« Thought this was a April Fool »
The workshop managers say the concerns of the staff and relatives of those who attend the remedy, due to transport to Skeifuna, are based on misunderstanding. Smidja’s teams, on the other hand, say management’s attitude is based on the lack of understanding of the needs of those who attend the remedy. He is worried about the distress of the people and that staff is dropping out of work.
A workshop is a so -called activity remedy that offers day care for people with disabilities. The goal is to strengthen the activity of service providers.
The workshop is, and has been for 25 years, housed at Bæjarflöt 17 in Grafarvogur. mbl.is reported that the remedy should now be transferred to Skeifuna 8, which has hitherto been office space.
Staff and family members have expressed great concern about the ongoing transport in new housing, both by the welfare of service providers and staff and the success of their operations as a whole.
Snowball that becomes an avalanche
Sigurbjörn Rúnar Björnsson, director of functional centers in Reykjavik, understands that people experience uncertainty when changes to their routine are imminent, but new housing has great potential and will benefit the business. There is no reason to worry about the welfare of service users.
Rannveig Einarsdóttir, head of the City of Welfare Department, has taken a similar string, but in a conversation with mbl.is on the matter, she said the concerns are based on the misunderstanding that was to be corrected.
On the other hand, Sindri Vestfjörður Gunnarsson, a member of the workshop, says that the opinion of managers is based on the lack of understanding of the needs of service users and staff. New housing creates difficult conditions and will inevitably lead to the distress of service users and then staff will not stay in work in the long run.
« Then there will be a division of staff so that the people with knowledge and experience fall away and new staff come in. It also causes worry and anxiety for our people. This is a snowball that becomes an avalanche, » says Sindri in a conversation with mbl.is.
« Thought this was a April Fool »
« We got to know about the transport now April 1st and I thought it was a April Fool.
He believes it is unlikely to « transform the housing » in eight weeks. Although 30 people worked it out, it would be impossible in such a short time.
According to sources mbl.is, managers, staff and relatives of service users agree that the current location of the remedy is not perfect because the housing is in an industrial district where there is a lot of large cars and machines. According to Sindra, the staff does not protest the transport itself but only the housing that was chosen.
« We are all aware that the housing we are in right now is not perfect, but we have much more about individual space there, as we can step down and give our people more restraint, » says Sindri. The only individual space in the new premises in Skeifan resembles windowless compasses or coastal cabinets. It is not inviting for service users to close them inside when they want to clutch.
« The consequences are that there will be a lot of collisions for people who do not get along well and we cannot get people in distress in less and isolated space to give them more restraint. This will be more stress and harassment for us staff, we will be attacked from service recipients out of their distress. »
Sigurbjörn, director of the workshop, says that all the changes are accompanied by some dissatisfaction, but that does not mean that they are bad.
« I know that people may be scared of the change, have been in the same premises for 25 years, but no matter what changes are made, there is always some dissatisfaction.
Although the housing is not perfect right away, this is of the good. The townships were not perfect when we first got there. It has taken us a long and great time to change it, ”he says in a conversation with mbl.is.
« We are all aware that the housing we are in right now is not perfect, but we have much more about individual space there, as we can step down and give our people more restraint, » says Sindri.
mbl.is/karitas
« They have had fourteen years »
« People may think that it is being demolished from a routine that it has been going well but may not see the overall picture or the terminal.
When asked, he says no reason to worry about the premises. Housing is always something that is adapted to service.
« These are changes that people are uncertain with and it may well be that we have not been good enough or good enough to inform about things. We managers got to know this in the last few meters. It is understandable that people will be uncertain when they are going to break up their routine. »
Overall, Sigurbjörn says new housing has a lot of potential and it is more spacious than they should be used to. The transport, however, has been soon and managers have not been able to go fast enough.
However, Sindri points out that it has been known since 2011 that a lease for existing housing in Grafarvogur expires in 2025.
« That no measures have been taken, but made an impetus decision to gadget this in eight weeks is ridiculous. They have had fourteen years to find another solution for us or make sure it will be re -agreed with the current landlord.
There is no one going to tell me that they are as surprised as we will soon be – they have known this for fourteen years. Taking such a blind eye on our most vulnerable group in society, I just think of human desire, ”he says.
Continuous development has taken place
Sindri says the carpenter’s staff is aware that it is necessary to move the business to another premises. Housing has been offered at Höfði not so long ago, since there has been more individual space and much better facilities on the heavy traffic. He says that housing has been denied by minor things and that if staff had known that the head and the Skeifan were the only options, it would have chosen the head.
He claims to have worked in a workshop for seven years and throughout that time there has been a constant development. Today, the premises and operations have been adapted to most service needs.
« Be starting to start completely in new housing with new challenges, where we lose lots of benefits and amenities that our people have, is a really big step back. »
Do you think you didn’t have to start all over again in any new housing?
« No, this is a matter of the installation of this premises. It is so very open and big and we have a sensitive group that often has difficulty with social connections. Being together in a big, open space is just a recipe for distress and creature.
What is also forgotten is that these people often have difficulty change. The housing we are getting now is for 60 months, which is five years. What will happen after that? «
Sindri says that the opinion and choice of managers of the premises at Skeifuna 8 have their roots in lack of understanding of the group’s service needs.
mbl.is/karitas
Enormous capital
According to Sindra, there has been a lot of funding to build a workshop housing in Grafarvogur, and now the city is also investing huge funding for the new housing adjustment. This, he says, a duplication that could have been prevented.
He also says the transport involves a great reduction in benefits, rights and recreation of service recipients. Many of them have difficulty walking and will be able to cover the losing of access to the garden.
« The housing in Skeifan is very open. For people with multifaceted disabilities and inhibitors, this is not going to do anything good. In addition, Skeifan is a completely dead point when it comes to high traffic, it closes everything.
The hope that the driving service is going to come on time is a distant possibility, it is all in a lame session there from one, two a day. Not to mention the access to the house, it’s not good. «
« The hope that the driving service is going to come on time is a distant possibility, it’s all in a lame session there from one, two a day to the day and out. Not to mention the access to the house, it’s not good either, » says Sindri.
mbl.is/karitas
Claims to see great benefits for the service in new premises
Sigurbjörn says he provides great benefits for the service in new premises. Therefore, there is a loss in the outdoor area, but another is replaced.
« It will be a short walk to the Botanical Garden and the Zoo and there are other gardens that we are already looking at. We have cars on rent that we use to move between these places. People just enjoy it.
It’s traffic, we know it, but it’s also traffic where we are now, in the town, there are big machines all over the place, ”says Sigurbjörn.
On the other hand, Sindri’s proximity to the Botanical Garden does not change because the quality of life of service providers is severely impaired by the loss of outdoor areas and reiterates that many will be much locked.
Divided views of visibility
Sigurbjörn has said to the journalist that it seems that general people with disabilities should be on the outskirts, where no one notices.
« No one sees them or have to worry about them, but our people also want to participate in the community. Getting down town, in Skeifuna, it’s just a dream.
It does not do no good to be isolated and not to go, view and be close to other people. This he wants to repair with the transport down to Skeifa.
Sindri, on the other hand, says that it must not be forgotten in the discussion that the group consists of individuals who have less understanding of social criteria and even find it difficult to understand, for example, why they may not be undressed in the middle of the store.
« Of course, they should not hide them, but we must still not line them up and have them on display. There they are put in situations that are bad for them, so that they are seen, but whether it matters more, that they feel good or that they see them?
