https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/20012 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 14:48:20 GMT 2026-10-11T14:48:20Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149890 Title: Quality services for social inclusion : mapping quality regulations, requirements and trends in vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities : comparative report and country case studies Authors: Bezzina Ouattara, Lara; Belafatti, Fabio; Giedraiytė, Ieva; Strunkeit, Jessica; Pranskūnaitė Užpelkienė, Laima; Jones, Laura Abstract: The study mapping quality regulations, requirements and trends in vocational rehabilitation (VR) for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Europe (hereafter – the Study), commissioned by the European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR), was elaborated during the last quarter of 2020 by Policy Impact Lab. The Study has two main objectives: 1. To better understand the current obligatory and voluntary regulations, requirements and trends in VR for PWDs across different European countries 2. To inform the relevant stakeholders and policy-makers on the current gaps and needs in quality standards for VR. This study built on the one carried out in 2019, which looked at the quality trends of social services in 11 EU countries. The present study focused more specifically on VR (for PWDs) and looked at the quality trends in a further eight European countries: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Data collection in each country included desk research and interviews. For desk research, case study authors consulted a range of secondary sources, including service provider and policy reports, national legislation and guidelines, as well as academic articles. The interview program in each country targeted VR service providers and regulators responsible for this sector, and included between three to six interviews per country. The interviews helped fill the gaps in, as well as triangulate, the data gathered through desk research. Interviewees in each country received draft case studies for validation of findings. This report presents the findings emerging from the above-mentioned sources. The first part presents general observations that emerge from the comparative analysis and formulates recommendations regarding VR quality standards and guiding principles. The second part of the report includes a description of each country case, delving into further detail on the operationalisation, governance and provision of VR as well as the related quality regulations and monitoring. Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149890 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149889 Title: The role of indigenous and external knowledge in development interventions with disabled people in Burkina Faso : the implications of engaging with lived experiences Authors: Bezzina Ouattara, Lara Abstract: This paper explores the significance of engaging with the lived experiences of disabled people in countries like Burkina Faso in order to implement long-lasting and beneficial development. It looks at the way disability was conceived of in pre-colonial times and how knowledge imported from the colonisers conflicted with, and continues to influence today, indigenous knowledge in Burkina Faso. Although Burkina Faso obtained its independence from European colonisers over fifty years ago, disability as a terrain for intervention continues to be colonised by international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) that frame their approaches in western models, which are not necessarily applicable in countries like Burkina Faso. In a context where the predominant view of disability is that of disabled people being an economic burden, many disabled people in Burkina Faso feel the need to prove themselves as economically independent; and yet development agencies often do not engage with disabled people’s voices when designing and implementing development programmes. This paper argues that there is a need to engage with disabled people’s lived experiences and knowledges through processes such as participatory video which create spaces where marginalised people’s voices can be heard and listened to by the development agencies that influence disabled people’s lives. Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149889 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149887 Title: Participatory video and diagramming with disabled people in Burkina Faso : reflections on methods, representation and power Authors: Bezzina Ouattara, Lara Abstract: Disability research has made vast progress since Oliver’s (1992) call for it to challenge disabled people’s oppression. In Global South contexts such as Burkina Faso–where the research on which this paper is based was facilitated by the author–participatory diagramming and video are useful in creating spaces where disabled people can be heard. Nonetheless, these voices do not necessarily represent those of all disabled people. This paper tackles critiques of participatory methods, issues of representation, as well as power and positionality concerns arising from the involvement of western, non-disabled researchers. It ‘concludes’ that while participatory research might respond to the need for ethical research methods exploring disability in Global South contexts, the importance of reflexivity and of striving towards enabling and supporting research whose agenda is set by disabled persons from the Global South, should be at the fore. Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149887 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149886 Title: HELASIA project : health, education, livelihood in Africa : a sustainable inclusion approach Authors: Bezzina Ouattara, Lara; Kubekova, Veronika; Miller, Melissa Abstract: This report presents the findings, lessons learnt, and recommendations of the external and final evaluation of Humanity & Inclusion's project 'Health, Education and Livelihoods in Africa (HELASIA)'. The evaluation contract was launched on 19 December 2022 (date of purchase order). The kick-off meeting was held online on 04 January 2023. Data collection and analysis were completed in April 2023. The evaluation was undertaken by Policy Impact Lab. This evaluation report is based on analysis of project documentation and interviews and focus groups with internal and external stakeholders. Most of the interviews and focus groups were conducted face-to-face during field visits where local field experts were deployed. This was complemented with remote consultations conducted by the core evaluation team members.; The HELASIA project was funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and implemented by Humanity & Inclusion between October 2019 and June 2023 in partnership with the African Disability Forum (regional level), the Pan-African Network of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities (regional level), federations of organisations of persons with disabilities (national level) and organisations of persons with disabilities (local level). Benin, Ethiopia and Rwanda were thefirst countries of the project implementation. In January 2021,the project included Madagascar and Mozambique and started working with PANPPD. Botswana and the Gambia were also included at a later stage, albeit to a lesser extent, with activities focusing mainly on the work with ADF.; HELASIA's objective was to contribute to an increased access to inclusive services and improved quality of life of persons with disabilities through building capacities of partner organisations to advocate and participate in the development and implementation of policies and programmes at a local, national and regional level. To this purpose, HELASIA organised a number of activities, including organisational capacity strengthening (all seven countries); lobbying, advocacy, and awareness raising towards disabilities rights (all seven countries) and disability mainstreaming to make services more inclusive (five main countries). Furthermore, each of the five main countries selected a priority and a secondary theme from the three sectors covered by HELASIA, namely livelihoods, education and health. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149886 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z