15/04/2025
Location: Prešernova ulica 17 (IZUM), 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Participation: Free of charge, limited to 100 participants
Registration: Registration is required and open until 27 June 2025 or until all seats are filled – Deinstitutionalization Conference 2025: The Right to Freedom. Registration is mandatory.
Dear friends and colleagues of deinstitutionalisation,
We kindly invite you to join us on 24 September 2025 in Maribor at the conference “The Right to Freedom,” organised as part of the Centre for Deinstitutionalization coordination project. The event offers a space to exchange best practices, present innovative approaches, and reflect together on how to overcome contradictions and challenges we face in implementing deinstitutionalisation in practice.
The conference aims to connect people and organisations committed to transforming support systems for people with disabilities and building inclusive communities, as well as other key stakeholders in deinstitutionalisation who can contribute to positive change through their work.
The conference will begin with two panel discussions: the first focusing on the development of peer support, and the second addressing employment policy for people with disabilities. These sessions will be held in both Slovenian and English, with simultaneous interpretation provided.
Following the panels, the conference will continue with five thematic sessions running in parallel. These sessions aim to foster in-depth dialogue, showcase promising practices, and spark new approaches in the following areas:
- Employment of people with disabilities
- Support for people who use drugs in transitioning out of institutions
- Development of peer support
- Housing First principle
- Support for children and youth with disabilities transitioning from institutions to community life
You are invited to register for the conference via the following link: https://irssv.1ka.si/a/a0c26475&preview=on. Registration is open until 27 June 2025 or until all seats are filled (100 participants).
PROGRAMME
The organiser reserves the right to modify the programme. Any changes will be posted on the website https://di.irssv.si/en/news/conference-titled-deinstitutionalisation-the-right-to-freedom-24-september-2025/
CONFERENCE TOPICS
Panel I: Peer support and the right to live in the community
This panel will focus on personal stories of people with experience living in institutions who now live in the community and support others as peer counsellors. Guests from abroad will share experiences from countries where peer support models are already a part of systemic frameworks. The discussion will highlight the importance of equal relationships, the power of community, and the transfer of knowledge among people with lived experience of deinstitutionalisation.
Interpretation between Slovenian and English will be provided.
Panel II: Policy discussion around the employment of people with disabilities
This panel will address the complexity of transitioning individuals from institutions back into the community, with a focus on labour market inclusion. Participants will include representatives from European and Slovenian institutions in the fields of social policy, employment, and community development, professionals from practice, and individuals with personal experience of entering the labour market. The panel will also present the approach of multidisciplinary teams, which offer holistic support for inclusion in work and everyday life.
Interpretation between Slovenian and English will be provided.
Parallel Sessions
In each thematic session, experts will present the current context and highlight key challenges in practice. This will be followed by an interactive workshop, where participants will develop a vision of the best community services, express their concerns and dilemmas, and define the first steps for achieving such a system. At the conclusion of the conference, each group will present a report on their work and findings.
Session 1: Employment of people with disabilities
Employment is one of the key pillars of successful community inclusion. It provides independence, a sense of self-worth, and belonging. In the context of deinstitutionalisation, it is therefore essential to develop programmes that offer people access to the labour market with appropriate support after leaving institutions. Without employment opportunities, there is a risk of renewed exclusion and social isolation. This session will address the main barriers and systemic shortcomings in the field of employment for people with disabilities. We will present examples of good practices, options for adapted workplaces, and available support for employers.
Session 2: Support for people who use drugs in transitioning out of institutions
People who use drugs and have experienced long-term institutionalisation require comprehensive support for a successful transition into the community. This includes access to healthcare services, housing, psychosocial support, and harm reduction programmes.
Without adequate support, there is a considerable risk of relapse and re-institutionalisation, making this topic crucial for sustainable deinstitutionalisation processes. The session will focus on potential community-based approaches to supporting people with disabilities who use drugs. We will present examples of good practices in long-term support and highlight the importance of continuous assistance for successful community integration.
Session 3: Development of peer support
Peer support enables people with similar experiences to help one another, strengthening the sense of community, self-help, and empowerment. In this session, we will explore how peer support is being developed in Slovenia and how we can approach this development in a more systematic way. We aim to highlight the possibilities for the professionalisation of peer support and how to strengthen the role of institutional service users in the planning, monitoring, and decision-making processes related to deinstitutionalisation.
Session 4: The Housing First principle
The Housing First principal advocates that a safe and stable home is the foundation upon which all further support is built. In this session, we will present various Housing First models and current initiatives in Slovenia, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities for broader implementation within the processes of deinstitutionalisation.
Session 5: Supporting Children and Youth with Disabilities in Their Transition from Institutional Care to Community Life
Children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable yet often overlooked groups in the transition to community-based care. Their transition from institutions to community life requires careful planning and ongoing support, including adapted education, access to community services, and support for families. This workshop will focus on identifying community-based solutions for children with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on preventing the institutionalisation of children.