Career Opportunities in Rehabilitation

If you have a social mission in your life of making a difference to the world, is there an option of making your passion a career? Yes, there is. Rehabilitation as a career can be extremely rewarding. Whenever any natural calamity occurs- be it drought, flood, or earthquake, promptly many national and international agencies get together to rehabilitate the people. To make these efforts by diverse organizations truly useful for the people, the community must be allowed to formulate its needs. The strategy of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) was developed by the World Health Organization to ensure that instead of being administered by governmental agencies, the community is allowed to participate, formulate and execute any programs meant to benefit them.

CBR's comprehensive approach encompasses disability prevention and rehabilitation in primary health care and integration of disabled children in ordinary school and provision of employment opportunities for disabled adults. The aim is to enable the disabled to maximize their physical and mental abilities and achieve full social integration within their communities.

Many of the physical and mental disabilities that manifest in young children can be arrested if detected early and intervention provided. For example, an early detection of hearing impair in babies can prevent the onset of speech problems that occur later.

At present less than 2% of persons with disabilities have access to basic rehabilitation services. The problem is due to lack of professionals in the rural areas and a majority of services are located in the urban areas.

There are many government programmes/schemes funded by the governments in the disability sector. In India 3% of the poverty alleviation funds are reserved for the development of persons with disabilities. This resource is available through Panchayat Raj system. In addition to the government support to CBR programmes, many private donors and foreign development aid organisations are supporting disability programmes. There are over 2500 NGOs working in the disability sector in South Asia and over 50,000 organisations across the globe. The opportunities for employment are both in government and in private sector.

Realizing the shortage of trained professionals in the field of rehabilitation, CBR Network has been conducting a series of short-term distance education courses in collaboration with Bangalore University. CBR Network is a South Asian Non Government Organization working in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities since the past 20 years. CBR Network has been a consultant agency to UNDP, SIDA, Action Aid, NORAD, UNICEF and presently to World Bank.

The programmes offered by CBR includes a one-year post-graduate diploma in community-based rehabilitation (planning and management), a diploma in community-based rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and certificate courses in 'Indian portage on early childhood care and development,' 'inclusive education' and `planning and management of NGOs and self-help organisations. While the minimum qualification for the PG Diploma course is a graduation in any discipline, those who have passed their plus two including teachers, parents, nurses, health workers, and CBR workers are all eligible for the diploma course.

CBR Network has close linkages with International Portage Association, University of Alabama, Birmingham; International Institute of Rehabilitation Management, Lisbon, Portugal; Spastic Society of Karnataka, Bangalore and many other CBR programs all over the world. It is also recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India.
Post-Graduate Diploma in CBR Planning & Management aims to mould an individual to be an expert in community based rehabilitation as well as planning and management of a project. The one-year Diploma in Community Based Rehabilitation elevates a grassroots level worker to function as an MRW (Multipurpose Rehabilitation Worker) with thorough knowledge and skills in early identification, intervention and rehabilitation at the field level for all categories.

Joyful Inclusion is an Inclusive Education pack that prepares general teachers to deliver child - focussed learning, facilitating learning in the least restrictive environments and developing simple study material.
PORTAGE is an International Early Intervention and Stimulation schedule for children with developmental delays. Through portage children with disabilities in the age group of 0-5 years are identified as early as possible and early stimulation programs are imparted for stimulating the child to develop to his full potential and prevent secondary handicaps. Such programs also help prepare children for inclusion at the primary education level. The major focus of portage is to transfer the early stimulation skills to parents without disintegrating children from their families and communities. The programme links up experts from various fields through the Internet.

Students with PG Diploma, Diploma in CBR have employment opportunities in the NGO sector. With the certification they can start NGO’s/Self help groups in the community. Students can take the leadership in the formulation of such groups in the society to protect the human rights of persons with disabilities.

Telemedicine /Tele- rehabilitation are the latest happening approaches across the globe. There is a tremendous need for cross disability middle level resource persons in such programmes. Students with a P.G.Diploma can meet these needs. Students are also encouraged to set up CBR guidance centers closer to the community especially in the rural/tribal and urban impoverished areas. Students who are already professionals in health, education sectors can diversify and integrate services for persons with disability.

The training can also equip various professionals such as doctors, special educators, therapists, nurses and paramedics, to orient themselves to rehabilitation in their respective areas of work.

Application form can also be obtained on the website cbrnetwork.org.in or by sending e-mail to cbrnet@vsnl.com

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