It’s Important To Us! / To dla nas ważne!
Pedagogues for female pupils with disabilities
The group includes three Agnieszkas – a teacher, a special needs pedagogue, and a psychologist. All three work on a daily basis at school with young people with assorted forms of intellectual disabilities, persons with vision and hearing impairments, and persons on the autism spectrum. Particular attention is paid to girls over sixteen, frequently with a shortage of knowledge of their own sexuality, and thus requiring support. The group aims to raise awareness female pupils with intellectual disabilities about their rights, their bodies and sexuality, and freedom of personal choice.
The teachers used the mini-grant to fund sexual educator training for themselves, organise a series of sexuality-related meetings for female pupils, and to purchase materials relevant to deliver such classes as well as feminine hygiene products girls are often in need of at school (sanitary napkins, tampons, menstrual cups). A different theme was selected for each meeting, including i.a. the menstrual cycle, contraception, pregnancy, personal hygiene, consent, sex. One meeting was organised at a gynaecologist’s office to allow girls to get used to a gynaecologist as a physician, take a look at the office and examination chair, and find out more about the examination itself.
More self-confidence, more awareness
Where do the Agnieszkas see themselves in a few years? They want to stay exactly where they are – at their school in Włocławek. They want to continue their current work – empowering girls with disabilities. They want to continue meetings, and go on talking to girls about what is important for them.
Grant money will be used to finance a training course for mindfulness practice instructors, deliver regular workshops for female pupils with intellectual disabilities, and organise an integration field trip for all participants. Participants and teachers will jointly deliberate on how to turn one’s own body into an ally, reach a point of equilibrium, and learn enjoying the “here and now” how to handle emotions, be more lenient towards oneself, find support within oneself, and be able to trust oneself. The nine-month session cycle will close with a two-day girls-only trip to a location close to nature.
Grant amount: PLN 8,800.00
Photos: Agata Kubis/ .kolektyw