About the network
The European Network on Inclusive Education & Disability, incluD-ed, has the primary goal of promoting, identifying, exchanging and disseminating good practices on inclusive education for people with disabilities across Europe, in order to promote opportunities for employability and working inclusion. It is a network co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Operational Programme "Fight Against Discrimination 2007-2013". The incluD-ed network is aligned with one of the main fields of transnational cooperation defined by the European Social Fund as “the social inclusion of disadvantaged people and fighting discrimination in the labour market”.
According to the European Social Fund “collaborating and sharing experiences across borders, whether national, regional or organisational, is an effective way to access new ideas, innovative approaches and new skills. It helps participants understand what works and what does not, and why”. In this spirit the European Network on Inclusive Education & Disability was formed.
Mission: The main purpose of the European Network on Inclusive Education & Disability, incluD-ed, is to actively contribute to the elimination of barriers through inclusive education. The goal of this network is to promote equal opportunities in the educational context, with the aim of improving employability and work inclusion for people with disabilities.
Vision: incluD-ed seeks to create, at a European level, a social and educational framework to advocate and work towards full inclusion of people with disabilities. The network is a reference on the subject of inclusive education, focused on labour integration and based on collaborative work amongst different social players involved in the educational process.
Read more about...
- ► Network's objectives
- ► Why a European Network on Inclusive Education & Disability?
- ► Network structure
Network's objectives
The Network´s objectives are to:
► Promote, identify, disseminate and exchange good practices in the field of inclusive education for people with disabilities.
► Communicate and share relevant information
► Look for opportunities to promote programmes and develop policy action.
► Connect stakeholders and encourage joint efforts amongst organisations and individuals in the field of inclusive education.
► Endorse innovative experiences and activities.
Why a European Network on Inclusive Education & Disability?
incluD-ed's actions are strategically aligned with the following measures:
► The European strategy “Europe 2020” for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, with specific objectives for the EU regarding education.
► European Union ratification of the "United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities", which includes a specific article on education (Art.24).
► Adoption by the European Commission of The European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 with a main area focused on promoting inclusive education and lifelong learning.
► Focus on education as a key policy issue in all EU Member States and the inclusion of people with disabilities as a relevant topic in education regulations and plans implemented.
► Promote the work integration and the fight against youth unemployment.
Network structure
► Network promoter: Fundación ONCE, an entity dedicated to social inclusion and the improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities and their families, focusing particularly on the areas of education and work integration; and accessibility to environments, products and services. For this project, Fundación ONCE is backed by the European Social Fund.
► Partners: Four organisations act as initiative responsibles in each respective city. The designated coordinators are in charge of developing the project at a local level and mobilizing players through the creation of a Local Promoting Group. Partners are also the liaison & spokesperson with the rest of the network partners and secretariat, through a directing committee. Extended activities at national level are also developed by partners in their respective countries.
► incluD-ed Associated Members: are organizations and researchers from all over Europe working in the field of disability and inclusive education as well as for the inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of society. Associated Members support and disseminate, as part of their activities and possibilities, the key messages, objectives and main results of incluD-ed. They bring knowledge on local contexts and on at least one thematic axe of the network and provide support in regards to the signing of Opens new windowjoint documentsOpens new window of incluD-ed oriented to European or international institutions or key actors, to further improve the positioning of inclusion and inclusive education on political and public agendas.
► Local Promoting Groups (LPGs): Led by each partner and involving a group of actors from different fields that work together to identify, exchange and disseminate good practices on inclusive education for people with disabilities and promote the project at local level. The LPGs are managed by each network partner's designated coordinator.
LPGs are integrated by diverse players coming from local authorities, schools, NGOs, teachers, parents, people with disabilities , universities, public services, experts, companies and the media. The participation of such a variety of players ensures a multi-level and multi-stakeholder focus, which is needed in developing a sustainable framework for inclusive education. Therefore, incluD-ed can be considered as a “network of networks”.
► incluD-ed Online Community: Organisations, professionals who work in the field of inclusive education, and any interested person can join the incluD-ed Online Community by registering in the database as experts or interested organisations. Good practices in the field of inclusive education and disabilities may also be shared and disseminated through the incluD-ed Online Community.
