The fourth day of the Riga Academy is dedicated to Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – the right to independent living.
In Latvia, this article is implemented through the deinstitutionalisation programme. Therefore, the head of the association “Rūpju dítě” Maris Gravis presented his experience of developing services for people with intellectual disabilities long before the launch of the deinstitutionalisation programme.
In the afternoon, we got to know the services for people with intellectual disabilities in Sigulda. We visited the Cerību spārni day centre, where we met with the head of the centre. We saw how they make candles, sew bags, make clay vessels and wooden products. All this could be purchased in the charity shop. In the evening, we visited the orphanage, where we were treated to delicious tea and cakes.
