Adapting the Public Service Hall to the Needs of the People with Disabilities (GE0042)

Adapting the Public Service Hall to the needs of the people with disabilities. In the framework of the Open Government Georgia’s Action Plan of 2014-2015, LEPL – the Public Service Hall (PSH) successfully introduced a feedback system – “Voice of the Consumer”. By means of this program customers can fill out a special application and submit their comments/ recommendations to the PSH. On its part, PSH is liable to review the received letters within 30 days and take particular steps, if possible, and afterwards, contact the citizen and provide him/her with detailed information about his/her case. In November 2015, PSH was addressed by a citizen with disabilities via “Voice of the Consumer”. The author of the letter described the difficulties people with disabilities face in PSH while receiving public or private services. The letter also contained concrete recommendations about how to handle this problem. Together with the author of the letter and other organizations competent in the field, PSH developed a new project, which later was translated into the current commitment of the 3rd Action Plan of Georgia. The goal of this commitment is that the infrastructure of PSH shall meet the standards that are mandatory for people with disabilities to move around and receive services without any trouble. At the initial stage, PSH decided to adapt Tbilisi branch to the needs of people with disabilities. - In the hall of PSH Tbilisi branch a special navigation system will be created for blind people or people with poor eyesight;
Training of Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and Rustavi branch employees in terms of communication skills when interacting with disabled persons. Date of implementation: 2016-2017 Issues to be Addressed: Currently the infrastructure of PSH doesn’t meet the standards needed for the effortless movement of the people with disabilities and for receiving services. Today they receive various services by the assistance from other people. Main objective: Provide people with disabilities with effortless movement in PSH and with receiving services

1. Adapting the Public Service Hall to the needs of people with disabilities

Commitment Text: In the framework of the Open Government Georgia’s Action Plan of 2014-2015, LEPL – the Public Service Hall (PSH) successfully introduced a feedback system – “Voice of the Consumer”. By means of this program customers can fill out a special application and submit their comments/ recommendations to the PSH. On its part, PSH is liable to review the received letters within 30 days and take particular steps, if possible, and afterwards, contact the citizen and provide him/her with detailed information about his/her case.

In November 2015, PSH was addressed by a citizen with disabilities via “Voice of the Consumer”. The author of the letter described the difficulties people with disabilities face in PSH while receiving public or private services. The letter also contained concrete recommendations about how to handle this problem.

Together with the author of the letter and other organizations competent in the field, PSH developed a new project, which later was translated into the current commitment of the 3^rd Action Plan of Georgia.

The goal of this commitment is that the infrastructure of PSH shall meet the standards that are mandatory for people with disabilities to move around and receive services without any trouble. At the initial stage, PSH decided to adapt Tbilisi branch to the needs of people with disabilities.

• In the hall of PSH Tbilisi branch a special navigation system will be created for blind people or people with poor eyesight;

Training of Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and Rustavi branch employees in terms of communication skills when interacting with disabled persons.

Responsible Institution(s): LEPL – Public Service Hall, Ministry of Justice of Georgia

Supporting Institution(s): UNDP, Embassy of Poland, Coalition of Independent Living, NGO Mariani

Start Date: July 2016 End Date: December 2017

Commitment Aim:

The commitment aimed to improve access to Tbilisi Public Service Hall (PSH) for blind and visually impaired citizens by adapting the infrastructure with a special navigation system, including tactile paths and braille maps both outside of and inside the Tbilisi PSH. The commitment was drafted as a result of requests from end-users.

Status

Midterm: Complete

The commitment was fully implemented by the midterm. The Tbilisi PSH started adapting its infrastructure to the needs of the blind and visually impaired in the Fall of 2016 and completed the project in February 2017 by adapting the navigation system, tactile paths, braille maps, as well as audio reading software on the website. The PSH also trained more than 400 PSH employees in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, and Batumi. According to the representative of Tbilisi PSH, the PSH planned to make similar adaptations to Kutaisi and Batumi, as well as to add a Voice of Consumer module to their website for collecting citizen feedback from the target group. For more information, please see the 2016–2017 IRM midterm report. [1] 

Since the midterm report, PSH continued work beyond the scope of this commitment. PSH drafted projects on adaptation of service halls in Kutaisi and Batumi, including needs assessment and expense calculations. As of October 2018, PSH was searching for donors to finance the project. However, according to the representative of the PSH, if they are unable to find donors, they will mobilize funds to carry out the project on their own. [2] An online version of the Voice of Consumer is also under development.

Did It Open Government?

Access to Information: Did Not Change

Civic Participation: Did Not Change

Public Accountability: Did Not Change

Carried Forward?

[2] Ani Gigineishvili (Head of Marketing and Service Development Department, Tbilisi Public Service Hall), phone interview with IRM researchers, 8 Oct. 2018.