia resource “Knowledge library” and archives digitalization;
Young specialists school (winter, summer);
All-Russian Deafblind people census (continuation);
Form and control fulfillment of individual development tracks;
Open new leisure time centers and develop existing ones.

9. Key projects Training seminars for specialists in the regions;
Interpretation and support service for deafblind people;
Development of the Deafblind family association;
Implementation of the “Time out” program for parents of deafblind children;
Education course “Basics of audio description and special interpretation for deafblind people”;
Education course “Basics of volunteering” for students from field-oriented university departments;
Training courses for deafblind people, including centers of computer skills training;
Purchase and distribution of technical rehabilitation means;
Creation of work places in professions adapted for deafblind people, support labor training and manufactures.

10. Key projects
Fulfillment of projects with religious organizations (accessible environment in churches, literature in Brailles, training of priests)
E-news service for deafblind and “Your Interlocutor” magazine;
Tours for deafblind, accessible environment in museums;
Creative contests;
Sport for deafblind;
Theatre projects – «Prikasaemye» («Touchables»), inclusive theater laboratory «So- edinenie» («Con-nection»);
Resource center for deafblind people support;
Creation of a showroom of existing assistive devices and provision of consultations for deafblind;
Acceleration program for technical rehabilitation means developers.

11. Successfully fulfilled projects 2014-2015
All-Russian Deafblind census – first stage carried out, database of 2,500 people created;
Trainings for social workers - 35 regions;
Stage play Prikasaemye (Touchables) – “Golden Mask” nominee + inclusive theatre laboratory “So-edinenie”;
«Social lesson» for school and university students;
Publishing – books «I live. Deaf-blind person’s diary», «The History of Deafblind people education in Russia»;
Support of mobile communication for people with hearing and vision impairments (together with Beeline company);
Two documental films;

12. Successfully fulfilled projects 2014-2015
Course «Basics of audio description and special interpreting for deaf-blind» with Russian State Social University + training project with All-Russian Deaf Society + training of policemen and clergy;
Assistance service for Moscow and Moscow region;
Education course to train volunteers (together with Moscow State Pedagogical University);
Summer school for parents of deaf-blind children and young specialists in Crimea and Education camp for children from orphanages and special institutions in Gelendzhik;
Community of families of deaf-blind people was created;
Resource Center was opened in Yasenevo district of Moscow;
International conference on deaf-blindness issues – over 300 participants from 17 countries;
Zagorsky experiment archive was digitalized.

13. Successfully fulfilled projects 2014-2015
About 30 leisure time centers were opened and are functioning;
European Rehabilitation and Culture Week for Deaf-blind People was carried out;
Training seminars for library workers, museum employees, leisure time employees, recreation centers staff etc.;
Literature contest among deaf-blind people;
Employment – production of candles, ceramics;
Magazine «Your Interlocutor» – 4 issues in 2015;
Museum of Zagorsky Orphanage experiment was opened;
Pilot projects on sports development (Scandinavian walk, checkers contests, championship of table board games);
Publishing of literature in Brailles.

14. Successfully fulfilled projects 2014-2015
Training courses for deadblind people;
Contest for designers to implement accessible environment in Puchkovo Deafblind House and in Sergiev Posad Orphanage for deafblind children;
«Technical support» contest for innovators;
Participation in forums «M-Enabling Russia 2015», «M-Enabling Summit» in the USA, «Opened innovations», StartUp Village, etc;
Program Accelerator was launched (for technical rehabilitation means developers);
Technical rehabilitation means were bought for more than 100 deafblind people.

15. Each deaf-blind person
Vision-2020
Each deaf-blind person
Is known and got an individual development track
Can get a consultation in a special center
Has access to modern technical rehabilitation means
Is protected by law
Uses works of scientific school
(4 PhDs, 10 post-graduate students)
Can study in university/network college
Can get interesting profession
Can rest and communicate in a network of leisure time centers
Has assistance from partner organizations and volunteers
Uses model accessible environment (not less then 3) 15

16. 12/26/2018