APCC - Associação de Paralisia Cerebral de Coimbra

The Cerebral Palsy Association of Coimbra (APCC) is a leading organization, nationally and internationally, in enabling and fully integrating people with disabilities and others at a disadvantage. Founded in 1975, its mission is to promote social inclusion, supporting the rehabilitation, integration and self-determination of children, youth and adults. APCC works to support more than three thousand clients and their families, is involved in the local community, raises awareness about the issue of disability, and interacts with partners to bring about change. To achieve its goals, APCC relies on services such as Rehabilitation, Occupational Activities, Professional Training, Qualification and Professional Education, Residential Units, Domestic Support, Sports, Educational Farm, Organic Farm, Toy Library, Toy Workshop and Transportation, among others. APCC has been involved in international projects in the European dimension for 28 years, since 1993. The first project the association was involved in was a Youth for Europe Exchange program, in partnership with an organization from the Netherlands – Franciscusoord. In the scope of volunteering, APCC has vast experience of hosting, coordinating, and sending volunteers in the activities developed at the association. The work APCC develops promotes social inclusion of disadvantaged individuals and those with disabilities. The first volunteers at APCC showed initiative in 1975, wanting to clean the rooms between consultations. Volunteering emerged in the institution as an organized activity in 2007. After assessing the needs of the association in close collaboration with the technical teams, and then creating activities, the first European Voluntary Service accreditation was attributed in 2008 and then renewed 2015. The Volunteer Department was formally created in 2011 and currently consists of two employees of the institution who accompany national and European volunteers on a daily basis. The team reports directly to the management of the institution with which it is permanently connected. In each volunteer activity there is an collaborator responsible for integrating, guiding and responding to questions and needs of national and European volunteers. APCC has sent EVS volunteers since 2008 and hosted volunteers since 2009. Until the present, 61 volunteers from 16 different countries have been hosted, and APCC has sent 16 volunteers to 10 different countries.