The Jury Prizes
The Association Francophone d’Aide aux Handicapés Mentaux (AFRAHM - French-speaking Help the Mentally Disabled Association) - Schaerbeek
Publication of writing for and by young mentally disabled people.
AFRAHM is a body which works to promote and uphold the interests and rights of people with learning disabilities in order to improve their quality of life. AFRAHM aims to publish texts produced by the discussion group for young mentally disabled people. The actual idea here is to give concrete expression to the work of the group, to validate individual and collective experience and to create a valuable tool for co-ordinators, psychologists, teachers and educators.
Association Pluraliste de Soins Palliatifs de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (Bruxelles-Capitale Region Pluralist Palliative Care Association) - Brussels
“Graines de Réconfort” (Crumbs of comfort)
The association’s mission is to provide information, raise awareness, evaluate needs and promote care for palliative patients at home… The “Grains de Réconfort” scheme plans to create a teaching tool designed to help 5-12 year-old French-speaking children facing loss and bereavement by adapting and revitalising the available tools for this age group.
Service Droits des Jeunes de Bruxelles (Brussels Young People’s Rights Service) - Brussels
Creation of an information sheet for Mineurs Étrangers Non Accompagnés (MENA - Unaccompanied Foreign Minors)
The young people’s rights service initiative aims to combat social exclusion and smooth the road to independence for young people and families. By producing 14 easy-to-understand thematic information sheets for the young people themselves, explaining their rights and obligations while they are in Belgium, the scheme aims to improve the effectiveness of unaccompanied foreign minors’ rights in order to bring them out of instability - perhaps even out of hiding - and the state of social exclusion in which they can sometimes find themselves.
The Coq à l’Âne farm - Buissenal
“Le Potager Solidaire" (The Community Garden)
The “Coq à l’Âne farm” association hopes to help people explore rural practices and lifestyles in order to prevent certain traditions and customs from being forgotten, by offering activities such as working with leather, wool, bread etc. The aim of the scheme is to give disadvantaged or disabled children the opportunity to find out how vegetables grow, how you can grow them yourself and which of them are good for your health… The emphasis will be on the advantages of a balanced diet.
Association des Parents d’Enfants Déficients Auditifs Francophones (APEDAF - Association of Parents of French-speaking Hearing-impaired Children) - Ixelles
The “Bébé, Bambin Sourds Bouquinent…” (Deaf Baby and Toddler Reading) DVD
The APEDAF aims to support any deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families in the areas of education and cultural, social and professional life, taking on board their opportunities and needs. The “Bébé, Bambin Sourds Bouquinent…” scheme consists of the making of two audio-visual DVDs of bilingual French/sign language stories based on classic stories.
Monceau Farm – Boîte à Couleurs (Colouring Box) - Vaux-sur-Sûre
Milking and caring for animals…just like everyone else!
The aim of the Boîte à Couleurs association is to put rural heritage within everyone’s reach and to encourage the integration of disabled people. The scheme developed by this organisation is to enable people with reduced mobility to participate actively in finding out about and working on the farm by improving access to the animals and by adapting equipment (on farms, in the fields etc)
Le Monde des Possibles (The World of Possibilities) - Liège
“Babel”
The aim of the “Le Monde des Possibles” charity is to teach French as a foreign language and computing to migrants. The “Babel” scheme is a project to create a public space for logopedics and the development of therapeutic tools adapted for children and migrants in the Bressoux-Droixhe district of Liège. This public space and these tools will help non-French-speaking children aged 3-12 (who have a different language and culture) who are in the mainstream school system, in nursery or primary school.
Relais Enfants Parents (Children-Parent Broker) - Brussels
Fitting out of rooms to be used by children when visiting prisons
The aim of the Relais Enfants Parents (REP - Children-Parent Broker) organisation is to maintain and improve the relationships between children and parents when the latter are in prison. The proposed scheme involves fitting out the sites used by children visiting prisons by creating three different spaces: a sensory-motor space, a relaxation space and a creative space. This scheme will help to improve both the conditions in which children meet their parents and the way they are catered for in prisons.
Centre de Jeunes Le Château (Castle Young People’s Centre) charity - Petit-Hornu
“Ré-acteur du Monde" (World Re-actor)
The aim of the Centre de Jeunes Le Château charity is to offer the young people of Petit-Hornu and nearby districts somewhere they can go, meet, get involved in activities, etc. The Ré-acteur du Monde (World Re-actor) scheme aims to set up a network allowing this disadvantaged group to open up to and explore the outside world. By creating various spaces (a reading space, a games and socialising space, a computer space, and a creative expression space), the charity hopes to help the young people relate to the world around them, thus helping help them to awaken their own critical minds away from the family cocoon.
ForceDouce (Gentle Strength) - Uccle
Pas à Pas (Step by Step) with ForceDouce
The aim of the ForceDouce charity is to foster the social, physical and mental development of disadvantaged or sick teenagers by teaching them how to sail. Once it is up and running, the scheme will enable teenagers who are being or who have been treated for cancer to go sailing. The scheme, set up with the Reine Fabiola children’s hospital and the Pas-à-Pas charity aims to improve the well-being of children in treatment to enable them to fight against illness, and allow them to emerge from the isolation which is too often typical of their situation and share their experience with other young people in the same circumstances.
“La Galette” charity - Brussels
A Livre Ouvert (Open Book)
The aim of the charity is to raise awareness about reading and writing in relation to different artistic activities such as working with clay sculpture, music, painting, etc., the “A Livre Ouvert” scheme aims to introduce illustrated book-reading activities into the day nursery at the local “La Maison en Plus” community centre. The event will be hosted by a professional storyteller and will be aimed at very young children (12 months to 3 years) and parents who speak little or no French and hosts.
Artifices (Effects) charity - Haine-Saint-Paul
Creative workshops for mentally disabled children
The work of Artifices involves introducing art and artistic expression to mentally, culturally and socially disadvantaged people in the Charleroi region. The Artifices organisation’s scheme involves setting up weekly workshops for mentally disabled children. There will be DIY, physical expression, cultural visits and outings, all designed to help stimulate the imaginations, development and independence of the children taking part.
Association de Personnes Porteuses d’une Trisomie 21 (APEM-T21 - Association for People with Down’s Syndrome) - Heusy
“APEM-T21’s CEC” Exhibitions
The aim of this association is to inform and support people with Down’s Syndrome, their families and professionals. The scheme now being developed by APEM-T21 involves exhibiting the work of young people with Down’s Syndrome in June 2008, and opening this exhibition to the general public in order to help the artists to develop and obtain recognition for their work.
Centre for general social aid - Archipel (archipelago) charity - Brussels
A website for children whose parents have problems involving inappropriate sexual behaviour.
This charity is a drop-in centre providing help for sex offenders, and offers treatment for those of them who are under age. Helping victims is obviously an important part of the charity’s work. As people often fail to listen to underage victims, the Archipel charity is hoping to create a website allowing children to ask questions and talk about things that worry them in a way which is accessible to everyone. This platform also helps the charity to pick up on therapeutic needs or to point the children in the direction of help if necessary. This helps the children learn to get a better handle on their situations and find better ways of protecting themselves against sexual abuse.
Maison des Jeunes (Youth Centre) – Centrum-West - Brussels – Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Les Echassiers (The Wading Birds) – a circus workshop for young people
The Maison des Jeunes Centrum-West offers activities for young people, designed to provide more freedom for children and teenagers who do not always live in favourable environments. By organising activities, camps and workshops, the charity tries to help the young people learn skills, behaviour and knowledge which could help them to develop their personalities in positive and socially productive ways. The “Echassiers” scheme aims to offer young people an after-school framework in which they can spend their free time improving their Dutch, learning various circus techniques in a recreational environment, learning to work together, to make commitments, etc. In this way, the young people can give the outside world a positive demonstration of their skills.
Oranje Jeugdwerk - Bruges
“Inclusief kleuters” - a project to involve handicapped children in sporting activities
The goal of the Oranje charity is to fulfil the needs of handicapped young people and their environment. Given that there is currently no specific opportunity offered to young people in the Bruges region who suffer from a handicap, the charity wants to set up an organisation which allows children to participate fully in sporting activities. In time, the charity would also like to share their experience with other sports organisations.
The « Jongerenwerking» Charity, Nieuw-Sledderlo - Genk
“Teatro sin Fronteras” (Theatre without Borders) – street theatre with the young people of Peru
The Jongerenwerking charity offers a large programme of leisure activities in the Nieuw-Sledderlo district of Genk. In collaboration with parents and schools, the charity aims to improve the educational and developmental progress of socially disadvantaged children. The theatre project “Teatro sin Fronteras” is a way of making young people aware of their own identities and can only encourage their integration and participation in society. Working together with young people from Peru also broadens their view of the world in which they live, while at the same time reinforcing their self-image and self-confidence. This project is the second part of an international project.
De Sleutel – The Broeders van Liefde Charity - Gent
Rehabilitation of formerly drug-addicted minors by means of sporting activities
De Sleutel (the Key) is a network which offers treatment and care to people with drug addiction problems. Young people who manage to escape their dependence often have an irregular and fragile pace of life. By means of intensive sporting activities and a healthy diet, these young people can pull themselves together and move on in their lives. These funds will mainly allow the purchase of fitness equipment.
The De Dorpel Charity - Herentals
IT courses for disadvantaged children from 6 to 12 years old
The De Dorpel charity works toward creating a positive image of those who live in poverty in our society. The organisation offers a wide range of services and activities to counter social exclusion. By providing children between 6 and 12 years old with IT courses, the charity is trying to reduce the digital gap so that children from poor families can also take part in IT courses at school. During these extracurricular IT lessons, sensible, responsible and safe use of the Internet is equally stressed.
Dagcentrum de Horizon - Courtrai
Alternative circus
The Dagcentrum De Horizon is a reception and care centre for minors with educational difficulties. The charity also offers help to young parents, both residential and daily. Allowing children to develop their social and communication skills through play helps them to have a positive self-image. The circus techniques are used to this end and the goal is that the children put on performances before a family audience and finally a larger audience.
General Social Assistance Centre – The Piramide (Pyramid) Charity - Courtrai
J-Actie
The Piramide general social assistance centre offers varying social assistance services for vulnerable people depending on their social circumstances. By implementing a process in which disadvantaged young people are closely involved in the youth advice centre (JAC – jongerenadviescentrum), the organisation hopes to provide easier access to a larger group of disadvantaged youngsters. With the help of a short film produced by these young people, the JAC tries in a modern way to bring the organisation closer to a larger group of disadvantaged young people.
Special education - De Bloesem - Saint-Trond
A learning garden for autistic children
De Bloesem offers education adapted to students with light, moderate or severe mental handicaps. The organisation also offers education specifically adapted to autistic children and adolescents. For this project the school wants to create an enclosed and protected area in the garden where autistic students will, in a clear and visual way, be able to acquire motor, social and play skills. In this way they can take part in outdoor integration projects, and their parents can also be informed of any problems encountered and learn some of the adapted activities. Autistic children from difficult family situations will also have access to the garden.
The Tempus Charity - Beringen
The pleasure of surfing the Net for all
The Tempus charity provides information to students in primary, secondary and higher education about the wide range of studies on offer. It is above all disadvantaged children and their parents who can contact this charity to obtain financial, psychological and social assistance. Within the framework of an extracurricular host project, the charity provides disadvantaged children with the opportunity to use a computer to do their homework. Thanks to the PCs available on site, the children can also develop their computer skills in a more general way.
The Windekind Charity - Louvain
Wij musiceren – a musical project for handicapped children
The Windekind charity is a special educational establishment where the children learn to fulfil their maximum potential and to live independently with their handicap. In particular, the charity tries to provide young people with a realistic but positive self-awareness. The aim of the charity in this project is to allow motor-handicapped children to play their own music and to make the most of these positive experiences. By means of a specially adapted ‘music box’ the children can let off steam through music.
The Domo Charity - Louvain
Sport and games for every child
The Domo charity specialises in assistance to socially vulnerable families. This organisation works with a network of volunteers who support disadvantaged parents to help them create an optimum and warm family environment for the children within the family. By playing the role of ‘family friend’ the volunteers try to offer the children better prospects for the future. The charity is trying with this project to give disadvantaged families an idea of the leisure activities on offer in the Louvain region, so that each child can take part in an entertaining extracurricular activity of particular interest to him/her individually.
Jeugdcentrum De Warande - Courtrai
Hotel Dot Com – Multimedia camps for young people with mild mental handicaps
De Warande is an outdoor recreational centre for children, adolescents and young couples, where everyone is welcome. The De Warande centre pays special attention to mentally and physically handicapped people. By means of multimedia camps the youth centre tries to help children with a mild mental handicap discover IT and multimedia techniques through play. With the funds allocated, the centre can buy furniture and multimedia equipment.
VOC de Rozenkrans - Aartrijke
Le Jardin des Sens (The Garden of the Senses)
This organisation concerns itself with children requiring a high level of assistance, both physical and behavioural. They therefore deal with children who have multiple handicaps and are completely dependent on their carers. Another group is made up of children with behavioural problems, who require an approach clearly adapted to individual needs. In a special « garden of the senses » these children can benefit from a modified environment in which they can experience sensory stimuli, develop freely and meet other people.
The De Berkjes Charity - Bruges
Forest games
The De Berkjes charity deals with and cares for about sixty children and adolescents with serious physical problems. The goal is for them to achieve a fundamental recovery in terms of personal development so as to allow their integration into society. By adapting a small area of forest in an educational and environmental recreational centre, the charity tries to improve the children’s social skills. Physical exercises and play activities are the main basis for improving the children’s quality of life.
De Regenboog – Special education - Lier
Gezond en fit geeft je pit
De Regenboog is an open coeducational school offering special education which cares for young people with a mild mental handicap with a view to their integration into normal life and a working environment. Given that some students have problems with excess weight, the project works on their physical condition and dietary habits. The goal is to bring the body mass index of obese children to a healthy level by means of an intensive training programme and the purchase of sports equipment.
Riso Vlaams-Brabant - Kessel-Lo
Kinder-Instuif
The objective of the Riso Vlaams-Brabant charity is to develop basic services for residents of local authority housing in the Vogelweelde district. By means of a wide range of activities the charity tries to encourage social integration in the area and to improve the provision of services. In order to give disadvantaged children the chance to let off steam in their free time by taking part in sporting and play activities, premises for the children have been provided with games and sporting equipment necessary for the purpose.
Scouts in Gidsen 1st Sint-Paulus Baden-Powell - Dendermonde
Samen Kan Best
For several years there has been a partnership between the Dendermonde scouts group and Akabe, the organisation which arranges inclusive leisure activities for young people, whatever their physical or mental handicap. Thanks to this partnership handicapped children have the opportunity to fulfil their potential within a youth movement context. This project allows the modification of facilities in Scouting Dendermonde premises to improve wheelchair access, as well as more ways to coordinate the joint operations of Scouting Dendermonde and Akabe.
Pax Christi Vlaanderen - Anvers
Prevention of violence with young nationals of Chechnya and Byelorussia
Pax Christi is an organisation active in the field of education about peace and the prevention of violence. The organisation has a long history of non-violence and reconciliation. With this project Pax Christi wants to provide young Byelorussian and Chechnyan refugees with the personal tools which will help them to integrate more effectively into our society. By means of contact with youth associations and educational and group activities they learn to adopt non-violent behaviour when faced with violence, racism and general frustrations.
Sint-Jozefsinstituut BuBaO charity - Geraardsbergen
Games area during the summer holidays for mentally handicapped children
The Sint-Jozefsinstituut is a school providing support for children with mild to severe mental handicaps. For some years the Geraardsbergen region has recognised that the lack of access for mentally handicapped children to a traditional games area during the holidays has been a problem. This is why the charity, in collaboration with the youth service, wants to organise a games area at the school so that these children can, with additional assistance, play, read and have fun during the school holidays.
Chirojeugd West-Vlaanderen - Roeselare
Mixed X – a camp for socially vulnerable young people where sharing plays an essential role
Chirojeugd West-Vlaanderen provides assistance to local Chiro groups in west Flanders and deals with introduction courses, training and conferences for group leaders. In view of the fact that Chirojeugd West-Vlaanderen attaches considerable importance to diversity, they organise the AspiBivak, a weekend of activities for young people between 16 and 18 years old, equally open to young refugees. In this way, in collaboration with Lejo workers, they try to promote a community spirit among all these young people and to offer each of them an enjoyable experience.
Strategische Projectenorganisatie Kempen (SPK) - Turnhout
BrandSite – a district website
With this project the SPK wants to involve disadvantaged young people in the creation of a local website in the Den Brand district of Turnhout. During an entire year young people work together to set up a website, working on the technical plan as much as on the contents. The residents of the district can at any time come and have a look at the meeting place where the young people work, which boosts community spirit throughout the district as well as providing general information on IT and the Internet.
AP³ - Association des Parents et des Professionnels autour de la Personne polyhandicapée - Nivelles
Ludo’Mobil
This organization fights for the rights of young people who are poly-handicapped. Thanks to this project, the organization will be able to start a “ludothèque” and will be able to organize activities and workshops, specially adapted for young people with several handicaps.
Asbl Point de Rencontre - Quenast
Animation and care for children
With this project, the organization Point de Rencontre tries to offer better after school care and offers interesting workshops and activities. These workshops take place on Wednesday afternoon. This project also offers guidance for adolescents throughout their educational training and classes.