Skip to main content
  • Events

Iceland Provider Forum: Innovations in Support Services for Independent Living

Cityscape of Reykjavík, Iceland's capital city, at golden hour. The warm colours of the sun shine from the left side of the picture onto the colourful houses. The mountains are the backdrop of the photo.

A pre-conference event in Iceland and co-organised by EASPD will be held for the 2023 Conference of the Nordic Network on Disability Research.

Taking place on 10th May 2023 from 10:00 - 12:30 in Reykjavík, Iceland, this session serves as a pre-conference event for the 2023 edition of the Conference of the Nordic Network on Disability Research.

The event will take place in person in Room Hvammur at the Grand Hotel Reykjavík, Sigtún 38, 105 Reykjavík. The event is free of charge and attendance is limited (maximum capacity: 40 participants), which will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, we encourage interested participants to register soon.

This pre-conference event is organised by EASPD and Throskahjálp, and will focus on how support services can impact the quality of life of persons with disabilities. In particular, the session will examine the question of independent living. As many organisations across Europe work towards ensuring Human Rights and dignity for persons with disabilities, the process of deinstitutionalisation brings about new challenges and opportunities. In this context, self-directed support, and user-centred services and funding models have become fundamental in ensuring users are at the centre of service provision, and that services actually contribute to improving their quality of life and meaningful participation in their community.

Various innovative practices related to independent living in Iceland and across Europe will be explored before discussing the next steps for European collaboration and research needs.

Agenda 

Moderation: Anna Lára Steindal, Þroskahjálp, and Maarit Aaalto 

10:00 – 10:20

Weclome

  • Anna Lára Steindal, Þroskahjálp / Átak
  • Javier Güemes, ONCE/EASPD 
 
10:20 – 10:35

The perspective of local public authorities

  • Aðalbjörg Traustadóttir, Office for Disability, Policy and Department of Welfare, City of Reykjavík
 
10:35 – 10:50

Needs and opportunities for inclusive housing in Iceland

  • Anna Lára Steindal, Þroskahjálp / Átak
 
10:50 – 11:05

User-led personal assistants in Iceland

  • Rúnar Björn Herrera Þorkelsson, NPA stöðin
  • Erna Eiríksdóttir, NPA stöðin
 
11:05 – 11:30

Break

11:30 – 11:45

Making services more accessible in Iceland

  • Katarzyna Beata Kubiś, Þroskahjálp / Átak 
 
11:45 - 12:00

Needs and rights, implementation and assessment, and quality of life - Lessons from European collaboration

  • Maarit Aalto, M.A. Education & Survey
 
12:00 - 12:20Q&A
12:20 - 12:30Conclusion: Next steps, what to expect from European collaboration, and what are the research needs