Santo Domingo: The National Institute of Vocational Technical Training (INFOTEP), with the support of the International Labor Organization (ILO), presented the training program “Personal Assistance to Persons with Disabilities with a Demand for Support” as part of the project “Care Communities: design and pilot implementation of the National Care Policy in prioritized territories of the Dominican Republic”, financed through the Joint SDG Fund.
This project seeks to support the Dominican Government in the construction of a National Care Policy, through its pilot strategy that unites the efforts of 10 government institutions: Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD), Ministry of Labor; Ministry of Women; the Supérate Program; the Single Beneficiary System (SIUBEN); the National Institute of Technical-Professional Training (INFOTEP); the National Institute for Comprehensive Early Childhood Care (INAIPI); the National Council for the Aging (CONAPE); the National Council on Disability (CONADIS) and the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI).
This initiative, which will begin with a pilot plan in Azua and Santo Domingo Este, has the objective of training professionals with the skills to provide assistance to people with disabilities who require support to be able to carry out their daily activities with independence and autonomy. The pilot plan is a stepping stone to building a framework that aligns with the country's strategy to develop a National Care System.
In addition, it contributes to the long-term national objectives, which are contained in the National Constitution of the Dominican Republic, the National Development Strategy 2012-2030, the Government Plan 2020-2024 and the commitment of the Dominican Republic to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks not to leave no one behind.
The event was chaired by Professor Rafael Santos Badía, General Director of INFOTEP, together with Gloria Reyes, Director of the Supérate Program, and Juan Hunt, Director of the ILO for Central America, Haiti, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Likewise, Rosa Cañete Alonzo, Director of Analysis of Poverty, Inequality and Democratic Culture of the MEPyD, Larraitz Lexartza, Gender Officer of the ILO office for Central America, Panama, Dominican Republic and Haiti, and Damaris Solano, the ILO consultant and teacher of the program, virtually discussed the topic “Modern Approach to Personal Assistance”.
The qualification program and the teaching guides were presented by Kenia Peña and Sonia Sánchez, respectively.
The vice minister of MEPyD Olaya Dotel, Maira Morla, Deputy General Director of INFOTEP, also made an appearance.
Manuals Guides to run the program
For the development of this project, INFOTEP has developed four Guide Manuals to provide necessary information to participants at the beginning of the program. The Guide Manuals instruct participants on how to provide support services to people with disabilities, with the goal of helping them to carry out daily activities and guarantee their independent living and personal autonomy.
These documents have four modules that will serve as supporting materials, focused on the Social and Human Rights Model, Dominican Sign Language (LSRD), Personal Assistance to People with Disabilities, and Instrumental Activities of Personal Assistance.
Graduate profile
Upon graduation, participants will have the skills to work as personal assistants for people with disabilities, care assistants, home care assistants, companions for older adults, caregivers for the elderly, home help assistants for older adults and dependent people, caregivers in residential centres for children and adolescents at social risk, or caregiver in residential geriatric centres.
To access the training
Participants must be between 18 and 60 years old and have a secondary or higher education degree, with a preference for term students or students with a technical degree or higher in nursing careers or other related areas.
The Care Communities: design and pilot implementation of the National Care Policy in prioritized territories of the Dominican Republic” project is committed to reducing the gap between demand and public supply in care services, promoting the decent employment of certified caregivers, and enhancing the capabilities of each territory.
This article was originally published by INFOTEP.
Note:
The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
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