The mission
of the Day Services is to “empower the service user to acquire skills and
abilities that would best help him/her achieve the ability to use
self-determination, and benefit from inclusion in the community, whilst enjoying
and capitalising on an enabling environment centered on and around the service
user needs".
The Day Services were passed on to Aġenzija Sapport in 2007 and currently
there are thirteen Day Centres for Persons with Disability in Malta and Gozo. The aim
is to help persons with
disability to continue developing their potential through
different types of activities, and to provide support to their families so that
such persons can continue living within the community without being socially excluded or
institutionalised. The Day Services also aim to enhance each service users’
ability in regards to independent living skills and thus empowering them to
live as independently as possible and enhance employability skills to the
maximum of the service users’ potential and act as active citizens within the community.
The
objectives of the service are reached by:
providing core skilled programmes such as basic skills towards
independent living supported by other skills that enhance quality of life;
developing programmes which enable service users to engage in as many
activities as possible within the community, both in occupational nature and
leisure activities;
carrying out programmes of physical and psychological well-being as well
as activities that enhance the service users' educational, social communication,
cultural and leisure abilities.
The Day Services support service users to establish links with other individuals, and assist them to benefit from other resources that already exist within the community. The service users spend their time at the Day Centres by actively participating in a variety of activities which aim to enhance their overall abilities and to reach the maximum of their individual potential. Service users have the opportunity to engage in music, arts, drama, sports, food preparation, training, memory activities, animal husbandry, computer skills and literacy programmes. Assisted by the supporting staff, the service users also participate in creating cards, pottery, needlework and woodwork items, amongst other products. A variety of events are also organised on a regular basis so that the service users visit places of interest, join in leisure activities, as well as share and enhance their various skills, whilst empowering them to interact with other service users from different centres.
The service users also benefit from the services of Allied Health Professionals, namely Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Language Pathologists, as well as Social Workers if required.