Blaž Kužnik from Ljubljana

Proposer: Dolfka Boštjančič Centre for Training, Work and Care, Draga

The harmony of this year's European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007 is an opportunity for us to consider whether the principle of equality extends to people with development difficulties, and how we can ensure they have "equal opportunities". Some years ago a movement was established in Slovenia for self-advocacy of people with moderate and serious mental development problems. Those promoting the new views were specialist educators who stood by these people, training them in self-advocacy; increasingly however individuals and groups in care-work centres and residential groups are taking up the initiative - while of course retaining the support of mentors. This activity requires continual learning, training and daily hard work for the personal development of everyone who sets out on the path of self-advocacy. One such person with a particular dedication to the culture of lifelong learning is Blaž Kužnik from Ljubljana. Blaž is a member and leader of a group of self-advocates formed in the Dolfka Boštjančič Centre for Training, Work and Care at Draga pri Igu. He passes on his knowledge in workshops around Slovenia, and also participates successfully in international events intended for people with developmental difficulties. He was involved in establishing the Centre for Care and Work, since the principles of self-advocacy include employment and achieving and maintaining the greatest possible degree of independence in all areas. He enthuses his peers about self-advocacy, and he reports and passes on his experience to students of special education in Slovenia and in international meetings, thereby receiving the title international self-advocacy instructor. He exchanges his experiences with colleagues from other European countries. The work he does requires public appearance skills. He had to enhance these skills, in part through years of participation in a puppet group and by organising performances in the Centre. He is also a successful photographer. He won first prize in a competition in Slovenia, and he also participated with his photographs in the world Ableolympics in India.