EMPOWERING WHEELCHAIR USERS TO PROMOTE INCLUSION IN INDIA THROUGH PEER TRAINING - ’USER AS PART OF THE REHABILITATION SERVICES’

C. Sharma¹, A. Singh¹

Background: Since 2004, ICRC’s Physical Rehabilitation Program (PRP) has been supporting its partners in India to provide quality physical rehabilitation services to persons with physical disabilities and capacity building of rehabilitation professionals. Wheelchair services are an integral component of rehabilitation services provided by ICRC-supported programs in the country. Physiotherapists along with other rehabilitation team professionals work to provide appropriate wheelchair for the user to achieve mobility and promote functional independence.
In partnership with Motivation India, ICRC conducted peer training courses for active wheelchair users from 2017 to 2019. These courses facilitated wheelchair users to train others with similar disabilities in skills and knowledge that enable them to carry out everyday activities and achieve an improved quality of life. Such activities involved maintaining health, attaining independence through personal mobility and building confidence and a sense of value amongst the community.

Purpose: To introduce and integrate Peer training into rehabilitation services in ICRC-supported centres in India

Methods: ICRC collaborated with Motivation India to introduce and implement peer training courses in their respective projects/programs in India. The objective was to have trained wheelchair users who can further train their peers and contribute to wheelchair services.
The following steps were taken:

• Suitable participants identified from different regions in India as per the selection criteria 
• First and second peer training courses (5-days) conducted in 2017 and 2018
• Training of trainers (ToT) course (4-days) and third peer training course (5-days) organised in 2019
• Feedback and follow-up in 2019-2020

These courses covered relevant topics including disability awareness (e.g. rights and advocacy), health (e.g. bladder, bowel and skin care) and mobility (e.g. wheelchair skills and transfers). Further, the training aimed to empower wheelchair users by increasing their knowledge on health and rights, mobility skills, confidence and self-esteem and therefore promote integration of persons with disabilities in society. 

Results:  A total of 26 wheelchair users were trained in peer training, of which eight have completed the ToT course. Based on feedback received from 10 participants from ICRC-supported centres, six were involved in conducting dissemination sessions formally and informally on certain aspects of Peer training. Four were working as volunteers and training persons with spinal cord injuries and other disabling conditions in their respective catchment areas.

Conclusion(s): Organising peer training was a rewarding experience as it opened new avenues for wheelchair users to share challenges faced in day-to-day lives with peers. Such trainings helped create a positive and secure environment where wheelchair users discussed their personal and varied issues and needs.
Building capacity of wheelchair users to train peers is an effective way to create awareness on disability and promote inclusion. Local organisations working in the field of disability and involved in wheelchair services should give emphasis to develop and/or promote such trainings for overall well-being of wheelchair users.

Implications: Rehabilitation programs/projects and organisations to include peer training for persons with disabilities. Peer training to be considered as an adjunct to wheelchair services and to be integrated with rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

Funding, acknowledgements: None

Keywords: Wheelchair user, Peer training, Rehabilitation

Topic: Disability & rehabilitation

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Institution: ICRC

Committee: ICRC

Reason: Abstract falls under above mentioned criteria. Approval from Motivation India was taken with which activities stated in abstract were conducted.