In the province of Málaga, a growing number of people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities are reaching adulthood and asking for real opportunities to take part in social life and live more independently. The homes where this project takes place sit within Down Málaga's own facilities, inside a normal, inclusive community setting where the learning that happens is genuine, not staged.
Before facing full independent living, people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities need real spaces in which to practise autonomy, spaces that let them build personal, household and social skills within everyday situations that are meaningful enough to carry over into life at home with their own families.
The project
"Preparados para Vivir" improves the personal and social autonomy of people with Down syndrome through genuine experiences of shared living and learning. Each participant takes part in monthly stays at the learning homes, where everyday activities such as self-care, domestic tasks and community participation are practised directly, gradually building the skills and confidence needed for a more independent adult life.
The project is built on self-determination, personal autonomy, social inclusion and experiential learning, with active participation and respect for each person's individuality at its centre. Visual supports and other innovative, capability-focused methods make the learning cognitively accessible, allowing the level of support each person needs to be reduced gradually as they internalise what they have learned.
Who the project is for
The project's direct beneficiaries are 16 people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, all over 18 years old, going through the transition to adult life while also training in other areas of their lives.
Its impact reaches further, to their families, who receive guidance of their own and see their sons' and daughters' opportunities for autonomy, inclusion and social participation grow alongside them.
Project name: 'Preparados para Vivir', un Servicio de Viviendas de Aprendizaje.
Proposing organisation: Asociacion Provincial Síndrome de Down de Málaga
Area of intervention: Inclusion & Social Development
Country: Italy