VDC POLŽ Maribor

Varstveno delovni center POLŽ Maribor (abbreviation: VDC POLŽ Maribor) is a public regional social welfare institution for adults with mental and physical impairment. VDC POLŽ Maribor is one of the largest occupational activity Centres in Slovenia and the largest in the region of Styria. As the name suggests our institution is located in Maribor, which is the second largest city by population in our country. We are a work-oriented institution operating in a controlled environment for the purpose of providing guidance, care and employment under special circumstances as well as creative leisure activities for 228 adults with mental and physical impairment and residence for 28 users of the services we provide. VDC POLŽ Maribor was founded in 1993; and in the 20 years of its existence our institution has grown and developed extensively. We are now comprised of six units providing guidance, care, and employment under special circumstances in the following cities: Maribor, Lenart, Slovenska Bistrica, Ruše and Šentilj. We also have two housing units in Maribor providing services of institutionalised care.

Currently there are 228 adults with mental and physical impairment integrated in our units providing guidance, care, and employment under special circumstances. Two housing units offer homes to 28 residents. The Slovenian acronym VDC POLŽ Maribor stands for: We help give purpose in life.

VDC POLŽ Maribor was coordinator of the LdV project "Happy Farm" and core-partner in the LdV project "NQF Inclusive", both dealing with the recognition of non-formal learning. Having experience in dealing with the learning outcomes approach our role in the project "NQF Inclusive" was to give advice and guidance to the partnership regarding this topic, but not to define learning outcomes for a Slovenian training programme. In this project, VDC POLŽ Maribor will transfer and adapt the learning outcomes, defined in "NQF Inclusive", to the VET programme, modularize them by using the ECVET system and design a model for assignment and recognition of qualification modules together with the associated partner CPI, the public VET institute of Slovenia. VDC POLŽ Maribor was also the organiser of the Kick-Off meeting which took place at the beginning of December 2013.

Contacts: Aleška Knaflič Cijan
Address: Park mladih 4, 2000 Maribor, Slovenija
Tel.: +386 2 320 86 52
Fax: +386 2 320 86 58
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Webpage: www.vdcpolz.si