Personal Assistance

This article reveals that the right to personal assistance within Europe is under threat.

The Lisbon municipality has financed a pilot project for personal assistance in cooperation with the Independent Living Center of Lisbon.

In his response to ENIL’s call for EVS applications, Roland Benjamin, a 33-year-old disabled man from the UK, highlighted the important point that most support services are organised on a national level and as a consequence cannot be used when traveling, working or living in other (EU) countries.

Оn 14 June 2016, an article by Ciara Brennan1 , Rannveig Traustadottir1, James Rice2 and Peter Anderberg3 was published in the ‘Disability and Society’ journal, entitled “Negotiating independence, choice and autonomy: experiences of parents who coordinate personal assistance on behalf of their adult son or daughter”.

The researchers Ciara Brennan, Rannveig Traustadottir, Peter Andeberg and James Rice released this week their article “Are Cutbacks to Personal Assistance Violating Sweden’s Obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?”

In April 2016 a new collective contract was signed by unions in France, affecting the work of personal assistants for disabled people.

On Sunday, 20th March, 10 wheelchair users accompanied/supported by a team of personal assistants participated in the Urban Trail in Gent.

All disabled people, associations and concerned persons are invited to sign the Manifesto.

On Tuesday, 16th February strong and adamant Independent Living activists from the Centre for Independent Living in Firenze-Toscana (Italy) occupied the headquarters of the Regional Parliament protesting against the budget cuts implied by the state on independent living funds for disabled people.

Three years ago disabled people in Latvia received fantastic news – personal assistance (PA) legislation was to be introduced in Latvia. The legislation came into effect on 1st January 2013. In short, disabled people could apply for personal assistance funded through the national government and administrated by the local municipalities. It did not take long…

ENIL’s advisory panel member Raffaello Belli recently wrote an article as a reaction to the commonplace excuses of the authority figures in Italy when it comes to lack of funding for personal assistance. ENIL is perseveringly working in the area and next week a report on the situation of the personal assistance in Europe will be published.

In Valencia on December 15, 2015 ENIL with partners hosted a successful event on Personal Assistance as a tool for full participation in society and for leaving institutions behind.

On the day after the celebrations ENIL makes an overview of the numerous and exciting events that happened throughout Europe. The list of events below is by no means exhaustive, it only gives a flavour of the tremendous excitement that could be felt thanks to all independent living and human rights activist!

Almost two months have passed after the huge and successful ENIL Brussels Freedom Drive 2015! Herewith we present you with some of the important follow-ups of the event.

Precisely 3 months ago (on 18th August) ENIL published an article informing the wide public about one of our activities this year. ENIL is updating the information about Personal Assistance (PA) services available across Europe which was initially collected and analysed in 2013.

STIL, the founders of Independent Living in Sweden, yesterday issued a statement claiming that the Swedish government is pitting marginalized groups against each another.

7th ENIL Brussels Freedom Drive 2015 – Great Success!

New deadline for completing the ENIL Mobility Survey – 31 October!!!

The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) launches its 7th Freedom Drive under the theme “Independent Living: The Next Generation!”

ENIL is currently researching the barriers faced by disabled people when wanting to move or study in another EU Member State. We aim to collect data from as many disabled people as possible who have experience in this field and are willing to share it.