Our dog-loving friends want to contribute to the community, which is why they have joined a special initiative. The goal of the program of the European Union is to develop a method to support the acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities. We are proud that our friends with guide dogs are part of the team at the Holdkő Cultural Foundation.

Dóra Sápi participates as a trainer in the “Inclusion Tandem” program, and we asked her about their tasks:

“We are developing a mindset shaping training program focused on inclusion, which essentially means the acceptance of people with disabilities. What is new in our approach is that we do not only expect adaptation from those in the minority to the world of the majority, but our goal is to adjust the circumstances to meet all of our needs. The first step in this is to understand the lives and expectations of those living with various difficulties. In the training, we slightly deviate from the methods of ‘traditional’ awareness-raising programs: we invite people with disabilities and those without to think and collaborate together through interactive tasks based on creativity, drama, and music. We usually use the terms disabled and nondisabled, even in Hungarian contexts.

With these tasks and discussions, we aim to highlight the similarities and bring the two groups closer together. I am involved in developing the training materials within the Holdkő Foundation and am present as a trainer.

On the left edge of the image, Dóra Sápi is visible, with Fidzsi napping at her feet.

Those of us arriving with guide dogs were warmly welcomed by the team. Zsófi Kadelka came to the training with Tulipán, and Margit Kovács arrived with Alfa at our invitation, and based on their active participation and feedback they felt very comfortable. We managed to create a safe and inclusive environment.”

Our foundation wants to do more to ensure that even more of our clients become familiar with this program.

We wish the Holdkő Foundation great success in developing the awareness-raising training!

In the opening image, our dog Alfa and her owner can be seen.