About

The Nova Gorica Inter-Municipal Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired has been operating in the North Primorska region since 1948.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to represent the interests and needs of our members. We are constantly upgrading our professional assistance to people with visual impairments. Our staff consists of a social worker, a personal assistance manager, an IT expert, a typhlo-pedagogue, a general affairs officer and personal assistants.

 

OUR PROGRAMS

  1. Rehabilitation for adults with acquired sight loss in the home environment (since 2008). We obtained verification for the rehabilitation in 2020 and it has been co-financed as a public social welfare program since 2021. The program helps visually impaired person to accept their situation, train and equip themselves with skills that make their daily lives easier and enable them to be as independent as possible. Thus we indirectly influence their family members or significant others to be acquainted with the special needs of the blind and visually impaired and, if necessary, to reorganize their life together. We encourage and help in the expansion of the users’ social networks and their social inclusion. At the same time, we raise awareness of the wider social environment about their special needs. The program is based primarily on individual work with the user and addressing their needs, including work in their local environment.
  2. Personal assistance for the blind and visually impaired (since 2001). In 2017, the Personal Assistance Act was passed. In 2019, we acquired the status of a personal assistance provider and in 2020, we started performing these tasks according to the Personal Assistance Act. In 2019, we introduced a new program, “Assistance to the Blind and Visually Impaired in Overcoming Movement and Communication Barriers,” in which we provide transport and attendance, and assist in transferring information from the environment to the user for the blind and visually impaired who did not claim personal assistance. Transport and attendance are essential for the blind and visually impaired to remain active in their daily lives independently of others.
  3. In 2012, we began to focus on accessibility to space, services and information for people with disabilities. We actively cooperate with the Zavod Dostop (Access Institute) in informing, advising, preparing safe routes and adapting spaces, services and information. We successfully implemented the project “Accessible Countryside,” which was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund LAG (Local Action Groups). We also published the brochure The Art of Living with Visual Impairment.
  4. Sports and recreation for the blind and visually impaired are very important for maintaining and improving their mental and physical condition. We organize recreational and competitive activities: garden bowling, track bowling, darts, showdown and hiking.

 

The association also has a status in the public interest:

  • Status of NGO in the public interest in the field of social protection, No. 215-228/2019-5, 20 September 2019
  • Status of NGO in the public interest in the field of disability care, No. 215-228/2019/6,  27 July 2020