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dr Jarosław Żbikowski, prof. dr hab Józef Bergier, dr hab. Barbara Bergier, dr hab. Agnieszka Siedlecka, dr Dorota Tomczyszyn, dr Dominik Dąbrowski, dr Marek Kuźmicki, dr Elżbieta Szczygielska, dr inż. Tomasz Grudniewski, dr Marian Stelmach, dr Zofia Kubińska.

IMPACT DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Research on disability, especially on issues related to social acceptance and full participation of people with disabilities in family, professional and leisure life has constituted one of the most significant areas of research activity of PSW employees since its foundation. These issues were disseminated in systematically organised scientific and scientific-methodical conferences as well as scientific-research projects. Between 2001 and 2012, 7 conferences and 3 scientific projects were held. The results of the research included recommendations and specific solutions to increase the professional and tourist-recreation activity of people with disabilities, and thus their full participation and activation in social life. Close collaboration with organisations working for the benefit of people with disabilities resulted in the implementation of projects such as “Let us take the first step” in 2006, “The university accessible to everyone” in 2020 and “With a view to everyone” in 2021.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAJOR RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS

The key research conducted in 2005 under the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRON) grant (4/4WPR/B/05) entitled “Social determinants of participation in tourism and recreation of people with disabilities living in eastern Poland” showed that disability affects every aspect of disabled people’s life activity as well as limits their access to education, culture, recreation, tourism, and the job market. The main factors determining the life activity of the DP living in rural areas are [R1-R5]: a) Person’s Health condition and type of disability; b) Creativity of DP immediate environment; c) Purposeful and actual offer of employers and tourist market in the place of residence; d) Development of conditions to organise the job market as well as tourism and recreation for DP by local governments; e) Professional therapists and instructors prepared to conduct recreational tourist activities with DP; f) Changes in attitudes of entrepreneurs, improvement of qualifications in DP, thanks to e-learning and changes in their mentality have a chance to translate into: increased professional activation of DP; increase in the living standards of DP households; decrease of social and professional isolation of DP in working age.

Innovative research project “Determinants of economic activity of the disabled living in rural areas” (3/4/WRP/B/08, PFRON grant 2009-2012) identified and specified main obstacles preventing people with disabilities  from their participation in tourism and recreation [R1-R5]: a) Architectural. Inadequacy of social space to meet the needs of DP; b) Communicational. Means and infrastructure of communication are not adapted to the needs of DP; c) Social. Society’s attitude towards the disabled leads to limiting their activity and isolation; d) Economic. Low income of the disabled impedes their access to tourist facilities, purchase of necessary equipment or participation in various tourist events; e) Ideological. Inconsistency between declarations and practical actions of public offices responsible for social policy of the country; f) Family, its economic status, level of education of family members, professional activity, and nature of work have significant influence on undertaking work, education or leisure activity taken up DP; g) Insufficient information on the needs of DP and ways of satisfying them; h) Low activity of state and local self-government authorities in creating appropriate material and technical conditions for tourism and recreation of DP

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROLE OF THE ENTITY IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY OUTCOMES

The obtained research results in the field of professional and leisure activity of people with disabilities living in rural areas were evidenced by:
– legislative initiatives (2007-2010) undertaken and led by Senator J. Bergier. Research conclusions and recommendations were included in draft laws and regulations concerning the role of a social animator of DP and amendments to the Sports Act, including the Sports of DP and the Physical Culture Act.
– an innovative model of an enterprise employing DP developed by a team supervised by J. Żbikowski (2008-2012),
– the creation of e-learning platform as a tool for professional activation and social participation of DP and recommendation for increasing free-time activity of DP living in rural areas.

A significant contribution to the research was made between 2000-2020 by: J.Bergier, B.Bergier, A.Siedlecka, D.Tomczyszyn, D.Nałęcka, Z.Kubińska, D.Dąbrowski, M.Kuźmicki, T.Grudniewski, W.Romanowicz, E.Szczygielska, M.Stelmach, J.Żbikowski, W.Denisiuk


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES AND SUMMARY OF UP TO 5 SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS

[R1] Żbikowski J., Dąbrowski D., Kuźmicki M.: Determinants of professional activity of people with disabilities  living in rural areas, Volume I, Research project funded by PFRON in 2008 – 2012 “Determinants of professional activity of people with disabilities living in rural areas”. Contract no. 3/4/WRP/B/08 – PSW in Biała Podlaska, 2012, ISBN: 978-83-61044-50-5
The publication outlines the diversity of socio-economic problems of people with disabilitties living in rural areas. The causes, structure and types of barriers of employment activity, including the activity related to people with disabilities themselves, were analysed. The research presented an innovative model of a local enterprise employing people with disabilities and developed a programme of e-learning courses which provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to take up employment.

[R2] Żbikowski J., Dąbrowski D., Kuźmicki M.: Report II The economic situation and living conditions of households of people with disabilities living in rural areas, research project funded by PFRON in 2008 – 2012 ” Determinants of professional activity of people with disabilities living in rural areas”. Contract no. 3/4/WRP/B/08 – PSW in Biała Podlaska, 2012, ISBN: 978-83-61044-62-8
The living conditions of people with disabilities households, their socio-economic situation as well as the determinants related to the people with disabilities themselves and their immediate environment were multidimensionally analysed.

[R3] Żbikowski J., Dąbrowski D., Soroka A., Stelmach M., Kuźmicki M. Barriers to participation in recreational physical activity of the disabled from rural areas of eastern Poland. Abstract Book: The 3rd Annual Conference and 7th Annual Meeting of HEPA Europe, 2011 OCT 11-13, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Main factors influencing recreational activities of people with disabilities from eastern Poland were analysed. The following barriers were listed: high expenses, lack of help from institutions and NGOs or relatives, poor recreational offer, distance between place of residence and place of recreational services. In order to improve the situation it is  essential to improve information on recreational offer, train specialized staff and make the environment accessible to people with disabilities.

[R4] Bergier J., Dąbrowski D., Żbikowski J.; Conditioning of participation of disabled males and females from eastern regions of Poland in tourism and recreation. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine 2011, Vol 18, No 2, 350-354.
Disability is a serious social, cultural and economic problem, which requires both legal regulations and coordinated activities of the state to be solved. An important area of rehabilitation activities is creating opportunities for attractive leisure time activities in accordance with one’s interests and needs. It is noteworthy that men emphasised more strongly than women such barriers as lack of information or offer of assistance, while women pointed out problems with transportation.

[R5] Żbikowski J., Siedlecka A. Kuźmicki M.: Determinants of tourist activity of people with disabilities living in rural areas. Economic and Regional Studies, 2019, Vol. 12, no. 4, p. 401—417. p-ISSN: 2083-3725 e-ISSN: 2451-182X
Tourist activity of people with disabilities living in rural areas of Poland concerns merely about 50% of the respondents. Professional activation as well as raising awareness and arousing tourist needs may contribute tó the increased activity in social and professional life as well as have a positive impact on relationships in the immediate environment of people with disabilities.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THERESEARCH ACTIVITY IMPACT, INCLUDING THE ACTIVITY WHOSE OUTCOMES ARE THE SUBJECT OF COMMERCIALISATION, WITH AN INDICATION OF THE RELATION BETWEEN RESEARCH ACTIVITY AND THIS IMPACT AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL GROUP BENEFITTING FROM THIS IMPACT AND THE GREATEST RESEARCH ACTIVITY IMPACT AREA

Recommendations and specific solutions were developed with the aim of increasing professional activation of people with disabilities living in rural areas, and thus raising the level and standard of both their life and their households, overcoming barriers of their inability to participate in educational and cultural processes. As a result, conditions for their full participation and activation in social life were created. Other stakeholders included employers, local government creating jobs and general formal and legal space for activation of people with disabilities, as well as organisations associating and acting for the benefit of beople with disabilities [S1].

The collaboration between PSW and PFRON resulted in the appointment of Jarosław Żbikowski, PhD to the Scientific Council of the quarterly “Disability – issues, problems, solutions” published by PFRON as well as inviting Jarosław Żbikowski in 2017 to participate in the project “Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Disabled – a common cause” realised by PFON (Polish Foundation of the Disabled) in the area of tourism and physical culture. The collaboration resulted in professional and social activation of people with disabilities living in rural areas. The collaboration provided an important impulse for changes in the social behaviour in rural environment in relation to people with disabilities. These changes significantly contributed to the identification of needs concerning professional activation of people with disabilities living in rural areas, as well as to the definition of effective solutions aimed at social integration, professional activation as well as tourism and recreation activities of people with disabilities. Additionally, these changes resulted in the construction of a network of stakeholders involved in the creation and transfer of knowledge that provides different organisations with information on good practices, market information, advice on accessibility, as well as education and training opportunities and certification [S2].

A series of training courses was implemented for 150 people, representatives of local government, public employment services, labour market institutions, non-governmental organisations working for the benefit of people with disabilities living in Lubelskie Province. The main issues of the training were aimed at improving skills of management and employees of local government, public employment services, occupational medicine services, employees of non-public institutions of the job market in the scope of collaboration with a disabled client, overcoming stereotypes in the perception of the role of people with disabilities in society as lower class citizens.

The results and derived experiences while working with people with disabilities resulted in the implementation of the investments “The university accessible to everyone” 2020 and “With a view to everyone “2021, as well as the modernisation of the sports infrastructure of the PSW University, taking into account the requirements and recommendations related to the accessibility of this type of facilities to the needs of people with disabilities.

Since 2017, PSW has been collaborating with the “Good Will” Association. The main objective of the joint activities is to participate in the implementation of the “Good Will Farm”, an innovative centre for people with disabilities, where they will be able to find a home, specialist care and a job adapted to their abilities [S3].

A significant activity taking advantage of the research and organisational achievements of PSW academics is collaboration with Nadbużański People’s University aimed at including people with disabilities in the process of learning skills related to disappearing professions and folk handicrafts. The collaboration also contributed to the appointment of Jarosław Żbikowski, PhD, an academic teacher who has been conducting and directing research on the situation of people with disabilities for years, as the Chairman of the Foundation’s Council [S4].

Experience in organisation of leisure time, conclusions and recommendations obtained from the research on recreational and tourist activity of people with disabilities are also used in the activity of Rotary Club Biała Podlaska, whose member was Jarosław Żbikowski, PhD. The Rotary Club activities are focused on providing organisational, financial and advisory assistance to organisations and institutions acting for the benefit of people with disabilities [S5].

DETAILED CHARACTERISTICS OF UP TO 5 PIECES OF EVIDENCE OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY IMPACT

[S1] Taking advantage of research results for legislative initiatives in the Senate of the Republic of Poland by Prof. Józef Bergier, Rector of the University.
The initiatives concerned recommendations and amendments to draft laws and regulations on the role of the social animator of people with disabilities as well as amendments to the Sports Act, including sports of people with disabilities and the Physical Culture Act.

[S2] Collaboration with the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled
It resulted in the implementation of a number of organisational, social and investment projects aimed mainly at the participation and social acceptance of people with disabilities in society.

[S3] Collaborating with the “Good Will” Association
The main objective of the joint activities is to participate in the implementation of the “Good Will Farm”, an innovative centre for people with disabilities, where they will be able to find a home, specialist care and a job adapted to their abilities

[S4] Collaboration with Nadbużański People’s University
A significant activity making use of the research organisational achievements of PSW academics is collaboration with Nadbużański People’s University aimed at including people with disabilities in the process of learning skills related to disappearing professions and folk handicrafts. The collaboration contributed to the appointment of Żbikowski, an academic teacher conducting and directing research on the situation of people with disabilities, as the Chairman of the Foundation’s Council.

[S5] Collaboration with Rotary Club Biała Podlaska
Experience in organisation of leisure time, conclusions and recommendations obtained from the research on recreational and tourist activity of people with disabilities are also used in the activity of Rotary Club Biała Podlaska, whose member was Jarosław Żbikowski, PhD. The Rotary Club activities are focused on providing organisational, financial and advisory assistance to organisations and institutions acting for the benefit of people with disabilities

INFORMACJE, CZY WPŁYW POWSTAŁ W WYNIKU INTERDYSCYPLINARNYCH BADAŃ NAUKOWYCH LUB PRAC ROZWOJOWYCH, ORAZ CHARAKTERYSTYKI ZNACZENIA INTERDYSCYPLINARNOŚCI BADAŃ NAUKOWYCH LUB PRAC ROZWOJOWYCH DLA POWSTANIA TEGO WPŁYWU

Representatives from disciplines related to social sciences, health sciences, management and organisation or technical and exact sciences participated in the research. There were also involved institutions and non-governmental organisations working for the benefit of people with disabilities, such as: State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, the Executive Board of Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society and the Provincial Employment Centre in Lublin. This unique public-private partnership created a pioneering opportunity to carry out research of unique value. The research had also multidimensional aspect, as it concerned people with disabilities themselves as well as their families, the immediate social environment, and companies and enterprises that employed and did not employ people from this social group. The possibilities of introducing innovative forms and methods of activation in the area of education, work and leisure time with the use of modern information technologies, for example e-learning, were also analysed.