Churchill Fellowship 2007(?): aims and purposes, as well as a first draft initinenary
AIM: To evaluate programmes of vocational and academic options for school leavers with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, attachment disorders and emotional/behavioural difficulties and to promote vocational and social skills in culturally and linguistically diverse populations. To create proactive and innovative programmes in these fields so that these populations need not fall in the cracks of their respective societies.
(Note: I did not address the issue of class, and I think I should. I am going to. I am not sure about the focus on school leavers even though common sense tells me that's where it's needed most).
COUNTRIES TO VISIT: France, Poland, US, Netherlands (?), Vietnam, Cambodia.
FOCUSES OF STUDY:
(This is what I hope to personally achieve so that when it comes time to fill in the form I can do it and know what I am going to do. This will make costings later on so much easier. One has to think of visas and passports and such matters).
FRANCE
Look through the three academies. Choose schools and vocational options carefully, see a few internships/work experience happening and evaluate opportunities to be created. A survey with adminstration, students and teachers. A mentor programme with those with learning disabilities being the expert about work that would work for them. They can have self-assertiveness training.
POLAND
I would like to go through the voidioships. My specific focus here will be the treatments/interventions that students with Autism Spectrum Disorders receive. As Poland is part of the European Union and is very pro-American it is inevitable that European and American interventions will be influenced in this sphere. My focus will be on three diverse interventions within the school and work settings: Applied Behavioural Analysis, Son-Rise and Relationship Developmental Intervention. I became interested in studying Polish children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in December 2002 after having read the CIBRA thing. I do know some Polish workers in the field. If there is no RDI I will study TEAACH as this is an intervention popular in Europe. Autisme Europe supports this.
US
Which leads me naturally to North Carolina. Applachian Uni and Uni of North Carolina. These have world leading programmes and relatively good mental health structures. The greater part of my focus will be on outcomes for people with emotional and behavioural disorders. I will evaluate these through the IDEA and how many go through alternative placements. My focus will be on Eastern European and Asian adoption and I will go to Fort Collins as a continuation of my Polish work and to meet two people I really admire - Temple Grandin and Kathy Grant. Then I want to go to Evergreen and also meet Nancy Thomas and also Deborah Hage. I would like to study Attachment Therapy in general and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy in particular, as this is apparently the only one which is world's best practice. So to evaulate world's best practice in Reactive Attachment Disorder and possibly dabble in being a respite worker or attachment therapist myself!
NETHERLANDS
Really have not decided at this stage. It is a developed country and very small like Belgium. It is very forward thinking (mostly) in its treatment of people with disabilities. And it would have good ports to Asia which is where I want to go next. It might have good vocational options for those with disabilities too especially the ones I have just been through. It would be a good contrast to bigger countries like France and Poland, and be good to get away from European divides the way one just can't in Brussells. Sad but true. Has a great organisation for international adoptees. Will think of a Nordic country. It will depend on just what I want to do.
VIETNAM
Vietnam is a developing country and a great contrast to all the above. It's great because of the history there. There are a lot of successful Vietnamese immigrants. One of them is Jimmy who started Know One Teach One which would be the envy of the first world as far as work experience and internships. I would then look at the viability and innovations of this model and try to import it and promote it across the world. See if it is generalisable to other internships and other jobs. Hospitality is a very basic thing, a very nurturing thing.
CAMBODIA
Another South-Eastern Asian country. This is more well-known to those with physical disabilities. Also there are many Western relief efforts, and they might have something around the issues I am thinking of. And they speak French. They are also a giving country for international adoptees. Could meet with adoptees from there and join in their activities and how they might not have felt accepted in education and work. Compare this to other people and feel the discrimination. Look especially at schools which are based on the French system, and look for innovative opportunities which have had to come up.
(Note: I did not address the issue of class, and I think I should. I am going to. I am not sure about the focus on school leavers even though common sense tells me that's where it's needed most).
COUNTRIES TO VISIT: France, Poland, US, Netherlands (?), Vietnam, Cambodia.
FOCUSES OF STUDY:
(This is what I hope to personally achieve so that when it comes time to fill in the form I can do it and know what I am going to do. This will make costings later on so much easier. One has to think of visas and passports and such matters).
FRANCE
Look through the three academies. Choose schools and vocational options carefully, see a few internships/work experience happening and evaluate opportunities to be created. A survey with adminstration, students and teachers. A mentor programme with those with learning disabilities being the expert about work that would work for them. They can have self-assertiveness training.
POLAND
I would like to go through the voidioships. My specific focus here will be the treatments/interventions that students with Autism Spectrum Disorders receive. As Poland is part of the European Union and is very pro-American it is inevitable that European and American interventions will be influenced in this sphere. My focus will be on three diverse interventions within the school and work settings: Applied Behavioural Analysis, Son-Rise and Relationship Developmental Intervention. I became interested in studying Polish children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in December 2002 after having read the CIBRA thing. I do know some Polish workers in the field. If there is no RDI I will study TEAACH as this is an intervention popular in Europe. Autisme Europe supports this.
US
Which leads me naturally to North Carolina. Applachian Uni and Uni of North Carolina. These have world leading programmes and relatively good mental health structures. The greater part of my focus will be on outcomes for people with emotional and behavioural disorders. I will evaluate these through the IDEA and how many go through alternative placements. My focus will be on Eastern European and Asian adoption and I will go to Fort Collins as a continuation of my Polish work and to meet two people I really admire - Temple Grandin and Kathy Grant. Then I want to go to Evergreen and also meet Nancy Thomas and also Deborah Hage. I would like to study Attachment Therapy in general and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy in particular, as this is apparently the only one which is world's best practice. So to evaulate world's best practice in Reactive Attachment Disorder and possibly dabble in being a respite worker or attachment therapist myself!
NETHERLANDS
Really have not decided at this stage. It is a developed country and very small like Belgium. It is very forward thinking (mostly) in its treatment of people with disabilities. And it would have good ports to Asia which is where I want to go next. It might have good vocational options for those with disabilities too especially the ones I have just been through. It would be a good contrast to bigger countries like France and Poland, and be good to get away from European divides the way one just can't in Brussells. Sad but true. Has a great organisation for international adoptees. Will think of a Nordic country. It will depend on just what I want to do.
VIETNAM
Vietnam is a developing country and a great contrast to all the above. It's great because of the history there. There are a lot of successful Vietnamese immigrants. One of them is Jimmy who started Know One Teach One which would be the envy of the first world as far as work experience and internships. I would then look at the viability and innovations of this model and try to import it and promote it across the world. See if it is generalisable to other internships and other jobs. Hospitality is a very basic thing, a very nurturing thing.
CAMBODIA
Another South-Eastern Asian country. This is more well-known to those with physical disabilities. Also there are many Western relief efforts, and they might have something around the issues I am thinking of. And they speak French. They are also a giving country for international adoptees. Could meet with adoptees from there and join in their activities and how they might not have felt accepted in education and work. Compare this to other people and feel the discrimination. Look especially at schools which are based on the French system, and look for innovative opportunities which have had to come up.