RESULTS FROM SKEP’S DISABILITY AWARENESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM “FOCUS ON THE PERSON” AS OBSERVED BY EDUCATORS
2022-2023
The assessment of SKEP’s questionnaire about the Disability Awareness Educational Program “Focus on the Person” was answered by 66 educators in Attica County general education schools in the school year 2022-2023.
1/ How useful do you believe the program “Focus on the Person” was for the students?
The results of the 66 responses were the following:
Absolutely useful 97% - 64 out of 66
Very useful 3% - 2 out of 66
2/ In what way do you believe the program “Focus on the Person” is useful?
From the 66 responses regarding the effectiveness of the program, the following observations were prioritized by the educators:
The experiential and interactive approach of SKEP’s Educational Program “Focus on the Person” as a methodology:
- Facilitates communication between students and people with disabilities
- Reinforces the dissemination of information and as a result raises awareness
- Strengthens the students’ ability to recognize and deconstruct negative practices, stereotypes, bias and prejudice
- Develops empathy towards others
- Creates reflexes of social consciousness
- Strengthens students’ ability to function in the future as aware citizens and as dynamic levers of change in society as a whole.
Below are some additional answers that were very interesting.
- Through an experiential manner and discussion the students develop attitudes towards diversity that they must possess.
- The real contact with people with disabilities and not just theoretical information is what truly teaches students and children.
- Experiential action and face to face communication with wheelchair users gives students the ability to comprehend the difficulties they face to change their perceptions, stereotypes or bias, as well as attitudes that hinder or make life harder for people with disabilities.
- It is an innovative and essential intervention in the contemporary educational context with the aim of changing attitudes and perceptions around the subject of the acceptance of diversity and disability.
- Elementary school students come into contact with people with disability and realize that what unites them is far greater than what separates them! Acceptance of diversity.
- It cultivates empathy in a direct and experiential manner, sensitizing students about the right to diversity outside the strict educational framework.
- The students come into contact with people with disability and this helps them reevaluate their perceptions about them. Moreover, it gives them the opportunity to figure out many of their queries and doubts.
- The direct contact with students and their opportunity to have their questions answered around disability makes this program very effective.
- The everyday difficulties and obstacles are presented by the disabled person himself who actually faces these challenges. What he/she states are not refuted, therefore they are much more impactful than if it was just talked about theoretically.
- Gaining knowledge in legal matters and regulations that concern people with disability is something that I personally did not know either. It is very important for children to comprehend and accept diversity but at the same time to comprehend and accept themselves as well. The program raises awareness and simultaneously gives an opportunity to the students to play an active role in aiding people with disability.
- Children meet persons with disability who convey their opinions and experiences from their everyday lives. As a result, the children become more aware and solve the various issues they may have.
- The program helps students acquire another perspective on life.
- The “unfiltered” questions of the students and the answers they receive make this a very unique program.
- The program “Focus on the Person” is extremely useful because the children become familiar with the image of disability and through the discussions they comprehend the daily obstacles people with disability face and in this way realize their abilities. The questions the students ask are really impressive and demonstrate their dynamic participation in the presentation.
- The students become familiar with diversity through the information from disabled persons. They students comprehend that disability is just an additional characteristic.
- They come to understand that disability is a condition through which one can live a fulfilled life, creative and happy.
- For many students the motivational talk was the first trigger/stimulation around disability.
- It helps the participants become aware of the value of accepting diversity as part of “normality”, in other words a condition which requires the compliance of society to hold self-evident behavior.
- They learn that the state is obliged to make accessibility easier to all and the citizens must learn to comply with the laws so that everyone can live equally.
3. Would you recommend following the program “Focus on the Person” to someone?
Results from the 66 responses:
Yes 100% - 66 out of 66
4/ Would you like to change something in the program “Focus on the Person”?
- 1st answer: No (from the 56 responses, 35 said no) = 62,5%
- 2nd answer: To be more interactive and experiential with more close contact (10 from the 56 responses) = 17,8%
- 3rd answer: To have a longer duration and to be implemented more frequently ( 6 out of the 56 responses) = 10,7%
Indicative responses:
- The program should be implemented more systematically in schools so that all the children can participate in it during their school lives.
- Yes, it could be a program that takes place on a regular basis and schedule throughout the school year and not just in one session.
- To collaborate with organizations from the countryside and have presentations in their schools as well.
- There should be more experiential activities for the children.
- I would like more children to come into contact with disabled people.
- I would like it if the activities took place in person/live in the countryside.
- I would like to be introduced to more diversity and disability.
- All the children should participate in the program.
- To continue to be so direct and personal, showing more examples of everyday coexistence.
5/ Do you believe the program “Focus on the Person” helps your students to:
From the 66 responses, the program indicates that it helps students to (they had the right of multiple answers):
- Accept their own diversity/differences – 19,7% = 13 out of 66
- Realize that they must change their attitude and behavior towards any kind of diversity – 22,7% = 15 out of 66
- Feel better about themselves – 16,6% = 11 out of 66
- Comprehend their power as levers of change in society – 59,1% = 39 out of 66
- Reevaluate their perspectives/views about disabled people – 56,1% = 37 out of 66
- Nothing – 0% = 0 out of 66
6/ If your opinion of something changed after participating in the program, could you share it with us?
The responses of the educators were of special interest to us and were based on their needs and daily life in the school.
- I was pleasantly surprised to observe that the “bored students” showed at least showed interest.
- I was impressed by the sensitivity of the children and the way they conveyed this new – found knowledge to their families. I found out from the parents that their children informed them about why they shouldn’t park on ramps, a factor which causes difficulties for their friend Dimitra, as well as the term “wheelchair”. Initially the parents were hesitant, wary as they were afraid about impacting the children emotionally. However, the children left the classroom very happy and full of new knowledge that they conveyed to their families.
- Prior to the presentation, the students were ignorant of the ways they could contribute to the betterment of disabled people’s lives. After following the program, the students took part in an extended conversation where a raised awareness was observed among them in the next few days.
- SKEP has our full support in all your activities! Thank you very much for everything.
- The students’ perspective changed, as well as the way they regard people with disability.
- It made me understand the individual and social responsibility to persons with disability.
- We learn something new every time. This time, I liked the use of the projector which showed many interesting aspects of the daily lives of disabled people.
- People have to share ideas and experiences on a daily basis. In this way the message of the program becomes action.
- I am so happy every time we work together.
- I teach “Social Policy” and in the framework of the course we discuss with the students around the topic of human rights. The presence of the SKEP executives and motivational speakers is always beneficial because it brings the students close to the real world.
- My opinion has not changed at all because I’ve always felt that your program is especially interesting and useful in informing the children.
- The school should organize more activities like this one.
7/ More comments/observations from educators
- I would suggest an activity where the children themselves would be put in the position of the person with disability and through this role playing, they would experience the challenges of these people in their daily lives.
- The students’ answers on the questionnaires clarified many queries about disability, accessibility and the inclusion in society. The program would be much more effective if it wasn’t limited to just one session.
- The session was inspirational, but the time frame was very limited – we need more frequent sessions.
- It was perfect and focused!
- There are many benefits to the program, both for the students and educators who participated in it. The innovative web hub was also very interesting.
- Congratulations! All the SKEP people who have visited our school did an amazing job! Your program must become more well known in all the schools in Greece.
- The students who took part in the program were enthusiastic but also felt worried at the end of the session.
- We learned a lot about the everyday life of people with mobility challenges. But the most important fact is that society itself very often creates these problems because it does not concern itself or come close to these people. We must observe our attitude and lack of respect and empathy which makes life difficult for some of our fellow men. For these reasons this program is important because it shapes our conscience.
- It was a wonderful experience!
- Exceptional! All the students were very enthusiastic.
- The motivational speaker, Dimitra, was very friendly and open to the questions and comments from the students.
- The presentation was carried out with kindness, honesty and patience.
- I observed the positive acceptance of the children who asked various questions.
- One of the best programs we’ve ever had at our school.
- I was very impressed by the way the girl with intellectual disability introduced herself to us.
- Very useful. Congratulations! We would like to work together again. Thank you very much.
- Talking with people who face their challenges is, I believe, of pivotal importance for the acceptance and understanding of diversity.
- An exceptional initiative, which every year is implemented in our school’s program regarding disability.
- Your program is extraordinary, and it has a great impact in the schools you visit. I hope you persevere!
- Every year it gets even better.
- Dimitra, our guest speaker, is a dynamic person who impressed us and made us admire her for the way she faces her disability. At the end of the program, the children were excited with Dimitra and the games they played with her. I have been working in the public elementary school sector for 5 years and I can say that this is the best activity that I have taken part in. Many congratulations for your work!
- I only have positive impressions.
- To the point and interesting.
- You were a fantastic team.
