The
Organisational Training Project for the Kosovar Deaf Community
Written by Sheena Walters and Colin Allen, Project Advisors, Finnish
Association of the Deaf VISION
An association representative of the Kosovar Deaf Community with
strong networks of all Deaf clubs, whose membership includes all
ethnic backgrounds and physical abilities
A brief history of the project
In early 2001 a situational analysis
of the Deaf community of Kosova was conducted by the Finnish Association
of the Deaf (FAD). During the survey a seminar was held where the
Deaf community was invited to attend and priorities for them were
identified. Then in 2002, a Kosovar Deaf Working Group was formed
to represent the Deaf community of Kosova. The following year FAD
obtained funding from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs for
development work with the long term aims of establishing an Association
of the Deaf in Kosova and to have trained emergency interpreters.
Embedded in this is a desire to increase the opportunities for Deaf
people in all aspects of life in society.
In July of this year the Project
Advisor, Mr. Colin Allen and Project Interpreter/Interpreter Trainer,
Ms. Sheena Walters joined the Project Co-ordinator, Mr. Dukagjin
Kelmendi and started work on the project, since then Mr. Ramadan
Gashi and Mr. Selman Hoti have joined the staff (see overleaf for
details about staff).
Plans for 2004
For the remainder of this year
it is planned that the staff will visit all the Deaf Clubs in Kosova
to evaluate the status of the Deaf Clubs and to meet with sign language
interpreters. The staff will produce a report and then in early
December it is hoped that a Kosovar Deaf Seminar be held where the
report can be made public and a plan of action be developed for
2005.
Future goals
" It is likely that it will
be necessary to conduct organisational training for the Deaf Clubs
and training for the interpreters.
" A data collection on the Standard of Living for Deaf people
in Kosova will be carried out and will hopefully be used to campaign
for improvements in the living standards of Deaf people in Kosova.
" Funding is secured until the end of 2006 where it is hoped
that the long term aims of the project, namely establishing a Kosovar
Deaf Association and having trained emergency interpreters will
be achieved.
Kosovar Deaf Working Group
The staff of the project is led
by a working group made up of five members of the Kosovar Deaf Community
elected by Deaf Club Representatives. This group meets regularly,
they are there to guide the project, maintain accountability and
advise the staff.
These members are:
Mr. Ismet Buzhala - Ferizaj
Mr. Vehbi Rukovci - Prishtina
Mr. Nedret Randobrava - Prizren
Mr. Enver Kurtalani - Gjilan
Ms. Samire Jupoli - Prishtin
Project Staff Profiles
Dukagjin Kelmendi
Project Co-ordinator
Dukagjin has been working in the
disability sector for 6 years now in managerial roles; first contacts
and partnership with the Deaf clubs were established during the
Year 2000.
The role of Project Co-ordinator
is to oversee the projects progress as well as be responsible for
the administration and financial areas of the project. He also translates
materials from and into Albanian, English and Serbian languages.
Ramadan Gashi
Deaf Liaison Officer (Trainee)
Ramadan is an active member of
the Deaf community having been involved with the Regional Deaf Club
of Prishtina as Secretary for five years as well as much other work
with various Non-Government Organisations and Government Organisations.
His role in the project is to be
involved in the research of the Deaf Clubs, in organising the Kosovar
Deaf Seminar and with the data collection. He will also participate
in training and have administrative responsibilities.
Selman Hoti
Kosovar Sign Language Interpreter (Trainee)
Selman has been working as an interpreter
in Prizren and also around Kosovo for the last four years. He has
worked in a variety of settings including university level interpreting.
This role includes interpreting
for the Deaf Liaison Officer and participating in interpreter training.
He will be involved in collecting information about interpreters
in Kosova and being involved with training Deaf people on how to
use interpreters.
Colin Allen
Project Advisor
Colin has been employed by the
Finnish Association of the Deaf since September 2000, he began his
role as an organisational training advisor with the Albanian National
Association of the Deaf and then he moved to Cambodia to work with
the Deaf Development Programme as Programme Advisor. Prior to his
commencement with the Albanian Project he was heavily involved with
the Australian Association of the Deaf where he served as President
for 9 years. He is now currently a board member of the World Federation
of the Deaf.
The main role of Project Advisor
is assisting the project staff in the organisation and implementation
of the project. Colin will provide training to the staff and the
Working Group as well as Deaf Clubs as required.
Sheena Walters
Project Interpreter/ Interpreter Trainer
Sheena is from Australia and learnt
sign language through her Deaf family. Sheena has been working as
an interpreter for six years in both Australia and in England.
Sheena's main responsibilities
are interpreting for the Project Advisor, training for the interpreters
and deliverance of awareness training.
How to contact us:
Email: [email protected] Phone:
044 403 534 or 063 747 7503
|
