Programme

Please arrive at the departure point by 8:15 AM: Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Employment, education, inclusive living and person-centred technology. 

Hosting Organisations: Co-hosted by a coalition of specialised Flemish disability and social service providers, including Groep Gidts, Viro vzw and Emino, who collectively pioneer workplace adaptation, education, and professional integration across the region. The visit will also feature EU-funded projects DIGIT-ABLE and INSPIRE.

What to Expect: The morning will be hosted by Groep Gidts. Participants will first receive an introduction to the group's innovation initiatives. They will then visit Makers Corner, an inclusive fabrication laboratory where individuals with disabilities use 3D printing and laser cutting to co-create assistive tools. The morning concludes with a client testimonial on the Gaming for Everyone initiative and a visit to Talentier, a secondary school utilising an integrated team approach for personalised learning.  

In the afternoon, you will be able to choose between 3 further visits. Visit 1 will focus on Brake-out, a practical 3-year training program for young adults. Visit 2 will include a tour of a small-scale inclusive housing project and a bakery by bike. Group 3 will get a guided tour of the inclusive workspace at Die Keure.

For those wishing to take part, there will be an evening programme with a guided tour of Bruges focusing on the history of healthcare. This will be followed by a tour of the Gothic City Hall and reception with a light dinner.

Please arrive at the departure point by 09:15 AM: Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes:  Person-centred technology and employment accessible to more people. 

Hosting Organisations: The DIGIT-ABLE project, led by Groep Maatwerk, a Flemish federation of social enterprises. The visit features two organisations: Flanders Make and ViTeS. 

What to Expect: The visit will begin at ViTeS, where participants will follow the role of people with disabilities in processing reusable goods through collection, logistics, and retail. This will showcase how structured support and adapted environments enable employees with disabilities to run a successful circular economy enterprise. 

In the afternoon, the group will move to Flanders Make, where they will take part in a fair featuring demonstrations of state-of-the-art technologies developed to adapt workplaces and expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.  

Please arrive at the departure point by 9:15 AM:  Kenniscentrum wwz .

Themes:  Employment, Inclusive living and arts, culture and leisure. 

Hosting Organisation: Hubbie vzw, a Brussels-based organisation that supports people with disabilities in the areas of living, working, learning and leisure.  

What to Expect: The day will take the form of a relaxed bike tour through Brussels, visiting places where people with disabilities live, work, engage in supported volunteering and enjoy leisure activities. Along the way, participants will have the opportunity to exchange with staff members and with people who use Hubbie's services. The tour includes a lunch at Pateeke, an inclusive social enterprise, while weaving Brussels' city highlights into the route. Together, these examples will show how neighbourhoods and organisations can work together to make participation possible, creating a city where people with disabilities belong and contribute as part of everyday life. 

Please arrive at the departure point by 8:45 AM:  Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Arts, culture, leisure

Hosting Organisation: Konekt, an organisation dedicated to fostering an inclusive society in which people with and without disabilities live, learn and work together.  

What to Expect: This study visit will begin with an introduction of Konekt’s work and its inclusive dance company Platform-K. Participants will discover how talent development, coaching and artistic ambition come together to create meaningful opportunities within the cultural sector. 

During the second half, participants will move to the cultural space De Kazematten, to attend a live rehearsal of the inclusive theatre lab Het Scheldeoffensief's production REUSkleuter, directed by Belgian actor Sander Deckx. By providing space for conversations with performers and creative staff, participants will gain insight into how inclusive artistic practice is built and can contribute to independence and professional growth.  

Please arrive at the departure point by 9:15 AM:  Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Education

Hosting Organisations: Co-hosted by Konekt and their partner, the Matadi School, which is a flagship partner of the Onwijs Onderwijs project. The project supports schools across Flanders to create learning environments for all learners. The visit is organised in collaboration with Katholiek Onderwijs Vlaanderen, the largest network organisation for Catholic education in Flanders.

What to Expect: The session opens with an introduction to the strategic roles of Katholiek Onderwijs Vlaanderen, Matadi School, and the Onwijs Onderwijs (Awesome Education) project. This serves as a foundation for a broader discussion on Flemish inclusive education practices, focusing specifically on how resources, specialised expertise, and school leadership can be restructured to foster inclusive environments. 

A key focus of the visit is Matadi School's distinct operational model. In the Flemish educational landscape, mainstream and special education are traditionally separated by legislative decree. Matadi School challenges this division by successfully combining funding and resources from both systems to deliver high-quality, unified education for all children. The session concludes with a brief tour of the campus, which is currently operating in temporary modular classrooms during a period of facility renovation. 

Please arrive at the departure point by 8:45 AM:  Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Inclusive living

Hosting organisation:  De Maanwandelaars, an organisation supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. 

What to expect: Participants will visit Den Buiten and De Kiem, two initiatives where adults with intellectual disabilities engage in environmental conservation, animal care and outdoor education. A key highlight of these sites is the Maangidsen project, where people with disabilities are trained as nature guides to lead primary school children through environmental activities. This initiative offers multiple layers of development: school children learn about biology and animal welfare while experiencing social inclusion firsthand, while the guides assume visible, responsible, and valued educational roles. 

The programme continues at De Satelliet, a day-care hub centred on sustainability and neighbourhood connection. Participants will observe how the organisation collaborates with local partners to run community-led initiatives.

Please arrive at the departure point by 9:15 AM: Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Education, employment and inclusive living

Hosting organisations: Mediander, a voluntary network of care, education, and disability-support organisations in Flanders and Brussels. Co-hosted with three network members: MPC Sint-Franciscus, Scholen Sint-Franciscus and Zonnelied vzw. 

What to expect: The morning session features a series of introductory presentations of Mediander. Speakers will outline the educational progression offered to students at Sint-Franciscus schools, the strategic transition from education to employment, and the pathways towards inclusive living. Attendees will also gain insight into how person-centred budgets operate in practice within the Flemish social service framework. 

Following lunch, participants will divide into three groups for specialised guided tours. The first group will visit Scholen Sint-Franciscus to explore alternative educational pathways designed to prevent early school dropout among vulnerable pupils. The second group will tour MPC Sint-Franciscus, a youth care service to observe how young people are prepared for independent, inclusive living. The third group will visit the adult care centres of Zonnelied vzw, focusing on the specialised methods used to support adults with disabilities who have additional psychological care needs. 

Please arrive at the departure point by 8:45 AM:  Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Employment and inclusive living

Hosting organisation: Monnikenheide, member of vzw Emmaüs, an organisation supporting adults with disabilities through a combination of work, day care and guided independent living in and around the village of Zoersel. 

What to expect: The morning begins with an introduction to Monnikenheide's vision and organisational structure. Participants will then tour the workshops located on the main campus and at a semi-industrial facility. Through direct dialogue with employees and support staff, visitors will observe how person-centred adjustments allow workplaces to foster individual development while actively contributing to the local economy. 

The programme also features a visit to a "guided independent living" home situated in a residential neighbourhood in Zoersel. This session will offer insight into how community-based support is structured to allow residents to manage their daily lives and make independent choices while being connected to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Please arrive at the departure point by 8:30 AM:  Brussels Pachecolaan.

Themes: Early childhood intervention, employment, inclusive living

Hosting organisation: MPI Oosterlo, an organisation supporting people with disabilities across all stages of everyday life, from early childhood and family support to employment, day activities and residential care. 

What to expect: The morning will open with a presentation of MPI Oosterlo's vision and mission, followed by an introduction to the frameworks that guide daily practice, including Schalock’s Quality of Life domains and Dösen’s model of social-emotional development. A campus tour provides insight into the range of settings through which people receive support, from early childhood onwards. 

In the afternoon, participants will take part in three interactive workshops from the following five themes: supported employment and work-related support; day activities including gaming, creative activities; mobile support services for families at home and in school; creating a positive living environment; and supporting people with complex behaviour. Each workshop will combine a brief introduction to MPI Oosterlo's approach, discussion of a practical case, and open dialogue among participants. 

Please arrive at the departure point by 9:15 AM:  Immo Guimard 7 nv.

Themes: Policy and advocacy

Hosting organisation: EASPD 

What to expect:  This workshop aims to help members better understand how European policymaking affects disability services and why engaging in EU advocacy matters. Rather than focusing only on how EU institutions work, the workshop will look at the real-life impact of EU decisions, explain how EASPD advocates on behalf of its members, and explore how members can contribute to shaping policy outcomes. Through practical examples, participants will gain a clearer understanding of advocacy as a tool for developing support services built for everyone.