1) Creating a database on persons with disabilities.

2) To carry out and facilitate work that ensures the integration of people with disabilities into social life, and to organise, encourage, and popularise sports, social, and cultural activities.

3) Collaborating with universities, private institutions, foundations, associations and their umbrella organisations established to serve persons with disabilities, public institutions and organisations, and professional organisations with public institution status to implement community-based rehabilitation programmes for persons with disabilities.

4) To provide psycho-social counselling and guidance services to people with disabilities and their families who apply to the department, and to organise events such as conferences, seminars, and symposiums to educate, inform, and raise awareness about disability-related issues.

5) To prepare, publish and distribute printed, audio and visual publications such as books, magazines and brochures aimed at preventing disability.

6) To deliver information and awareness-raising services for persons with disabilities and their families, and to ensure that staff providing these services receive appropriate technical training.

7) To make persons with disabilities a qualified workforce and enable them to participate in working life by evaluating persons with disabilities who apply for vocational rehabilitation and training programmes and providing them with appropriate vocational rehabilitation and vocational training.

8) To provide in-kind and cash assistance to persons with disabilities in financial need.

9) Providing transportation for persons with disabilities from their locations to hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centres, and other such places using vehicles suitable for their conditions, when necessary.

10) To deliver care services for persons with disabilities and elderly persons in need of support, or to procure such services in accordance with relevant legislation.

Documents Required to Access Services

Applicants seeking services from the unit are required to provide the following documents:

a) Request or registration form.

b) Medical Board Report or Disability Identity Card issued by the relevant authority.

c) Proof of residence.

ç) Photocopy of the applicant’s identity card.

(2) Applicants whose disability status is recorded on their identity card are not required to submit the documents specified under paragraph (b).

Eligibility for Assistance

In providing social assistance to persons with disabilities and their families, the unit applies, as a general principle, the eligibility criteria used for applicants receiving assistance from Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations.

Voluntary Services for Persons with Disabilities

The unit facilitates voluntary services for persons with disabilities in cooperation with universities, private organisations, foundations and associations established to support persons with disabilities and their umbrella organisations, public institutions and organisations, and professional bodies with public institution status. Such services are provided in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation on Voluntary Participation in Special Provincial Administration and Municipal Services, published in the Official Gazette No. 25961 of 9 October 2005.

Courses Available

• Basic education

• Vocational training

• Special education

Basic Education

Vocational Training

Special Education

Workshops

• Theatre

• Music

• Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics

• Sports Activities

• City Orientation

Approximately 200 people participate in the workshops each year.