VEMAS - Behavior makes sense
Understanding behavioral problems of people with disabilities - seeing the person - changing the perspective.
Duration: 2021–2024
Funding Program: ERASMUS+
In this EU-funded adult education project, a broad and differentiated training and further education concept will be developed, implemented and evaluated. For this purpose, didactic instructions and materials such as an online course, case-based explanatory videos, practical handouts, a collection of diagnostic methods and other reflection tools will be created to show different professional groups from education, medicine and psychology, the immediate caregivers and the affected persons possibilities and ways to better understand behavioral problems and their meaning.
VEMAS is intended to establish an advanced training and continuing education program that addresses a socially highly relevant need and is unique in adult education to date: The basic assumption, already anchored in the project title, that every behavior makes sense in principle, is linked to a principle of dialogue that is central to the conception of the project, according to which, in order to improve the individual living and learning situation of people with intellectual disabilities/learning difficulties and behavioral problems, it is less important to treat or correct behavior that is perceived as disturbing or disturbed, but rather to understand the reasons and causes of these behaviors in their respective context and their life-historical significance.
A change in perspective and perception also promotes a change in basic attitude toward this group of people, which in turn is an essential prerequisite for realizing their right to participate in society and social inclusion. Particular emphasis is placed on the comprehensive participation of the affected group of people and their environment themselves: From the very beginning, these are part of a participatory development process with the aim of working out new scope for action and perspectives together with the people involved.
