Final Report Summary - LIVINGALL (Free movement and equal living opportunities for all)
The project LIVINGALL is a project funded by the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) of the European Commission and developed between 1 March 2007 and 28 February 2009. The LIVINGALL project aims to increase free movement and equal opportunities for people with disabilities in Europe, providing decision makers with tools and methodologies to make policies more effective and to benchmark and overcome current limitations and obstacles.
The LIVINGALL guide to best practices is aimed at supporting the rights of people with disability in Europe. This guide describes the current situation regarding free movement and equal opportunities in Europe, emphasising actual needs and barriers reported by people with disability, and providing recommendations on the effective measures taken and the implementation of best practices in order to improve free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe.
The project is structured in five work packages (WPs), whose main objectives and results are described as follows:
WP 1. Information gathering in the legal area concerning free movement and equal opportunities for all in Europe
Main objectives:
a) To document the rights of people with disability to free movement in the current European context.
b) To review and classify specific regulations and action plans at national or regional levels which contribute to the free movement of people with disability.
Deliverables published:
- Report concerning free movement of people with disability at European level.
- Compilation and classification of the national policies and action plans in Europe.
WP2. Information gathering in the technological area concerning free movement and equal opportunities for all in Europe
Main objective:
To review and classify current technical aids which contribute to the support of free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability.
Deliverables published:
- Compilation and classification of technical measures.
WP3. Evaluation of the use of free movement rights by people with disabilities in Europe
Main objectives:
a) To define communication channels and data collection procedures to compile information regarding barriers and knowledge of the actual rights to support free movement.
b) To gather data with a sample of 700 people with disability in Europe.
Deliverables published:
- The LIVINGALL questionnaire.
- Sample design and action plan.
WP4. Detection of main barriers preventing free movement and equal opportunities for all in Europe
Main objectives:
a) To detect general and specific environmental barriers that prevent free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe.
b) To obtain quantitative conclusions about the extent to which people with disabilities take advantage of their rights to free movement.
Deliverables published:
- Report presenting the real situation of free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe.
- Main barriers to free movement of people with disability in Europe.
WP5. Selection of best practice solutions to cover the existing barriers concerning free movement and equal opportunities for all
Main objectives:
a) Select and validate current best practices that support free movement of people with disability in Europe.
b) Discuss and propose solutions or guidelines for detected unsolved barriers.
c) Produce a guide containing these best practices.
Deliverables published:
- The guide to support free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe (the LIVINGALL guide to best practices).
Barriers to free movement and equal opportunities for people with dependency in Europe
Effective and relevant good practices have been based on the current limitations and problems reported by people with disabilities. The survey provided a wide analysis of the situation covering several different areas. Frequency was established based on the percentage of people reporting limitations in those areas. Relevance was measured based on a Likert Scale of 1-5 points.
General recommendations and guidelines to improce free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe
By addressing the difficult challenge to increase free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability at all levels, the project researchers, together with the people with disability participating in the LIVINGALL survey, have pointed out some general recommendations and guidelines. The main recommendations of the LIVINGALL project are the following:
1. People with disability should have the possibility to participate at a deeper extent in all the initiatives aimed at improving free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability.
2. Same rules / standards across each country and among the European countries have to be Implemented.
3. Ensure the implementation of laws regulating the rights of people with disability.
4. Increase the financial support for people with disability.
5. Promote information about the actual rights of people with disability.
6. Less bureaucracy.
7. Increase knowledge of the needs of people with disability among professionals who directly deal with people with disability.
8. Outdoor environment, public buildings, buildings that are open to the public and new constructions should be barrier free.
9. Increase barrier free transport initiatives.
10. Increase accessible means of communication initiatives.
11. European countries should make efforts to increase employment rates of people with disability.
12. Support and promote the implementation of Case management concerning health services.
13. Finally, inclusive design should be promoted in all areas and new products, increasing the access of people with disability to the market.
Ten best practice solutions to increase free movements and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe
Below are the titles of the ten best practice solutions that project has outlined in the main report:
1: One-stop-shop regional office
2: Home care
3: Special support for dependent people: Specific dependency or long-term care systems
4: Training and information courses about disability issues
5: National 'barrier-free internet' help desk
6: Access-city - Data bank on accessibility
7: Centre for resources and evaluation of technologies for people with disability
8: Mental health national plans
9: Directive to support employment of people with disability
10: Education for all
Next steps: Action
The results presented by the LIVINGALL project show that free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe is still a challenge and it is necessary that all the stakeholders increase efforts in all areas. According to the data, we propose that policy-makers, associations, the private sector and the mass media work together in order to turn actually face this challenge, using the following tools:
- European, national and local authorities should:
1. establish a unique and common definition of the concept of disability in Europe, based on the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities;
2. promote the coordination of results of current research establishing new challenges for the future;
3. strengthen equality legislation and general policies in all the areas, particularly those with more notable reported barriers: means of transport, built environment, labour and employment and education and training;
4. coordinate efforts with the aim of ensuring the implementation of actual equality legislation;
5. increase efforts and budgets in research with the aim of supporting equal opportunities for all;
6. play an important role in promoting the perception of people with disabilities as 'consumers' who demand products, processes and services created under a wider perspective;
7. increase collaboration with associations of people with disability and the mass media with the aim of increasing and promoting information about disability issues for people with disability, but also for the rest of European society.
- Associations of people with disability should:
1. be involved in the design, development and implementation of initiatives to support people with disability considering the needs of all kinds of disability;
2. collaborate in the formation of working groups of people with disability with the knowledge and experience necessary to lead future challenges, by collaborating with the national and local authorities, researchers, other professionals whose work can create barriers for people with disability, etc.
3. participate in the dissemination of information concerning disability issues for: people with disability and their relatives, professionals, researchers, authorities, etc., in general, the whole European society;
4. be involved in the promotion of the new concept of inclusive design, with the aim of covering the needs of people with disability, but also of other social groups with special needs.
Companies and private sector should:
1. modify attitudes towards the inclusion of people with disability in the work force;
2. facilitate accessibility to employment and training for people with disabilities, increasing the possibility of gaining access to better jobs;
3. consider the needs and requirements of people with disability as part of the market, orienting business strategies to this important part of the population;
4. promote the concept of inclusive design in the development of products: to eliminate barriers and promote accessibility in all aspects of daily life.
The acceptance of this concept should help to change social attitudes.
Mass media should help in the promotion and dissemination of information concerning the rights and needs of people with disability, mass media offers the best communication channel to support people with disability.
The LIVINGALL guide to best practices is aimed at supporting the rights of people with disability in Europe. This guide describes the current situation regarding free movement and equal opportunities in Europe, emphasising actual needs and barriers reported by people with disability, and providing recommendations on the effective measures taken and the implementation of best practices in order to improve free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe.
The project is structured in five work packages (WPs), whose main objectives and results are described as follows:
WP 1. Information gathering in the legal area concerning free movement and equal opportunities for all in Europe
Main objectives:
a) To document the rights of people with disability to free movement in the current European context.
b) To review and classify specific regulations and action plans at national or regional levels which contribute to the free movement of people with disability.
Deliverables published:
- Report concerning free movement of people with disability at European level.
- Compilation and classification of the national policies and action plans in Europe.
WP2. Information gathering in the technological area concerning free movement and equal opportunities for all in Europe
Main objective:
To review and classify current technical aids which contribute to the support of free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability.
Deliverables published:
- Compilation and classification of technical measures.
WP3. Evaluation of the use of free movement rights by people with disabilities in Europe
Main objectives:
a) To define communication channels and data collection procedures to compile information regarding barriers and knowledge of the actual rights to support free movement.
b) To gather data with a sample of 700 people with disability in Europe.
Deliverables published:
- The LIVINGALL questionnaire.
- Sample design and action plan.
WP4. Detection of main barriers preventing free movement and equal opportunities for all in Europe
Main objectives:
a) To detect general and specific environmental barriers that prevent free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe.
b) To obtain quantitative conclusions about the extent to which people with disabilities take advantage of their rights to free movement.
Deliverables published:
- Report presenting the real situation of free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe.
- Main barriers to free movement of people with disability in Europe.
WP5. Selection of best practice solutions to cover the existing barriers concerning free movement and equal opportunities for all
Main objectives:
a) Select and validate current best practices that support free movement of people with disability in Europe.
b) Discuss and propose solutions or guidelines for detected unsolved barriers.
c) Produce a guide containing these best practices.
Deliverables published:
- The guide to support free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe (the LIVINGALL guide to best practices).
Barriers to free movement and equal opportunities for people with dependency in Europe
Effective and relevant good practices have been based on the current limitations and problems reported by people with disabilities. The survey provided a wide analysis of the situation covering several different areas. Frequency was established based on the percentage of people reporting limitations in those areas. Relevance was measured based on a Likert Scale of 1-5 points.
General recommendations and guidelines to improce free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe
By addressing the difficult challenge to increase free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability at all levels, the project researchers, together with the people with disability participating in the LIVINGALL survey, have pointed out some general recommendations and guidelines. The main recommendations of the LIVINGALL project are the following:
1. People with disability should have the possibility to participate at a deeper extent in all the initiatives aimed at improving free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability.
2. Same rules / standards across each country and among the European countries have to be Implemented.
3. Ensure the implementation of laws regulating the rights of people with disability.
4. Increase the financial support for people with disability.
5. Promote information about the actual rights of people with disability.
6. Less bureaucracy.
7. Increase knowledge of the needs of people with disability among professionals who directly deal with people with disability.
8. Outdoor environment, public buildings, buildings that are open to the public and new constructions should be barrier free.
9. Increase barrier free transport initiatives.
10. Increase accessible means of communication initiatives.
11. European countries should make efforts to increase employment rates of people with disability.
12. Support and promote the implementation of Case management concerning health services.
13. Finally, inclusive design should be promoted in all areas and new products, increasing the access of people with disability to the market.
Ten best practice solutions to increase free movements and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe
Below are the titles of the ten best practice solutions that project has outlined in the main report:
1: One-stop-shop regional office
2: Home care
3: Special support for dependent people: Specific dependency or long-term care systems
4: Training and information courses about disability issues
5: National 'barrier-free internet' help desk
6: Access-city - Data bank on accessibility
7: Centre for resources and evaluation of technologies for people with disability
8: Mental health national plans
9: Directive to support employment of people with disability
10: Education for all
Next steps: Action
The results presented by the LIVINGALL project show that free movement and equal opportunities for people with disability in Europe is still a challenge and it is necessary that all the stakeholders increase efforts in all areas. According to the data, we propose that policy-makers, associations, the private sector and the mass media work together in order to turn actually face this challenge, using the following tools:
- European, national and local authorities should:
1. establish a unique and common definition of the concept of disability in Europe, based on the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities;
2. promote the coordination of results of current research establishing new challenges for the future;
3. strengthen equality legislation and general policies in all the areas, particularly those with more notable reported barriers: means of transport, built environment, labour and employment and education and training;
4. coordinate efforts with the aim of ensuring the implementation of actual equality legislation;
5. increase efforts and budgets in research with the aim of supporting equal opportunities for all;
6. play an important role in promoting the perception of people with disabilities as 'consumers' who demand products, processes and services created under a wider perspective;
7. increase collaboration with associations of people with disability and the mass media with the aim of increasing and promoting information about disability issues for people with disability, but also for the rest of European society.
- Associations of people with disability should:
1. be involved in the design, development and implementation of initiatives to support people with disability considering the needs of all kinds of disability;
2. collaborate in the formation of working groups of people with disability with the knowledge and experience necessary to lead future challenges, by collaborating with the national and local authorities, researchers, other professionals whose work can create barriers for people with disability, etc.
3. participate in the dissemination of information concerning disability issues for: people with disability and their relatives, professionals, researchers, authorities, etc., in general, the whole European society;
4. be involved in the promotion of the new concept of inclusive design, with the aim of covering the needs of people with disability, but also of other social groups with special needs.
Companies and private sector should:
1. modify attitudes towards the inclusion of people with disability in the work force;
2. facilitate accessibility to employment and training for people with disabilities, increasing the possibility of gaining access to better jobs;
3. consider the needs and requirements of people with disability as part of the market, orienting business strategies to this important part of the population;
4. promote the concept of inclusive design in the development of products: to eliminate barriers and promote accessibility in all aspects of daily life.
The acceptance of this concept should help to change social attitudes.
Mass media should help in the promotion and dissemination of information concerning the rights and needs of people with disability, mass media offers the best communication channel to support people with disability.
