On 19 January 2023 in Ventspils Kurzeme Planning Region held its Final #Icanwork Project Conference and invited employers across Kurzeme to participate in the “Lunch of senses” for employers as part of the afternoon networking session.

The morning session of the Conference primarily targeted the topic of intergration methods of people with disabilities into the labour market, by presenting best practice stories and project achievements in Kurzeme and Lithuania. Although the issue is still acute, partners shared their examples and innovative ideas on how the Day care centre visitors’ can be involved in the labour market through skill development groups and crafts’ classes, by making different souvenirs, art objects and household items to be offered for purchase to enterprises and citizens, thus building one’s own self-confidence, abilities and apprising the role in society.

The networking session took place using the “Lunch of senses” approach – with participants trying to go through different disability types and experiencing the varioius disorders (movement, vision, hearing and mental) through their “own shoes”. We learned of the sign language, how to orient oneself in the building and taste the meal with eyes closed, how to eat with special movement disturbing cooking gloves, order food not hearing what’s offered and laughed a lot about ourselves on how we can manage to accomplish all this:)

In the evening session the participants visited the new science centre Vizium to find out about the accessibility solutions used.

With these events we have finished our  2 years’ long project and now, with new impressions and motivation, shall continue to work on facilitating the integration of people with disabilities into the society.

We sincerely thank organisation Apeirons for their huge support in organising the event!