How can we make sure that quality of life is something that shapes the way disability support services work every day? For the QoLAB project, the answer starts with people.

The Quality of Life Supports Model (QoLSM) offers a practical way for services to move towards more person-centred and rights-based support, with the quality of life of each person at the centre. But for real change to happen, people need the knowledge, confidence and space to put the model into practice.

That is why QoLAB has invested in capacity building across four countries: Austria, Finland, Hungary and Portugal. A Train-the-Trainers Workshop brought together project partners and professional trainers to build the knowledge and skills needed to become QoLSM ambassadors. They can now take this knowledge back to their organisations, helping the model reach more people.

Local training workshops were organised for both service professionals and managers and people with disabilities and their circles of support. The sessions were adapted to the needs of each group, making the QoLSM easier to understand and, most importantly, showing everyone how they can play a role in putting it into practice.

In addition, Local Co-Creation Labs were organised: people with disabilities, their circles of support, professionals, managers, public authorities and inspection bodies came together to share experiences, identify gaps and explore practical ways to improve support.

Quality of life is a shared responsibility, and improving support is not about one group finding all the answers. It is about creating the right conditions for people to listen to each other, learn together and make better decisions.

Check out the project resources:

• D3.2 Local training workshops for service providers_v2.pdf
• D3.3 Local training workshops for PwD and circle of support_v2.pdf
• D3.4 Local co-creation QOLSM labs.pdf