International Course on Disability & Rehabilitation Management

Enablement is operating in the field of disability and rehabilitation management and is particularly concerned with people with disabilities in lesser-developed countries. Its specific strengths lie in the areas of policy development, applied research and training in disability and development issues. During 2003 Enablement will offer again the International Course in Management of Disability and Rehabilitation. This 4-week course usually attracts rehabilitation professionals from a wide variety of countries.

Participants will discuss the trends of rehabilitation in lesser-developed countries. Service models will be compared with socio-political models of empowerment, emancipation and integration of the disabled in society. The importance of the (global) primary health care movement and community development approach as well as community based rehabilitation will receive a great deal of attention. The role of rehabilitation professionals and disability activists in the development, delivery and organisation of rehabilitation programmes in lesser-developed countries will be explored. The enhancement of management skills and a sound knowledge of policy development in rehabilitation are indispensable aspects of our education objectives. This means a focus on issues such as:

• research (for policy and development);
• sustainable development, within the cultural parameters of each country/region;
• the use of management information systems;
• the importance of community participation in development, implementation and management of rehabilitation and disability programmes; and
• equity principles and the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration as pillars of rehabilitation and disability policy

• Prof. P. Devlieger, University of Leuven, Belgium
• Ms. M. van der Kroft, Save The Children Fund Policy Advisor, UK
• Mr. M. Miles, Birmingham, UK
• Dr M. Thomas, senior consultant, India
• Mr D. Werner, CBR expert USA