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at the Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted, Hellerup, Denmark
April 26-28, 2001
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Update from Erik Ostergaard, the Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted, Denmark: Since the mid-1980's, every 2 or 3 years, there has been an EU-seminar on the education of O&M instructors. The latest one was in late 1999 in Budapest. The point of the meetings is to exchange curricula, experiences etc. In the 1998 Budapest meeting, it was decided that ADL should be included, so that future seminars would cover both O&M and ADL. Some also favoured the idea of developing a European curriculum, primarily as a guideline for countries with shorter programmes. Another goal wit the increased cooperation would be to secure EU funds for further education of instructors.
A committee was established with 5 members, but the plans proved too ambitious, considering the working distance. Thus, in February, a letter was sent out that the committee had been dissolved, the letter also outlines recommendations. (The letter is enclosed on the following pages.)
The question now is: Who can take it upon themselves to secure EU funding?
James mentioned that the GDBA is currently involved in an extensive review, and everything is frozen right now. Erik recommended that in any case, more than one country should be involved in running or organising a project, because of the big differences between countries. A joint curriculum or other activities have to be inclusive and not reflect one country's standards. This is a big task, and currently, there are no plans for the/a coming seminar.
Pam pointed to the additional need for cross-national coordination because of the trend of making professions/degrees from one country approved in the other EU countries.
Conclusion: The matter will be considered, but nothing was decided.
To the participants in
7th Seminar on Education of O&M Instructors in Budapest.
4. - 6. November 1999
Dear friends.
A year has passed since we met in Budapest for the seminar. Apart from spending a interesting, informative and nice time one of the results was, that we elected a committee to look into the possibilities for creating a European organisation of places/people dealing with education of O&M instructors. The five elected members of the acting committee were: Simon Eamonson (UK), Nurit Neustadt-Noy (il), Franz Josef Esch (D), Katerina Poulea (GR) and Erik Ostergaard (DK).
The mandate for the committee was due to the circumstances not very clear. The election of a committee was in a way the end result of the exchange of ideas and views of the seminar, but lack of time did not permit thorough discussions as basis for the work of the committee. Therefore the first task of the committee was to try to define the mandate.
No doubt the keyword was co-operation. Could a certain level of "European standards" in the education of O&M instructors be achieved, - and how? Could co-ordination of training of instructor training programmes be improved? Could further education - courses - for trained instructors be arranged on a European level? Could EU-money be found to boost the development of O&M in Europe? Should Seminars like the Budapest seminar continue?
The questions were many and some kind of organisation clearly should be formed to create, support, and initiate the co-operation. So in reality the main object of the acting committee was clearly to try to make a proposal for a permanent set-up for an organisation, including definition of purpose, area of responsibility, suggestions for working methods, rules for elections and other items of practical nature.
After the conclusion of the seminar in Budapest, there was only a possibility for a short initial meeting of the committee and few decisions was taken. The working method should be through e-mail and the aim was to have a meeting in connection with IMC last summer. No chairman was appointed. All communication would go to all committee members simultaneously. No member could act independently with regard to committee matters without consent of the majority of the committee.
Perhaps it was a bit optimistic to expect that a committee was able to function in this way. At least we realised that the method of functioning as a group and getting work discussed and done was extremely difficult. Ordinary meetings have not been possible to organise due to lack of time, other commitments, and also money. A scheduled meeting in connection to IMC in England was for various reasons cancelled. To sum up, the committee has unfortunately failed to function as the intentions were.
Where does that leave European co-operation for education of instructors?
Nobody have doubts that such a co-operation is very much needed. The experience we had has underlined the difficulties in doing it the way we intended. At least we have not been able to achieve the goal. It is probably not possible to carry out serious work around these matters without money and a firm commitment from organisations, funds, of international institutions, or some kind of official recognition and backing. In short, we need an official and powerful organiser.
In Budapest we talked about EU money for projects. Undoubtedly there is money around, but to get funding through these channels is no easy task. Some of us know by experience that it is extremely time-consuming and has an in-build risk of wasted energy. If there is no backing of a powerful organisation with a considerable staff to do the basic work it is very difficult. To get money from EU is also an investment from the participants, since it is rarely financed in total. At least at present we do not see an organisation willing to take on these expenses. Further, to start a project with the aim of developing an "European standard in the training of O&M instructors" would demand employment of people to run it.
As we see it, the only possibility to work in this direction is to hope that an organisation will take on the challenge of initiating a co-operation about these things and thereby lent their name, power, and responsibility for the cause. We would encourage a development in this direction.
More informal Seminars on Education of Instructors of the nature of the former 7 seminars are quite another matter. The seminars has had their differences and the aim of the individual seminars have not always been clear, but there is no doubt that they have been instrumental for the European programs to be acquainted and have given them the chance to pick up ideas from each other.
Organisers and participants in these seminars seem to have varied in their perception of the goals of these meetings. Has it been seen as an opportunity to meet other people with the same interests? Has it been seen as an attempt to co-ordinate training programmes in O&M? Or has it been seen as a discount model of an IMC?
The question is if these seminars should continue? That would depend if somebody would take on the organising. We would encourage a country / organisation / programme to do that. However, it would be very important for the success of a (possible) next seminar to make the contents and goals quite clear.
With the best wishes for a Happy New Year to all!
Katarina Poulea, Nurit Neustadt-Noy, Jupp Esch, Erik Ostergaard
(Simon Eamonson has left the job and is no longer in contact with us)
February, 2001