Goal of the project

The goal of the project “Work is life” is to strengthen economic capacity of Ludza Society for the Disabled, contribute to development of social business in eastern Latgale region, and stimulate social inclusion and growth of welfare among population at risk of social exclusion.

Target group of the project

Indirect target group of the project are all inhabitants of Ludza, Karsava, Zilupe and Cibla municipalities, including members of non-governmental organizations, staff and entrepreneurs of municipalities, and inhabitants of Latgale region, as well as the Organization of Disabled in Iceland and its supporters.
Direct target group of the training course planned within the framework of the project is population at risk of social exclusion and poverty in Ludza, Karsava, Zilupe and Cibla municipalities, including:
- families with children;
- people with disability;
- people at pre-retirement age.
It is also envisaged to involve in the training socially active members of non-governmental organizations who represent interests of the project target groups. Representatives of Örtækni workshop of the Organization of Disabled in Iceland will also participate in the project activities.

Project partner

The partner of Ludza Society for the Disabled in the project “Work is life” is Örtækni workshop of the Organization of Disabled in Iceland, which was founded in 1976. The goal of the organization is to offer job practice and/or a job – temporary or permanent – to people with disability and help them with purchase and maintenance of auxiliary equipment.
Örtækni is an independent company, which belongs to Öryrkjabandalag Íslands (the Organization of Disabled in Iceland), and it works independently. Number of staff at Örtækni is 30 – 40 people, who work in 20 – 25 work places. In the technical workshop, there are usually about 15 – 20 workers; most of them are people with disability.

Place and period of implementation of the project

Implementation of the project was started on 1 November 2013 and will continue up to 1 May 2015.
Places of implementation of the project are Ludza, Ludza municipality (Latvia) and Reyjavik (Iceland).

Main activities of the project

- With the aim to popularize and improve activity of Ludza Society for the Disbaled and ensure publicity of the project activities, a website of Ludza Society for the Disabled will be created.
- A 96-hour training course on establishment, activity and management of social enterprises will be organized for 40 participants of the project. Training will take place in Ludza – as close as possible to the place of residence of the target audience.
- A 20-hour individual training course in machine-knitting will be organized for 10 people without preliminary knowledge.
- In order to inform a wider society about social business and activities of the project “Work is life”, TV reports will be created on Latgale Regional Television.
- Two experience exchange visits will be organized. Representatives of Ludza Society for the Disabled will visit Örtækni workshop of the Organization of Disabled in Iceland, and representatives of Örtækni workshop of the Organization of Disabled in Iceland will visit Ludza Society for the Disabled and the social enterprise “SinaVita”, meet administration of Ludza Municipality and representatives of Advisory council of entrepreneurs of Ludza municipality.
- Two public discussions will be organized. One meeting-discussion will be organized in Reykjavik. The goal of the discussion is to popularize best practice and draw attention of Iceland society to social business. The other regional level discussion “Social entrepreneurship in Latgale region – to be or not to be?” will be organized in Ludza. The following topics will be discussed in it:
- employment of marginalized and socially unprotected groups of population;
- adjustment of environment for people with special needs;
- establishment of social enterprises and perspectives of development of social enterprises in Latgale region.
- Opening and closing events of the project “Work is life” will be organized.

Planned results

Capacity of active members of Ludza Society for the Disabled will increase, and experience in implementation of an international project will be gained. A homepage of Ludza Society for the Disabled will be created.
International contacts will be established, best practice examples will be acquired.
Attention of inhabitants of Latgale region will be drawn to the necessity of development of business, employment problems of marginalized and socially unprotected population, social entrepreneurship.

Project financing

Total financing of the project – 36,270.78 EUR
Financing of the programme – 32,643.70 EUR
Project is co-financed by Ludza Municipality and “TRITTON” Ltd.