Living with an intellectual disability
Within the Academic Collaborative Center Living with an intellectual disability (AWVB) there is structural and sustainable collaboration amongst 16 care organizations, the national interest group LFB, and Tranzo, Tilburg University. Together with its partners, the AWVB conducts scientific research and makes the results applicable to care and educational practice. The AWVB works with four themes - Autonomy & Expertise based on Experience, Family, Quality Care & Professionalism, and E-health — and a temporary fifth theme: COVID-19.
The duration of the pandemic had a great impact on society as a whole and on everyone's lives individually until early 2022. We were able to experience the interconnection in a completely different way in the second half of 2022 during the “AWVB on Tour.” The AWVB on Tour celebrated the delayed anniversary “ten years of connection between research and practice” of the AWVB. During the AWVB on Tour, chair Embregts and her team shared the knowledge they had developed with practice from the various partner organizations, literally bringing knowledge from research to the practice of disability care. Besides sharing knowledge, the Tour was also a festive visit to our partner organizations, which play an important role in this connection between research and practice. In lectures and customized workshops for people with intellectual disabilities, their families, and the many care professionals who work at the AWVB's partner organizations, the themes of Autonomy & Expertise based on Experience, Family, E-health, and Quality Care & Professionalism were central.
New collaborative partner
On September 1, 2022, care organization Cello joined as a partner. With that, the partnership consists of 16 care organizations for people with intellectual disabilities (Amarant, Amerpoort, ASVZ, Dichterbij, Cello, Elver, Koraal, Lunet Zorg, Prisma, SDW, Severinus, Sherpa, S&L Zorg, SWZ Zorg, Tragel and Zuidwester), the national client organization LFB and Tranzo (TSB, Tilburg University).
Communities
Several communities and knowledge networks were started within the AWVB in 2022. A community is a network of healthcare professionals interested in a particular substantive topic. In a community, researchers share new knowledge and insights with healthcare professionals and next of kin, who in turn share professional knowledge with which they provide important insights and input to the studies. There is a community on the theme Family and a community around the target group with severe and multiple disabilities; in the coming year, we plan to start communities on other AWVB research themes as well.
AWVB website and annual report
In the context of knowledge sharing, the AWVB launched its own website in January 2022 alongside the Tilburg University website. At www.awvb.nl(new window) , themes on which research is being conducted are conveniently arranged, as well as practical and educational products for people with intellectual disabilities, their next of kin, and—future—care professionals. There is an extensive archive with information on current and completed research, and it also includes the AWVB's Annual Report 2022(new window). In addition, there is an easy reading section, in understandable language for everyone. For more information, please refer to the website. Here you can also find all the collaborative center's practical products under the heading "For Practice”. By 2022, a total of 10 fact sheets and infographics have been released.
The AWVB also created the 2022 easy-to-read summary booklet(new window) where every current study is described in a clear and accessible manner.
The Endowed Chair
Effective May 1, 2020, the endowed chair of Prof. Petri Embregts was extended for a period of 10 years until May 1, 2030.
The faces of AWVB
From left to right: Pála Kúld MSc, Prof. Petri Embregts, Suzanne Lokman MSc, Saskia Tielemans, Dr. Vincent Peters, Dr. Marieke den Boer-Westerman, Wieneke Penninga MSc, Vanja de Groot MSc, Barbara Donders, Kayleigh van Beurden MSc, Marloes Thalen MSc, Luciënne Heerkens-Brunschot, Zoë Moonen, Carry van Leest, Cathelijn Oudshoorn, Moniek Voermans, Noud Frielink, Wouter de Wit, Alexandra Haenen, Mandy van Trier, and Laura Vromans.
Not pictured: Kim Beenhakker, Mireille de Beer-Durand, Dr. Sanne Giesbers, Ad van Ginneken, Dr. Lex Hendriks, Hanna Noorlandt MSc, and Frances Vereijken MSc
More AWVB:
Tranzo Pearl | Experience knowledge of next of kin
Good collaboration between healthcare professionals and next of kin of people with intellectual disabilities is crucial to ensure that care can align as closely as possible with their needs.
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Partners & contact
Here you will find all the partners of the 2022 collaborative center. There is also contact information here if you want to know more about the studies or collaboration opportunities.
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