The deadline for applications is postponed to the 9th of September 2005.

Handicap International's mission in South East Europe is to support people with disabilities and other stakeholders involved in the change process towards equal opportunities and full participation of persons with disabilities in society. In order to provide opportunities for this, the second annual award for Best Practice of community-based services for persons with disabilities is hereby announced for 2005 .

The purpose of the award is to recognize and enhance the awareness of good practices and sustainable achievements in the field of community-based services for persons with disabilities.

The process of selection will valorize initiatives that:

•  Have a demonstrable and tangible impact on improving people's quality of life and their rights to full participation and inclusion in society,

•  Supports the independent living of persons with disability according to his-her own abilities and wishes,

•  Are the result of effective partnerships between the public and civic sectors of society to deliver services at community level,

•  Are providing services based on an active participation of users, and/or their representatives as well as parents concerning persons with intellectual disabilities or children with disabilities in the development of the services provided.

Eligible are applicants from following countries – Albania , Bosnia , and Herzegovina Bulgaria, Croatia , Macedonia , Romania , Serbia and Montenegro and UN administered province of Kosovo :

•  Non-governmental organizations (NGO) providing services to people with disabilities,

•  Disabled People Organisations (DPO) providing services to people with disabilities,

•  Other public services based in the community providing services to people with disabilities (local Centres for Social work, schools, home care services etc)

The total amount of the award is 10 000 EUR (Ten thousand Euros). This amount will be divided as follows:

4000 EUR for the first winner that demonstrate excellent practices in all the areas considered above

3x2000 EUR for the three following winners that besides demonstrating good achievements in all the criteria above, show a specific success within one of the following; (1) demonstrate good partnership with stakeholders in the community (public and private bodies, DPOs, other service providers etc), (2) support the independent living of the person with disability within his/her community with concrete successful examples, (3) demonstrate a good participation and active involvement of users and/or representatives of persons with disabilities in the leadership, planning and evaluation of the services.

Further information along with Guidelines and Application forms can be found on the website: www.cbs.hi-see.org

The deadline for submissions of applications is the 9 th of September 2005 at 17h00.

Please contact our representatives for more information:

Nexhat Shatri , regional project manager Phone: +381(0) 38 542 713 Mobile: +377(0) 44 135 499 ; +381(0) 63 367 602 Mail: nexhat.shatri@hi-see.org

Sonja Vasic, project officer Mobile : +381(0) 67 302 276 Mail: sonja.vasic@hi-see.org