Following in the footsteps of previous Croatian UEFA Foundation for Children Award recipients the World Roma Organization and the “Pogled” Autism Association, the Croatian Down Syndrome Association is the latest organization nominated by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) that has been chosen to receive UEFA’s 50 000 EUR donation.
The Croatian Down Syndrome Association was founded in 2005 in order to align and integrate the activities of Croatia’s smaller and regional Down syndrome associations. The Association provides support to persons with Down syndrome and their families through educational activities for parents, teachers, and speech and occupational therapists, as well as through the promotion of better employment and education standards among adults and children with Down syndrome. The Association currently encompasses eight regional organizations, whose work jointly helps persons with Down syndrome across Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Međimurje County, Osijek-Baranja County, Zadar County, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and Virovitica-Podravina County.
foto: Arhiva HNS
Though the current pandemic of the novel coronavirus has forced the Association to adapt its projects and plans in order to protect the health of its members, UEFA’s funding greatly helped the Association digitalize many of its activities and implement online programmes such as video art workshops and online educational conferences for parents.
With the help of UEFA’s donation, the Association has also hired an additional speech therapist and has supported their current roster of occupational therapists and speech therapists in advancing their knowledge and expertise and thus providing new services to the Association’s members.
foto: Arhiva HNS
UEFA's donation has also helped the Croatian Down Syndrome Association supports its regional members through financing workshops, educational seminars, speech therapy sessions, specialized software, and other tools needed to maintain the overall level of services offered to children and adults with Down syndrome during these trying times.
foto: Arhiva HNS
