Continuing the topic of professional inclusion of people with physical or mental disabilities, which remains an important area of organization’s project activities, the INTAMT Academy organised and coordinated a series of seminars and internships for members of the Russian Abilympics national team in Germany and Finland as part of the preparations for the X. International Abilympics Professional Competition for People with Disabilities, which will take place in Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan, Russia) in early summer 2021.
The representatives of the Academy in Helsinki were pleased to welcome Dr. Albina Bikbulatova, Vice-Rector for Methodolody and Inclusive Education of the Russian State Social University in Moscow and Ms. Dina Makeeva, Head of the National Abilympics Centre for the Development of Vocational Competitions for People with Disabilities, as well as all the other representatives of the expert community from Moscow and St. Petersburg, who came in large numbers to Finland to visit various centres for inclusive vocational education and training.
The six-day series of events in Germany started with an introductory lecture by Professor Eduard Patrik, Chairman of the Board of INTAMT Academy, on the topic “Germany: “Structure of the education system and vocational training”.
As part of the internship programme for members of the Russian national Abilympics team in Germany, visits to 8 inclusive training centres on 11 competitive skills were scheduled:
- Web design
- Publishing business
- Painting, decorating
- Car repair and maintenance, bicycle mechanic
- Landscape gardening
- Electrical installation
- Locksmith and metalwork
- Floriculture
- Electronics
- Medical and social care
- Cooking
When planning the internship in Germany, INTAMT project team paid particular attention to the balance of theoretical and practical content. The project participants were given enough opportunities to put their own skills into practice, which is important both for preparing the members of the national team for the upcoming international championship and for comprehensive knowledge transfer in general. Many years of experience in this field enabled the Academy to meet high demands of the organisers regarding the presence of practical modules for each competition skill in a qualified manner. The members of the national team enjoyed the opportunity to demonstrate their skills as well as to test themselves in the new environment and successfully mastered all tasks. The practicals in Finland were carried out in 4 competences:
- Floristry
- Landscaping
- Restaurant service
- Cooking
and included visits to four Finnish educational institutions at different levels: from the Vocational Training Centre Kiipula to the HAMK University of Applied Sciences. The Finnish model of the vocational competition was presented to the Russian delegation in every detail. In addition to the presentations by the host educational institutions, INTAMT provided a lot of information about both countries, their state structure, economy and education systems in the form of a brochure for Russian students.
The INTAMT team would like to sincerely thank the organisers and participants of the Abilympics project for the positive feedback after the internships, as well as for the opportunity to contribute to the integration of people with disabilities into society and the Abilympics project as an important format to achieve this goal.
INTAMT wishes the members of the Russian Abilympics National Team new successes and award-winning achievements in competitions and in life!
