History
Public Institution Valakupiai Rehabilitation Centre (further referred to as VRC) was established on 1 March 2000 by the Council of the Affairs of the Disabled of Lithuania under the Government of Republic of Lithuania (currently Department of Disabled Affairs under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour). On 1 March 2000 the status of VRC was registered in the municipality of Vilnius City. VRC was planned as a national model of complex rehabilitation and employment services for persons with physical disability. VRC is an independent non-profit organisation established according to the procedure stipulated in the Law on Public Institutions of the Republic of Lithuania, operating in the sphere of social security and health and independently providing social and medical services for persons with severe physical disability.
Since the first days of its work VRC has formed a team of qualified and licensed vocational rehabilitation specialists, directed towards the rights and expectations of clients and needs of the society, open to innovations and flexibly applying innovative work methods. Rehabilitation services are provided by a team of specialists - physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, social workers, vocational teachers, employment managers (case managers), nurse assistants, a dietician, speech therapist etc. Since 2002 the team of VRC has acquired standardised methods for evaluation and rehabilitation of vocational skills which are successfully applied in other countries of the world (FPV, IMBA, MELBA, IDA and other methods).
VRC is established in the picturesque 2 hectares area on the bank of the Neris River in the Valakampiai pinewood of Vilnius. 4000 sq.meters facilities are adjusted for persons with the movement disability, including: the hall of physiotherapy and ergo therapy ward; hydrotherapy facilities (baths and a pool), procedures ward, work simulation wards, training halls and workshops, the canteen for 50 persons, living facilities etc. (elevators, staircases etc.).
The first strategic plan of VRC for 2001-2002 was approved by the VRC Board in May of 2001. In July of 2002 the delivery of the first vocational rehabilitation services and in September of the same year services for development of occupational and self-sufficiency commenced (in November of the same year - medical rehabilitation services). Since 2003 VRC provides vocational training services according to training programmes, adapted for persons with movement disability. In October of the same year driving courses commenced for people with tetraplegy. In 2003 Strategic Plan for 2004-2006 was approved.
During the period of 2004-2006 VRC managed to realise the main goals envisaged for that period. VRC has become the main and largest institution in the country providing vocational rehabilitation services for persons with severe physical disability. The Centre established material-technical facilities for complex rehabilitation of the disabled, adjusted for persons with the severe physical disability; implemented standardised methods and measures for the assessment of vocational skills, vocational guidance and rehabilitation of vocational skills; and is in the final stage for establishment of the Solid System of Providing Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the People with Severe and Moderate Disabilities. This system is a substantial contribution to the establishment of the methodological framework of vocational rehabilitation in Lithuania which will provide methodological assistance for vocational rehabilitation specialists.
When reforms on social integration of the disabled have started in Lithuania, VRC took active part in elaborating relevant legal acts, submitted proposals and exchanged the experience with the law makers. Today VRC contributes to the successful implementation of the following legal acts: the Law on Social Integration of the Disabled and relevant bylaws; the Programme for Social Integration of the Disabled for 2003-2012; strategic trends of vocational rehabilitation for 2004-2006 and 2007-2012; legal acts of the Ministry of Health, regulating provision of rehabilitation services of level II, and other legal acts regulating the complex rehabilitation of persons with physical disability. Notably, when Lithuania started implementing reforms on the assessment of disability in 2002, VRC was the first to provide vocational rehabilitation services, the content of which was already in compliance with the requirements of the Law on Social Integration of the Disabled (which came in force on 1 July 2005).
In 2004 VRC has taken the initiative to establish a solid methodological system for service delivery. During the period of three years 6 service delivery methodologies were elaborated by joint efforts of VRC specialists and the European experts on vocational guidance and counselling of the disabled; assessment of vocational skills; rehabilitation and/or development of vocational skills; vocational training; job-search and job placement; assessment and development of driving skills. On 21 June 2007 Valakupiai Rehabilitation Centre arranged the final conference of the project "Solid system of providing vocational rehabilitation services for the people with severe physical disabilities". During the conference the staff of VCR, together with the representatives of the Ministry, media, other service providers, clients and other interested persons, presented and discussed methodologies for delivery of vocational rehabilitation services which were elaborated in Lithuania for the first time.
On 1 July 2005 the new Law on Social Integration of the Disabled of the Republic of Lithuania came into force. It stipulated new preconditions and terms for functioning of the social integration system for the disabled. VRC was the single applicant and was announced the winner of the tender organised by the Lithuanian Labour Exchange on provision of vocational rehabilitation services. Since 2007, 5 institutions have been providing vocational rehabilitation services in Lithuania. Therefore, with a view to retaining the position of the leader and providing to clients wider spectrum of services, VRC commenced co-operation with other training institutions by widening opportunities for clients for acquisition of marketable professions. Since 2007 the total number of training programmes has increased from 7 to 45 (from them 4 programmes of non-formal education adapted for the disabled are provided in VRC, 37 programmes of non-formal and formal education are delivered in co-operation with PI Vilnius Žirmūnai Labour Market Training Centre, 1 programme - in co-operation with the Centre for Education of Adults of PI Vilnius Co-operation College. During 1st half of 2007 quite a high employment indicator of the disabled has been achieved - 45-50 percent of our clients finalised vocational rehabilitation programme.
VRC made all its efforts for improvement of quality of services. In May 2007 the Centre implemented the Quality Management System and received the certificate of the external auditor Bureau Veritas Certification, confirming the compliance of VRC with ISO 9001:2000/LST EN ISO 9001:2001 standard requirements in the sphere of establishment and delivery of vocational, social and medical rehabilitation services.
In order to retain its leadership and proceed with formation of its positive image, VRC has also propagated its activity and name in the community, press and television. During the period of 2004-2007 VRC prepared extensive publicity material: leaflets, representative DVD, mobile stands; organised the international conference and broadcasted video material on the Lithuanian television.
During the five years of work of VRC, the number of workers of the centre has increased from 50 in 2002 to 110 by the end of 2007. Consequently, the number of the clients has also increased: in 2002 vocational rehabilitation services were provided to 200 clients, in 2006 - vocational and medical rehabilitation services were rendered to 926 clients, in 2007 the number of clients has reached 1000. VRC has taken efforts for extension of the spectrum of services. Since 2007 services have been provided to persons with visual impairment, more attention was given to specific problems of clients, such as motivation, cognitive skills etc.
Since 2004 VRC has been constantly participating in the national and international projects (the Programme for Social Integration of persons with Disability, PHARE, PHARE BAS, Leonardo da Vinci, EQUAL, EU Structural Funds), designed for the improvement of vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, and in the development of innovative public relations programmes and methodologies. VRC is a member of such international organisations as Workability International and Social Hansa.