The Social Welfare Institutions – Dar al Aytam al Islamiya have launched in 1947 their services aimed at special needs people and have since pursued their mission in protecting the rights of such people, creating new centres on the Lebanese territory and dedicating themselves to service the poor and the needy, catering for the society needs in this respect and guaranteeing that a non-discriminatory and non-communautarian care system is being implemented.
Given the growth of the number of would-be beneficiaries and in order to provide specialised care while expanding on the regional and national levels, the Social Welfare Institutions have acquired in 1995 the former Shimlan British school (MECAS) building, rehabilitated and enlarged it in 1998 to accomodate the special needs beneficiaries with mental and learning disabilities within its four care programs (in-house, external, day care and family care).
Shimlan Social Institution presently provides assistance to 350 children and teenagers and their families in the neighbourhood of the foundation and the whole of the Lebanese territory, through diversified assistance programs.
- Assistance programs offered to people suffering from the following mental disorders:
• Light, Medium and Severe Mental Challenges, and Certain Cases of Serious Retardation
• Mental retardation Associated Autism
• Learning Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities Associated to Light Mobility Troubles
The assistance services:
• In-house assistance: lodging, food, and the whole teaching and habilitation services
• External assistance: food and the whole teaching, habilitation and training services
• Day assistance including the whole teaching, habilitation and training services
• Assistance provided to families: support, awareness promotion and advice
In-house assistance:
This service consists in providing comprehensive assistance, acting as a temporary foster family, improving the psychological and interpersonal situation on the basis of the suitable principles of psychological well-being in order to guarantee to the beneficiaries a healthy environment. This assistance includes primary medical help, balanced food, lodging, clothing, teaching, leisure time, gardening activities, as well as everyday life capacities enhancement, self-sufficiency, acquired skills exploitation and leisure time organisation programs.
Day assistance:
The day assistance implements training and habilitation programs including 6,000 areas such as insight, self-sufficiency, socialising, languages, motor skills, psychomotricity and emotional management, through the most up-to-date and efficient means and methods for the treatment of light, medium and severe mental challenges and dedicated technologies. The beneficiaries are allocated to one of the following levels:
1. Preschool
2. Elementary
3. Craft skills training
4. Professional habilitation
5. Professional training within the Shimlan Institution
Shimlan Institution for Professional Training: dispenses a number of professional specialties in order to train the beneficiaries and give them a chance to find a job, once graduated, in either of the following fields: plumbing, gardening and horticulture, sewing, embroidery, carpentry, straw weaving, pottery, ceramics and mirror engraving. After graduation, work placement and increased knowledge, the trainee is coached during his job seeking effort and during his employment.
The Seniors club: accomodates independent elderly with a view to boost their abilities, strengthen their skills and manage their free time.
Families Care: this social and individual service aims at enhancing the cooperation and collaboration between the families and the Institution and to support the families and encourage them to accept their situation and meet their obligations.