OUR PARENT SUPPORT HUBS INITIATIVE
We believe that all people in Georgia have the right to information that is relevant to whatever their life requirements are, regardless of location or economic circumstances. This is especially true when such information can dramatically improve their life or the life of someone they love. To further this basic premise underlying many of MAC Georgia's actions, a new initiative has begun that will eventually reach parents throughout Georgia.
EDUCATION
MAC Georgia is establishing community-based 'parent hubs' in the cities of Telavi and Ozurgeti, funded through the US Embassy Georgia's Democracy Commission Small Grants Program. Parents of children with disabilities will receive a total of more than 150 hours of intensive training in topics relevant to their situation. These include, among others, teaching strategies, behavior management, law, budgeting, effective communication, grant writing, social media, and basic computer skills. Through this educational initiative, parents of children with disabilities will be able to have the knowledge to generate life-changing actions.
EMPOWERMENT
After training, parents will establish and manage community groups — hubs of outreach to other parents of children with disabilities in their area. The establishment of these hubs will result in parents having a place to meet and obtain reliable and understandable information on disability and supportive services. Open and free contact with other parents who have similar needs can also empower action, both collectively and individually, to make things better for themselves and for their children.
SUSTAINABILITY
Although it begins in Telavi and Ozurgeti, the successful establishment of parent hubs in these two cities will be the nucleus of a network spreading across Georgia. From parent to parent, community to community, region to region, this approach will continue the education and empowerment of parents with children who have disabilities. This is sustainability, a chain reaction of information and communication that ensures parental access to education that empowers action toward a better life.
Grant Amount: $31,323
Grant Period: August 2017 - August 2018
Democracy Commission Small Grants Program supports local capacity building, particularly at the grassroots level, by awarding small grants to Georgian non-governmental, educational, and media organizations. The Commission awards grants up to USD 24,000 for projects focusing on promotion of civic engagement, human rights protection, public education and advocacy, youth engagement in promoting a healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, and development of regional media.
