15/04/2025
Location: Prešernova ulica 17 (IZUM), 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Announcement: We would like to inform you that registration for the conference is now closed. A sincere thank you to everyone who registered! Further information will be sent via email to all registered participants. We look forward to the event.
In June, we revealed the speakers for the panel discussions:
Panel I
Panel II
OLGA MARTINEZ DE BRIONES, European Commision
Dear friends and colleagues of deinstitutionalisation,
We are pleased to inform you that on September 24, 2025, we will be organizing a conference in Maribor titled Deinstitutionalisation: The Right to Freedom, which will take place 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:
- Supported decision-making
- Support in transitioning from an institution for people with addiction
- Development of peer support
- Housing First principle
- Support for children and youth with disabilities transitioning from institutions to community life
CONFERENCE TOPICS
Panel I: Peer support and the right to live in the community
The panel will focus on personal stories of people with institutional experience who now live in the community and support others as peer counselors. Guests from abroad, where peer support models are already an important part of the system, will also share their experiences. The discussion will highlight the importance of equal relationships, the power of community, and the transferability of knowledge among people with deinstitutionalization experience.
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: Supported decision-making
Supported decision-making is an approach that ensures people with disabilities can make decisions about their own lives with appropriate support. It is based on the recognition of the right to autonomy and equal decision-making, and it replaces approaches where decisions were made on someone’s behalf.
At the conference, this section will highlight examples of good practice, challenges in implementing supported decision-making in Slovenia, and opportunities for its further strengthening as a fundamental human right.
Session 2: Support in transitioning from an institution for people with addiction
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.