Speaker: Matthias Vernaldi
Sunday 12. November, 11:00 – 12:15
In the “personal assistance for people with disabilities”, a form of help developed and fought for by severely disabled persons over the past decades, the conventional constellation of help is reversed: The one who receives assistance determines the structure of the assistance work, not the one who provides the assistance or the institution behind them, thus giving people with a disability the power to shape their day-to-day life. While their right to this has become more widely established, there are still many legal and political controversies about such forms of assistance, even today. Matthias Vernaldi will also speak to reveal the boundaries of care coalitions for people with a need for intensive help. To depend on the goodwill of your social environment can restrict your autonomy and self-sufficiency extensively. On the other hand, delivery of assistance within a contract (employment contract, service contract with health insurance and social welfare office) also has limitations, to be discussed.
Matthias Vernaldi
Matthias Vernaldi studied theology and began his professional career as a preacher. He has worked as a tarot consultant, author, public relations manager, editor for “Mondkalb – Zeitschrift für das organisierte Gebrechen” and chairman of ambulante dienste e.V.. In 2000, he launched “Sexybilities – Sexuality and Disability” and since 2002 served on the “Landesbeirat für Menschen mit Behinderung” in Berlin (Regional Advisory Council for People with Disabilities in Berlin). Because of a muscular disease, he depends on 24-hour assistive care.