New Cornerstone Creek apartments may be first of their kind

There are many things to consider when it comes to the quality of life and psychological needs of people living with disabilities, but one need rarely remembered is their sexuality. A Czech organization called Freya trains people to be sexual assistants who work with people with a range of abilities to learn how to become more comfortable with their own bodies and sexuality and physical tactics to help them do so. The service offers them a chance to experience basic human pleasures, and many testify to how much it has shaped their self-esteem and psychological health.

The Network for Inclusion of People with Special Needs (NIPSN) provides empowerment-based counseling, needs-specific rehabilitation, assistive equipment, and vocational training to people with disabilities. Residents live in a dormitory for up to 18 months while they receive services, including training to use assistive technologies. NIPSN also provides vocational training, like making vases, beads, and soap, which can provide a sustainable livelihood. NIPSN helps children finish school and provides free raw materials, equipment, and a small stipend to help residents start producing goods independently.

A new housing program in Minnesota is building off of an existing program to better provide housing for the developmentally disabled and their potential caregivers. The program known as "Rumi" helps cut costs associated with such housing by creating "a relationship-based model between developmentally disabled folks and full-time roommates who care for them in their homes."

Part 3 of the Caregivers Crisis series: In light of a shortage of state group living facilities in Illinois, one family is partnering with a non-profit to retrofit their home into a safe, independent living space for their autistic son, creating a future for him when his aging parents can no longer take care of his daily needs.

What started as an informal support group in Texas for undocumented workers who had been injured while working, has morphed into a mutual aid organization that helps connect immigrants and those who are uninsured with health necessities and resources. The group is unique in the U.S., as it advocates for both disability rights and immigrant rights, while also providing support for disaster relief efforts.

A nonprofit organization in Texas is helping Hispanic and immigrant families navigate "a complicated health system for children with disabilities" by providing access to resources and support. Offering resources such as educational toolkits and classes, while also helping to create a sense of community for parents who are similarly struggling with the healthcare system, the program known as VELA operates on a six-week program schedule, and regularly graduates 100 families in each cycle.

A residential home for disabled children in Gomel, Belarus is setting an example for similar facilities by changing the model of care. Designed with the goal of reuniting the children with their families, the facility uses a model of education that aims to support, not substitute families while still emphasizing a "family atmosphere."

Greystone Bakery in Yonkers, N.Y., hires applicants without requiring drug tests, background checks, or credit checks as a way to prioritize future success rather than past actions. The bakery's system of "open hiring" is gaining traction around the country, giving employees a second chance after incarceration or other incidents that usually prove to be obstacles in the job market.

Sexualita lidí se zdravotním postižením je v Česku tabu. I oni ale mají erotické touhy a potřebují sexuální prožitky. Situaci se v posledních letech snaží měnit spolek Freya, který vzdělává zájemce o práci sexuálních asistentů a asistentek. Ti pak pomáhají lidem s hendikepem cítit se lépe ve vlastním těle. Ukazují jim, jak jim v tom může pomoct sexualita, erotické pomůcky nebo různé typy dotyku. Služba klientům nabízí šanci naplnit základní lidské potřeby a zažít potěšení. Lidé, kteří sexuální asistenci využívají, říkají, že jim pomohla formovat sebevědomí i psychické zdraví.

In Mozambique, people with disabilities face a series of barriers to success and independence, ranging from education to the workplace. In partnership with Young Africa, the international organization Light for the World is working to give people with disabilities the training and resources they need to make a living.