AGILE Disabled Self-Help Switzerland
AGILE is an association based in Bern . The umbrella organization is a self-help organization for the disabled in Switzerland and operates across Switzerland.
history
In 1951, eight self-help organizations for the disabled founded the umbrella organization . At that time there was no disability insurance . One of the first goals of AGILE was to secure the livelihood of people with disabilities. The establishment of the disability insurance (IV) in 1960 was a milestone. The goal of "securing livelihood" did not disappear from the to-do list. Even today, people with disabilities in Switzerland are among those most affected by poverty .
Principles
The association is based on the normalization principle . People with disabilities also want to determine and shape their own lives. They should be able to have a say and have a say when it comes to their concerns. Disabled people must therefore also be represented in preparatory and decision-making bodies and have a say. Only in this way is there a chance that society will move away from discrimination and towards integration in all areas of life.
The group of people with disabilities includes the physically and sensually handicapped as well as people with mental or intellectual disabilities and the long-term sick. Parents and close relatives are also affected. Cooperation across disabilities is particularly important to AGILE.
goals and tasks
The association is committed to equality and self-determination for disabled people in Switzerland. The focus is on material security, integration in work and society, access to buildings, facilities and services. In the field of education, the association is committed to ensuring that disabled people can develop their skills and competencies and use them to represent their interests .
Towards the inside, the association promotes the formation of opinions, develops positions and strategies. Externally, the association maintains contacts with political decision-makers in order to draw attention to disability-specific issues and to help their implementation achieve a breakthrough.
Structure and organization
As an umbrella organization , the association is democratically organized, takes up the concerns of the 40 or so member organizations and represents them in the political process. The board of directors leads the association strategically. He is recruited from the member organizations. As far as possible, all language regions and disability groups are represented on the board.
The office is located in Bern . She coordinates the operational work and carries it out. Approx. 500 percent of jobs are distributed among around ten permanent employees. Additional employees are recruited for projects as required. Most AGILE employees live with a disability or chronic illness themselves.
In order to maintain the connection to the base, the disabled people, the association uses various forms of communication:
- annual conference of presidents of member organizations for opinion-forming
- Annual meeting of delegates with an additional socio-political part for an open, interested audience
- Info letter to the member organizations
- quarterly publication of the online magazine "agile - handicap and politics"
- (Co-) organization of conferences and events on current political issues
financing
The association is financed by contributions from member organizations, donations, fees for services and project contributions. AGILE has concluded a service contract with the state disability insurance .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Invalidenversicherung - Aktuell (Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO)) Archived from the original on February 5, 2014. Retrieved on January 19, 2014.
- ↑ Poverty . bfs.admin.ch. Retrieved January 19, 2014.