Final seminar of the AKF project “Strengthening the advocacy network of organisations of people with disabilities in Tallinn” on 23 November
Tallinn Chamber of People with Disabilities held the final seminar of the project “Strengthening the advocacy network of organisations of people with disabilities in Tallinn” on 23 November.
Agenda:
14.00 – 14.15 Welcome speeches – Külli Urb, Chairperson of the Board of Tallinn Chamber of People with Disabilities and Jevgeni Ossinovski, Chairperson of Tallinn City Council.
14.15 – 14.50 Open governance at national and municipal level – Ivar Hendla, Strategy Advisor, Office of the Chancellor of the Republic of Estonia, Estonia.
14.50 – 15.10 Overview of the project – Project Manager Kadri Palk
15.10 – 15.30 Presentation of the activities of the Tallinn Disability Forum – Project Network Coordinator Külli Urb
15.30 – 15.50 Summary of the training day for disability professionals and local government officials – project public policy expert Tauno Asuja
15.50 – 16.00 Closing remarks – opportunities and expectations for the continuation of cooperation – project team
16.00 – 16.30 Closing ceremony of the project
Representatives of the following organisations participated: Tallinn and Harju County Association of Women with Disabilities; Estonian Blindfolds Support Association; North-Tallinn Government; Tallinn Multiple Sclerosis Association; Tallinn Association of People with Mobility Disabilities; Open Estonia Foundation; Nõmme Association of the Deaf; Tallinn Invasports Association; Estonian Stroke Patients’ Association; Saku Diabetic Association; Tallinn and Harju County Society for the Disabled; Merimetsa Support Centre; North Estonian Association of the Blind; Hariner (a centre for the blind); Estonian Chamber of Disabled People. A total of 39 participants.
Disability advocacy training day for professionals from local and regional authorities on 5 October 2022
Tallinn Chamber of People with Disabilities organised a training day for professionals of local authorities on 5 October in the large hall of the Activity Centre. Specialists from Tallinn Social and Health Board; Tallinn Support Centre Juks; Tallinn Education Department; Pirita, North Tallinn, Lasnamäe LOV and Social Welfare Departments; Tallinn City Council councillor participated.
Kadri Palk, Executive Director of TPIK, gave an overview of the Tallinn Chamber of People with Disabilities as a representative of disability advocacy in Tallinn;
Mr Tarvo Nurgamaa, Head of Advocacy at the Association of NGOs, spoke on the topic: What is the foundation of cooperation between the third and public sector?;
Sven Kõllamets, an experience counsellor and root enthusiast, made a presentation on self-dignity and free self-fulfilment in participation in society in the perspective of the HMS, SÜS, SHS, UNCRPD, EU law.
This was followed by group discussions aimed at mapping out practical steps to improve cooperation between persons with disabilities and the local level.
Forum meeting 3 on 30 August 2022
The meeting was held on 30 August 2022 at 14 – 16 at the Tallinn Chamber of People with Disabilities’ Activity Centre Endla 59.
The meeting was attended by: Villu Urban Tallinn Mobility Disabled People’s Association;
Leana Lebedeva and Marianne Kala Tallinn and Harju County Association of Disabled Women;
Sirje Norden NGO Autistika; Aet Urbas Tallinn and Harjumaa Autism Association;
Kalju Jõesaar Tallinn Invasports Association; Silvi Laidre NGO EIE Tugiliisu;
Raili Vaidlo Estonian Aphasia Association; Roland Voost Tallinn Association of People with Mobility Disabilities;
Rein Järve Nõmme Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association; Jaanus Tärnov Estonian ATH Association;
Tauno Asuja Estonian Chamber of Disabled People; Gaidi Alt Estonian Chamber of Disabled People;
Sven Kõllamets NGO Pane oma meeled proovile;
Rita Gorushkina Tallinn Invasports Association;
Eve Roos Tallinn Multiple Sclerosis Society;
Lembit Sinijärv Tallinn and Harjumaa Society for the Disabled.
Agenda: a) Overview of the General Meeting of the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People – Tauno Asuja. b) Overview of the Tallinn City Invalid Committee’s August meeting.
Meeting of the City of Tallinn City Council. Proposals for the appeal to the Tallinn Invalidity Committee: Bringing the work of the Commission back online into a shared space. Agree on a regular day and time for the meetings, e.g. the second Tuesday of the second month of each quarter. Appoint alternates for the members of the Commission. Approve the Commission’s work plan for the coming year at the last meeting of the current year, this would mean that the picking of topics would be done in October. The committee could also have an activity report, some kind of summary. Make the work plan and minutes of the Invak Commission available to residents.
Tallinn City Council Social and Health Committee meeting with representatives of the network of the Tallinn Chamber of People with Disabilities on 25 May 2022
On 25 May, members of the Forum of the Tallinn Chamber of Disabled People’s Associations visited a meeting of the Social and Health Committee of Tallinn City Council, as part of the project “Strengthening the advocacy network of disabled people’s organisations in Tallinn”, funded by the Active Citizen Fund.
We introduced the history of TPIKo as an advocacy organisation, its objectives and activities, and talked about the challenges faced by people with disabilities in their daily lives to the commissioners and experts. The representatives of the Chamber answered questions from the Commissioners and experts.
We made an overview of the concerns of people with disabilities regarding accessibility of public spaces, the need to alleviate the heavy burden on carers, the availability of adaptations to housing, the bottlenecks in the personal assistance service, etc.
The meeting was attended by 9 representatives of the Council, the Tallinn Social and Health Board was represented by Arne Kailas, Head of the Social Services and Supports Department, and 10 representatives of different organisations attended the meeting.
The overview was prepared by Külli Urb, Acting Project Manager, Network Coordinator.
Forum meeting 2 on 22 March 2022
On March 22, a meeting of the network forum took place, which was attended by the chairman of the Tallinn City Council Jevgeni Ossinovski, the head of TSTA Raimo Saad and the chief specialist of the disabled Mihkel Tõkke.
Jevgeni Ossinovski introduced his work at the Tallinn City Council and listened to the concerns of people with disabilities.
Mihkel Tõkke, a specialist of the Tallinn Social and Health Care Board, introduced the action plan of the Tallinn Disability Committee for 2022.
Representatives of 30 different networks and member associations participated. There were interesting discussions.
Tallinn City Board of Disabled People hosted a seminar titled “Execution of the Advocacy of Disabled People on a Local Level” on November 30th. The event took place locally at Endla Street 59 and was simultaneously hosted on Zoom.
Event schedule:
11 AM -11.15 AM – Greetings by Külli Urb, Chairman of Board at Tallinn City Board of Disabled People
An overview of a project titled: “Strengthening the Advocacy Networks of Disabled People Organizations” by Monika Tammerand, Chief Executive Officer at Tallinn City Board of Disabled People
11.15 AM – 12 PM – About the Activity of Civil Society in Estonia by Kai Väärtnõu, Member of Board at NENO. (Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organizations)
12.30 PM – 1.15 PM The Job of Chancellor of Justice and Examples of Problems when Coordinating the Rights and Defense of Disabled People by Juta Saarevet, Head of Disability Rights at Chancellor’s Office
1.30 PM – 2.15 PM – Estonian Chamber of Disabled People`s Activity regarding Advocacy Networks by Monika Haukanõmm, Chairman of Board at Estonian Chamber of Disabled People
2.15 PM – 2.30 PM Break for stretching
2.30 PM – 3.15 PM Estonian Human Rights Centre`s Activity regarding Advocacy Networks by Kelly Grossthal, Head of Strategic Management at Estonian Human Rights Centre
3.15 PM – 4 PM Summary of the seminar and free discussion.
Seminar was held regarding of project ““Execution of the Advocacy of Disabled People on a Local Level.”
The project is funded by Active Citizen Fund of European Economic Area, which is mediated by Open Estonia Foundation in collaboration with NENO.

On January 17th, the representatives of TCBDP`s member unions gathered to the first meeting of the year. The focus on the meeting was the introduction of the principles of Tallinn Disability Comitee and making suggestions for Tallinn Disability Comitee`s work plans for 2022.
Hosted by Tallinn City Board of Disabled People and Külli Urb, Head of Forum Meeting, Project Coordinator, Chairman of the Board of TCBDP.





Meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Betina Beškina on the 8th of February
The meeting between Tallinn City´s Board of Disabled People and Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Betina Beškina took place on the 8th of February at the activity centre at Endla 59.
The purpose of said meeting was to discuss the currently important questions regarding disabled people and to suggest possible solutions.
The topics of the meeting included:
An overview of the development of the points in the Coalition agreement 2021-2025.
Plans for developing an accessibility system in multi-story buildings (including installing elevators in said buildings);
The mobility of disabled people during the winter (who are not eligible for taxi service);
The necessity to establish a special family style care centre offering round the clock care to Käo Support Centre`s Maleva unit;
Bringing a public transport stop (coming from the city) nearer the activity centre at Endla 59.
The meeting had a total of 23 participants: The Deputy Mayor of Tallinn B.Beškina, the representatives of Tallinn Social and Healthcare Department; R.Saadi (manager, participated virtually), A. Kailas, M. Tõkke and K.Uuemäe and representatives of member units and network of TCBDP.






