An independent living school for people with mental and intellectual disabilities has opened in Vinnytsia at the complex rehabilitation center "Podillia".

The first inhabitants of the school were six people with disabilities, who do not have well-formed skills of independent living and managing a household. For this, the school has created a special transit apartment, which is equipped with everything necessary for independent and comfortable living.

Center specialists will be mentors who will control and direct the process, but at the same time will stimulate independence.

During their stay at the institution, inhabitants have the opportunity to learn how to arrange their own space, cook food, clean, do laundry, do their own shopping, use public transport, plan their own budget and manage funds, organize leisure time for themselves.

— What does this mean for us, the participants and their families? First of all, it is a big responsibility and the hope that after the project it will be much easier for them to adapt to normal life without outside help. After all, the participants of the project are boys and girls who spend most of their lives with the support or help of their parents, loved ones, and caregivers. Within a month, they will radically change their daily habits and learn to live autonomously, - Roman Shtogrin, the director of the complex rehabilitation center "Podillia", is convinced.

The independent living school operates within the framework of the project "New quality of rehabilitation care in Vinnytsia region", which is implemented by the "Podilska hromada" community foundation in cooperation with the "Podillia Rehabilitation Center" State University with the support of UNDP and with the financial support of the governments of the Republic of Korea and Germany.