On 18th July 2017, in the classroom of Hoa Sen University, Disability Research and Capacity Development (DRD) together with Service-Learning Center, Hoa Sen University and Psychology Master Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Giau of Faculty of General Education organized one-day training program for about 15 students in the psychology group "Inside me" of Ms. Ngoc Giau. This is considered a very practical and meaningful activity for students of Hoa Sen University to find out the difficulties of people with disabilities, thereby knowing how to support people with disabilities more effectively.
Students exchanged before training
Students shared their ideas and put them on the board
Ms. Anh Loan shared about disability
During the morning training, Ms. Luu Thi Anh Loan - Acting Director of DRD provided useful information around the topic of "Disability Equality”. In this session, Ms. Loan asks many questions and situations related to the disability, most students still didn’t understand and were hesitant in dealing with people with disabilities. When being asked "What disability can people engage in?" and many students said that "People with a disabilities apart from office job, they cannot participate in other activities." After seeing a short film about woman with disabilities in China doing all sorts of activities like being a person without disability, the students have a more positive outlook on people with disabilities and change their mind.
Students joined in group activity
At the end of the morning session, Ms. Loan shared the desire for students to join hands to help people with disabilities easily integrate with community in general, or students with disabilities who are attending school in particular. All the students were interested in the training and wanted to have more training session later.
In the afternoon training, Mr. Truong Huy Vu - DRD expert – trained about people with disabilities support skills. Beginning with the familiarization of wheelchair parts, conventional wheelchair assembly and disassembly methods had gradually attracted the attention and interest of students.
Mr. Huy Vu shared: “Even though you support those who elders, people with tentative disabilities or people with disabilities that safety is the most important thing; safety means for both supported people and for you, who support people.”
With 6-year experience in supporting people with disabilities, Mr. Huy Vu guided both detailed and easy-to-understand steps to support people with disabilities, mainly to support them on/off the bus. The students took turn to role play as facilitators and people with disabilities to try the steps as instructed.
Mr. Truong Huy Vu guided students how to use wheelchair.
Mr. Vu Huy Tuong Nha shared the way to support people with visual impairment.
The way to support PWDs moving from chair to wheelchair.
The way that 2 people support PWDs moving to wheelchair.
The way to push the wheelchair to the stairs.
After training, student shared: “Training and practice have the guest who is person with disabilities joining us that help to understand deeply the process needed to pay attention to have the best support.”
Another idea: “I like the way to support people with mobility impairment when using bus due to regular happening, anyway I used not to feel confident when helping them before.”
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