At Som – Fundació we firmly believe that everyone has the right to live independently, including people with intellectual disabilities. Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community, with the freedom to choose where and with whom to live.
In line with this, the national government, aiming to align with the convention, approved the State Deinstitutionalization Strategy on June 11th. This strategy represents a significant step toward transforming the models of life and support for people with intellectual disabilities and toward ensuring their rights.
To address this reality, Som – Fundació created the Independent living program in 2013, an initiative that provides the necessary support for the people we assist to live independently, thus avoiding the need to live in an institution. The primary goal of the program is to improve the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities by enhancing their personal growth and their ability to make decisions about how to live and how to manage the basic activities of daily life.
How we do it
We provide tailored support to each person to help them learn to live independently. This support includes activities aimed at enhancing safety, maintaining or improving health, and increasing confidence in their abilities. We focus particularly on people who are approaching retirement. Individuals with intellectual disabilities tend to experience premature aging. Our support is centered on strengthening their autonomy to prevent them from needing to move into an institution prematurely.
Deinstitutionalization
We promote independent living for individuals with intellectual disabilities who have the necessary autonomy to live on their own. Our social teams develop an independent living plan for each person, ensuring they receive the support needed to achieve their goals. This support is particularly focused on young people who are in a transitional stage towards autonomy.
Social Inclusion
One of the biggest challenges of our program is working to raise awareness and educate the community. We strive to dismantle overprotective attitudes and promote an inclusive vision that recognizes the abilities and rights of people with intellectual disabilities. This support translates into empowering their participation in community activities, expanding their social network, and facilitating their full inclusion.
Social commitment
Society is increasingly committed to the right of people with disabilities to live independently and enjoy their independence and autonomy. A clear sign of this is the growing support we receive from both public and private organizations.
Since 2021, “la Caixa” Foundation has collaborated with our program, particularly focusing on promoting independent living for young people. We have also benefited from the Social Action Fund of the Sagrada Familia Foundation to prevent the institutionalization of elderly people with disabilities.
In the public sector, this year we received significant support from the Department of Social Rights from Catalonia Government to continue advancing our program. We have also enjoyed longstanding collaboration with the Barcelona City Council through the IMPD.
En l’àmbit públic, enguany hem rebut una col·laboració molt important del departament de Drets Socials per seguir tirant endavant el programa i comptem, des de fa molts anys, amb la col·laboració de l’Ajuntament de Barcelona, a través de l’IMPD.
If you want to learn more about this program, we invite you to discover the experiences of Montse and Óscar, two individuals we support who found in Som – Fundació’s Independent Living program an opportunity to live with greater autonomy and dignity.