„„User involvement /User involvement /participation“participation“

Eurodiaconia Social Services Working Group MeetingEurodiaconia Social Services Working Group MeetingBrussels (Eurodiaconia offices) Brussels (Eurodiaconia offices)

19th February – 20th February 200919th February – 20th February 2009

Silesian Diacony provides its Silesian Diacony provides its services to:services to:

Number of clients: Number of clients: 4 3364 336 No. of contacts: No. of contacts: 11 86611 866 NNo. of interventions: o. of interventions: 10 31810 318 No. of employees: No. of employees: 446262 No. of registered services: No. of registered services: 9944

Silesian Diacony is: Silesian Diacony is:

•CCharity organization established in 1990 by harity organization established in 1990 by

•Silesian Evangelic Church of the Augsburg Silesian Evangelic Church of the Augsburg ConfessionConfession

•BBased on Christian principles ased on Christian principles PProvides rovides social and social-health services to people social and social-health services to people with intellectual disabilities, seniors, with intellectual disabilities, seniors, homeless people, and to all who got into homeless people, and to all who got into difficult situations in lifedifficult situations in life

Brief Overview of Users Involvement in Slezska Diakony

The goals of Slezska Diakonie are:

To provide Quality Service

To give users an opportunity to get actively involved in the whole process instead of being passive receivers of our services - Quality Standards of social services are very good ways to get clients involved

A user plays a key role in the beginning, during process, as well as at the end of the service

The whole system is focused on the users

In Silesian In Silesian DDiacony we have established iacony we have established QQuality uality SStandards tandards of of SSocial ocial SServices and we proceed in this manner:ervices and we proceed in this manner: At the beginning there is a At the beginning there is a discussion with a persondiscussion with a person interested in a service interested in a service In case, that a person interested in the service wants to prosper from our service, In case, that a person interested in the service wants to prosper from our service, then we then we make a contractmake a contract The user plays a The user plays a key rolekey role in the process, the planning, and the course of the in the process, the planning, and the course of the service – the individual planningservice – the individual planning

Individual plans are made with Individual plans are made with user’s agreementuser’s agreement – it is about his/her personal – it is about his/her personal wishes, needs, or goals.wishes, needs, or goals.The fundamental condition of the individual planning is mutual acting and The fundamental condition of the individual planning is mutual acting and communication between the user of the service and the key worker. The main communication between the user of the service and the key worker. The main instrument is an instrument is an open dialog.open dialog.

The key worker – The key worker – in work experiencein work experience we meet with two concepts:we meet with two concepts:The key worker as a The key worker as a trustee trustee – a relationship between worker and user is forward.– a relationship between worker and user is forward.The key worker as a The key worker as a case managercase manager – a professional qualification is emphasized. – a professional qualification is emphasized.

The signification of the key worker for the userThe signification of the key worker for the user: he/she is a person to whom the : he/she is a person to whom the users can come anytime, he/she understands the users, and he/she can arrange help users can come anytime, he/she understands the users, and he/she can arrange help for them, etc.for them, etc.

The role of the key workerThe role of the key worker – an adviser, a therapist, a person, who seeks and – an adviser, a therapist, a person, who seeks and contacts the users of the services, defence counselcontacts the users of the services, defence counsel..

The individual planning is a process that has individual important The individual planning is a process that has individual important moments that are important for the moments that are important for the user user as well as for the worker. as well as for the worker. It looks this wayIt looks this way::

Planning = NAMING THE STAGE OF CHANGE AND

PLAN OF ITS ACHIEVEMENT

Realization of the plan =WORK TOGETHER

Evaluation =REVISION OF PLANS

End of support

Inquiry of a situationUNDERSTANDING

Other examples of involving users into the system of Silesian Other examples of involving users into the system of Silesian DDiacony:iacony:

The users know their rights; they know what they are entitled to and The users know their rights; they know what they are entitled to and vice versa, vice versa, and what duties result from interrelation.and what duties result from interrelation.

They participate on creation of quality standards of social services along with They participate on creation of quality standards of social services along with workers of the organization workers of the organization

They express their opinion to the quality of services – for instance in a form of They express their opinion to the quality of services – for instance in a form of questionnaires.questionnaires.

They are informed about who and in what way is going to take care of their They are informed about who and in what way is going to take care of their ccomplainomplainss. Complains are a feedback for the provider – an instrument for improving . Complains are a feedback for the provider – an instrument for improving quality of service. quality of service.

External inspectors, who take care of users´ External inspectors, who take care of users´ satisfaction with the service, lead satisfaction with the service, lead

discussions with the users at every discussions with the users at every consultation, audit, or inspection.consultation, audit, or inspection.

This set up system is a result of This set up system is a result of implementation of quality standards of social implementation of quality standards of social servicesservices in our organization. The aim of the standards is in our organization. The aim of the standards is to assure protection of to assure protection of rights and freedomsrights and freedoms, , to support to support equal accessequal access to education, work, and services, as to education, work, and services, as well as well as full-value lifefull-value life. .

We have been implementing standards in Silesian We have been implementing standards in Silesian DDiacony since iacony since 20002000. In the whole . In the whole Czech Republic there has been Czech Republic there has been a dutya duty to implement standards since to implement standards since 2007.2007. The Act The Act of social services cameof social services came into effect that year. This Act legally governs standards as into effect that year. This Act legally governs standards as a norm for the quality service. a norm for the quality service.

We are able to implement the standards thanks to consultations that happen with We are able to implement the standards thanks to consultations that happen with external inspectors. There are happening several types of consultationexternal inspectors. There are happening several types of consultation (e.g. One day (e.g. One day consultation, Sequential consultation, Developing plans, Audits)consultation, Sequential consultation, Developing plans, Audits) in Silesian diacony, in Silesian diacony, and for each type there is an independent methodology.and for each type there is an independent methodology.

Since 2007 there has been happening in the whole Czech Republic evaluation of fulfilment of Since 2007 there has been happening in the whole Czech Republic evaluation of fulfilment of standards of social services with the help ofstandards of social services with the help of inspections inspections (according to the Act of social services) (according to the Act of social services) done by the regional authorities. The inspections have a character of done by the regional authorities. The inspections have a character of state controlstate control, and they , and they have a have a 3 day duration3 day duration. The Silesian diacony has already passed 3 inspections, every time with . The Silesian diacony has already passed 3 inspections, every time with a success. The next inspection is going to happen in April. a success. The next inspection is going to happen in April.

Set Up the System of Our PolicySet Up the System of Our Policy

The TThe Training for raining for SStafftaff

WWorker of Silesian orker of Silesian DDiacony has iacony has educational planeducational plan in a connection to his/her in a connection to his/her qualification and targeted group of users. People in qualification and targeted group of users. People in our organizationour organization participate in participate in courses organized by Silesian courses organized by Silesian DDiacony as well as those organized by other iacony as well as those organized by other institutionsinstitutions..

In the past period we were organizing within our sector seminars with these topics:In the past period we were organizing within our sector seminars with these topics:

- - EEducatiducation ofon of persons with persons with learning learning disabilities disabilities- Conflict of interestConflict of interest- Personal goals in counsellingPersonal goals in counselling- Restrictive actionsRestrictive actions- Personal standards- Personal standards- Individual planning for shelter housing- Individual planning for shelter housing- Autism, Asperg syndrome - Autism, Asperg syndrome - Care for - Care for eldery peopleeldery people with mental disabilities with mental disabilities- Christian principles in social services- Christian principles in social services-and othersand others

Workers can also take prosper from the offer of seminars and courses organized by Workers can also take prosper from the offer of seminars and courses organized by Diacony Diacony IInstitute – educational institution established by Silesian nstitute – educational institution established by Silesian DDiacony.iacony.

The Main Benefits of the Policy

The main contribution is:The main contribution is:

From the view of the centres – providers of the services From the view of the centres – providers of the services • high quality high quality of the serviceof the service• pprofessionalism rofessionalism of the provided servicesof the provided services

employees professionalism – employees professionalism – more specialized knowledge and skills more specialized knowledge and skills employees´employees´ interest interest in education in the area of quality in education in the area of quality process of providing services an its risks (defined in writing)process of providing services an its risks (defined in writing)

user’s user’s satisfaction – satisfaction – active involvement of usersactive involvement of users teamteam cooperation – cooperation – all workers and users take part in creating standardsall workers and users take part in creating standards exactexact delimitation delimitation of workers, users, and family members competencesof workers, users, and family members competences

From the view of Silesian From the view of Silesian DDiacony:iacony: good image, reputationgood image, reputation excellent results during inspectionsexcellent results during inspections realization of contractsrealization of contracts for other providers that are focused on support with for other providers that are focused on support with implementing implementing quality standards of social services, andquality standards of social services, and training training in the area of in the area of quality standards in social servicesquality standards in social services

The Main Difficulties in Implementing of the Policy

When setting up the system it was important to bring When setting up the system it was important to bring a change ina change in workers´ and workers´ and users´ users´ opinionsopinions (especially those, who used to be clients of big institutional (especially those, who used to be clients of big institutional facilities in the past). facilities in the past). ThereforeTherefore m motivation and supportotivation and support from the management of the organization from the management of the organization played an important role (there was no directive approach). Our workers received played an important role (there was no directive approach). Our workers received time to time to become aware of the purpose and the importance of the standardsbecome aware of the purpose and the importance of the standards.. We appreciated projects when implementing the system. Thanks to the projects We appreciated projects when implementing the system. Thanks to the projects we we created methodology for implementing quality standardscreated methodology for implementing quality standards in social in social services and we set consulting system, which supports individual directors when services and we set consulting system, which supports individual directors when they implement quality. they implement quality. Consultations happen with the presence of Consultations happen with the presence of external specialistsexternal specialists – inspectors of – inspectors of quality in social services. The projects helped us to realize many training, quality in social services. The projects helped us to realize many training, seminars, conferences, where our workers received needed information and seminars, conferences, where our workers received needed information and knowledge that they applied in practice. knowledge that they applied in practice.

Since Since 20022002 we have realized a total of we have realized a total of 55 project focused on implementing quality project focused on implementing quality in Silesian in Silesian DDiacony; 3 of these projects were financed from the European Union.iacony; 3 of these projects were financed from the European Union.

The Most Innovative Way of Users Involve

User’s satisfactionUser’s satisfaction is the is the one of the one of the main goalmain goalss of Silesian of Silesian DDiaconyiacony

Users are Users are integrated and involvedintegrated and involved to an community to an community

The care is The care is individualizedindividualized along the user needs and desire along the user needs and desire

Service user = Service user = full-value partnerfull-value partner, who knows own rights, he/she freely decides to , who knows own rights, he/she freely decides to use use different kind ofdifferent kind of service servicess. He/she chooses among individual providers (this is . He/she chooses among individual providers (this is guaranteed by the Act of social services).guaranteed by the Act of social services).

Users have an opportunity to Users have an opportunity to actualize actualize themselves; they can work in themselves; they can work in supported supported employment, employment, therapeutic workshopstherapeutic workshops, , sheltered workshops. With provider’s support sheltered workshops. With provider’s support they get involved in community life.they get involved in community life.

There is an There is an educational systemeducational system for workers; the centre of interest is always the for workers; the centre of interest is always the useruser

The Lessons We´ve Learned from the Processes and Our Advice to the Others

Support team Support team cooperation,cooperation, continually continually motivate motivate workers, receive workers, receive feedbacks feedbacks from participating parties, from participating parties, communicatecommunicate, support informal communication., support informal communication.

PPlan the whole process in detail, lan the whole process in detail, work a plan (work a plan (methodology) and use a methodology) and use a “method “method of sequent steps”.of sequent steps”.

Cooperate Cooperate with external specialists (they are impartial).with external specialists (they are impartial).

Be openBe open to lifelong education. to lifelong education.

Learn Learn self-evaluation self-evaluation of service and subsequent analyzing and improving.of service and subsequent analyzing and improving.

Plan Plan service development.service development.

Share learned information, skills, examplesShare learned information, skills, examples of good practice – educate others. of good practice – educate others.

Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention

Markéta HolkováMarkéta HolkováSlezská diakonieSlezská diakonie

Na Nivách 7Na Nivách 7737 01 Český Těšín737 01 Český Těšín

Tel.: 00420 558 764 335 Tel.: 00420 558 764 335 Mobil: 00420 605 202 998Mobil: 00420 605 202 998

Email: m.holkovaEmail: m.holkova@@slezskadiakonie.czslezskadiakonie.czWeb: www.slezskadiakonie.czWeb: www.slezskadiakonie.cz