The Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FAIDD)
Summary
The Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FAIDD) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that promotes good life, equality and participation for people with intellectual disabilities and others who need support with learning, understanding and communicating.It also develops services and promotes research in the field.
Target
Our goal is that all people can live together from an equal footing. This requires appropriate support and sufficient, quality services for people who need them and positive attitudes within the surrounding society. Public and private services, education, work and culture need to be accessible to everyone.
Activities
In order to reach these goals, we exercise social influence and serve as a centre of knowledge and expertise and a cooperative forum. We engage in a wide range of cooperation with people with intellectual disabilities, their families, professionals in the field, service providers, organisations, businesses and public authorities.
The main operating areas of FAIDD are
- - research
- - development
- - personnel training
- - production of materials
- - promoting plain-language information and culture
- - furthering accessible and participatory communication and use of information technology
- - providing and exchanging information and exercising social influence.
FAIDD is a social actor, a centre of knowledge and skills and a forum of cooperation. We engage in diverse cooperation with people with disabilities and their families and carers, professionals in the field, service providers, organisations, businesses and public authorities.
The actual members of FAIDD are joint municipal authorities, municipalities, congregations, registered voluntary organisations and foundations. The support members are private individuals. The members work in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities or act otherwise in the interest of the disabled.
FAIDD was founded in 1952. Its most significant financier is Finland’s Slot Machine Association (RAY).
The chair of FAIDD is Pekka Kettunen. The chair of the Central Council is Sakari Nuutinen. The executive director is Veli-Pekka Sinervuo.
