RI Regions
Europe
The national secretaries of RI Europe met twice (by video conference) during the year 2021. During these meetings, the national secretaries had the opportunity to discuss the evolution of RI global. A statement was issued following the meeting of 11 June 2021 in which the national secretaries expressed their concern about the consequences of COVID on the activities of RI global. This concern is still valid today. Depending on health developments in Europe, the national secretaries of RI Europe will meet in a “physical” meeting in the first half of 2022.
The main activity of RI Europe this year was the RI world congress in Aarhus from 7 to 9 September. The National Secretaries of RI Europe would like to underline the fantastic work of RI Denmark once again and the work of Jan Johanssen, whom they would like to thank for the great success of this congress, which greatly advanced the cause of people with disabilities.
The RI Belgium project Practical toolbox for prediction of return to work and labour market inclusion of people with disabilities is in its final phase. The manual will soon be available in book form and the website (accessible to people with disabilities) will be available before the end of the year.
Other projects: MOU RI Global/ISSA
Some of the members of RI Europe are active in the ISSA rehabilitation SWG (which is chaired by François Perl, also Vice President for RI Europe). A series of very interesting seminars have been organized in this framework.
Meeting with the President and Secretary General of ISSA and the VP Europe of Rehabilitation International. The aim of the meeting was to exchange views on the collaboration between the RI World Congress, the International Forum on Disability Management and the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work.
Leadership
Francois Perl
Vice President, Europe
Nick Carey
Deputy Vice-President, Europe
Francois Perl is Director General of the disability benefits scheme for employees and self-employed in Belgium since 2009.
Nick Carey is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Shaw Trust Group, a UK based charity with an ambition to help transform the lives of 1 million people each year. Shaw Trust is one of the 25 largest charities in the UK, delivering a wide range of public services from children and family services, schools, employability, learning and skills, justice, community health and wellbeing and retail and enterprise activities. Nick leads the Group’s strategy, policy, marketing and communications, assurance, risk, business intelligence and international functions. Nick joined Shaw Trust in 2012, before which he worked in policy at a membership body and think tank – the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations – working with charity chief executives and central UK Government on public policy reform and creating a more professional, entrepreneurial and impact focussed charitable sector. He graduated from Cambridge University, after which he joined PwC in their London Banking and Capital Market team.
News & Events
Global IT Challenge
https://youtu.be/Mdb3xaUpfyM Press Release - Organizing Committee The Global IT Challenge for youth with disabilities (GITC), which seeks to strengthen the IT capabilities of youth with disabilities and bridge the digital divide, is recruiting countries to participate...
ECOWAS calls for stronger support for people with disabilities
A working group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional political and economic union of 15 countries located in West Africa, urges stronger support for people with disabilities in a communique recently released during a regional...
Universal Design in Kindergarten and School, Guidelines and Universal Tools
The project Universal Design in Kindergarten and School, Guidelines and Universal Tools, is a project in cooperation between Rehabilitation International (RI) Norway and the Education Commission in RI International. The project is funded by grants from Global...
People with disabilities more likely to delay care during pandemic: study
According to a study published in a recent issue of Health Affairs, people with disabilities were more likely to delay medical care because of COVID-19. The study pulled from data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey, an annual study conducted by the Centers...
Call for Applications – RI Centennial Award of Outstanding Contributions
On the occasion of RI's centennial anniversary, we are pleased to announce the RI Centennial Award of Outstanding Contributions that will be presented in conjunction with our Centennial Anniversary Celebrations, to commend individuals or organizations that have made...
More training needed for physicians to improve care for people with disabilities
According to a recent study of American physicians funded by the National Institutes of Health of the US Department of Health and Human Service, some physicians are refusing to provide care services for patients with disabilities because they lack the knowledge...
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