4D Lab Diversity & Inclusion services are carried out through the ProEdu Educacion Inclusiva and D Alliance programs; with special focus on the inclusion of People with Disabilities (PwD)

With the ProEdu program, we work for the right to quality inclusive education (ODS4) through workshops, online courses, trainings and coaching, we foster and co-design cultural transformation processes towards inclusive educational. We work alongside teachers to create inclusive classroom practices and conduct training on Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

The pandemic exacerbated existing inequities within education with respect to the inclusion of children and youth with disabilities. Teachers had to transform their practice towards online modalities and the situation of PwD was not always taken into account.

·         For this reason, together with the Working Group on Inclusive Education, a survey was carried out to find out about the situation of children and young people with disabilities in distance education. A report was produced and shared directly with education authorities, with the United Nations and with representatives of the Ministry of Education. (report)

·         Conversations were held with Plan Ceibal to offer support on inclusion of PwD during virtuality.

·         We support several families of people with disabilities who were looking for guidance and assistance. 

Several free webinars were held in partnership with different educational centers and with civil society organizations. Some of them:

·         Inclusive Education as a Human Right - together with the Down Association of Uruguay

·         Our children with disabilities in distance education times - with UNICEF

·         Inclusive Education - Challenges and Proposals in COVID Times - with the Regional Network for Inclusive Education  

·         Inclusive Distance Education - more than ever the family. Co-organized with the  Resource Center 204

·         Inclusive Education - The Wealth of Diversity - together with the Council of Professional Technical Education (UTU)

·         Online course on Inclusive Education and Universal Design for Learning for teachers - coordinated by the Ministry of Education and together with National Programme of People with Disabilities, and other education authorities

·         Training on Universal Design for Learning aimed at teachers, health personnel and the general public, Rocha, Uruguay.

·         Let's make sure all students feel included in our classes, Organized by the British Council

·         Interview of the Ministry of Education and Culture on the design of inclusive environments

With the D Alliance program we work supporting the cultural transformation of organizations and companies towards inclusive cultures and communication. (SDG 8, SDG 10)

During the pandemic, many PwD were isolated and with little information about care and health situation; several companies or organizations suspended their D&I programs. In order to help PwD during these tough times, these are some of the activities we did.

·         Together with the Alliance of Organizations for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, several communications were made and we helped on the creation of accessible material on COVID-19

·         Easy-to-read documents were made on; a) Coronavirus b) Important telephone numbers c) Entry protocols

·         An article on How to be Inclusive in Times of COVID-19 was written and shared

·         Free webinar: How to manage Diversity and inclusion in quarantine times - organized by Sistema B

·         Webinar on Ethical Banking and the contribution of organizations for an inclusive society - how to build inclusion in a pandemic situation.

·         Micro-workshop on workplace inclusion. Registration fees were donated to the Down Association of Uruguay

·         Webinar on How to Measure the Impact of Organizations on the Sustainable Development Goals

·         We held the First Latin American Symposium on Disability, enriching business and education. With the support of the United Nations and Sistema B

Other activities 

·         Micro-workshop on English as a Lingua Franca, with international speakers. Registration fees were donated to Aldeas Infantiles

·         Free workshop on Work and Communication in virtual teams in which we provided information on digital tools and accessibility.

·         Workshops on Human Communication in times of COVID-19 - for the 4D team

·         Together with the Uruguayan musician Luciano Supervielle, dancers Valentina Bidart Minetti and Magadela Cosco Viola, we coordinated the production of a video that shows the wealth of diversity.

·         The 4D team was greatly affected by the pandemic situation and we held weekly meetings to provide training and support on how to reconvert and find new ways of working.

·         A project for entrepreneur women with disabilities was started together with UN WOMEN.

The objective of the work done during covid-19 times has been to collaborate with people with disabilities, their families, organizations, companies, educational institutions, to respond in an agile and precise way to new circumstances, mainly virtuality and confinement, to continue working for the inclusion of people with disabilities, who we believe have been the most affected.