Zdruzhenie Asocijacija za pravata na deca i mladinci so posebni potrebi LASTOVICA Skopje

Association Lastovica is a non-governmental organization representing the rights of children and young people with special needs. Persons with disabilities should have access to opportunities in all aspects of their lives: health, education, culture and public life. However, in the Republic of Macedonia, public awareness of special needs is still low, resulting in less acceptance of and societal opportunities for people with special needs. The mission of Lastovica is to raise the capacity of people with disabilities in all areas of life, so that they can fully participate in their communities. Through the activities and efforts of our NGO, we would like to provide children and young adults with special needs a fair place in society and to create a feeling of equality, free of any kind of discrimination. We also hope that our efforts lead to an increased awareness of the lack of opportunities for people with special needs in the Republic of Macedonia and, by extension, less stigma. Association Lastovica opened its center in Skopje for educational, relaxational and rehabilitational purposes in 2012. Our center offers a variety of activities including: creative workshops (ethno, art and music), computer training and individual and group occupational therapy sessions for children and youth with special needs. The center accommodates young adults with special needs during the day (8 AM - 4 PM) and functions as an early intervention center with individualized therapy sessions during the evenings. The number of youth with disabilities who are visiting our center on a daily basis has been increasing. Additionally, we now have a larger number of young adults (ages 15-27) with special needs. Тhis increase in the number of beneficiaries we are attempting to serve leads us to a profound need for more human resources. The successful functioning of the center requires maximum commitment and a lot of energy. Current staff and volunteers involved with our NGO are all passionate and dedicated, but we are hoping to expand our team in order o be more efficient and to continue meeting the needs of our beneficiaries and their families.