FAQ

The first independent housing in Brazil works at ULiving, in the Flamengo neighborhood, in Rio de Janeiro. But the model can be implemented in any city. In 2022, we will form new groups and take our exclusive methodology across the country. Interested? Send an email to comunicacao@institutojng.org.br

The building is not exclusive, it is an apartment like any other, in a common building, with different residents, with or without disabilities, valuing diversity.

The neighborhood has parks, museums, a subway and a wide range of shops and services, allowing residents to integrate with the local community and this, in turn, to experience inclusion in everyday life, in a natural way.

Each resident has their own apartment, furnished and equipped with TV, fridge and cooktop. And they have two types of support:

• Support Base, in the same building, but not inside the apartment. A team on duty 24 hours a day knows and supervises your day to day and routines
• Individualized support for the development of specific skills, according to your needs and choices.

The total value of independent housing is the sum of rent and support services. The rent includes water, gas, IPTU and condominium, in addition to free internet and free access to shared areas, which include collective kitchen, cinema, co-working, among others.

The cost of the 24h Support Base is divided equally among all residents; and Personalized Support is contracted separately, according to the dedicated hours provided for in the plan.

It is an in-depth analysis of the uniqueness of each adult with a disability. Our specialists (pedagogues and social worker) interview the disabled person and his family to map out routines, activities and aspirations in different areas of life: health, safety, finances, food, personal care, home care, social media, leisure among others.

The result is a Profile and Autonomy Assessment, an x-ray of the abilities of the disabled adult, as well as the points of risk and strategies to minimize them, to expand their participation in activities at home and in community life. It is an unprecedented assessment in Brazil, focusing on housing. It’s about having your home, your space and taking care of it – with all the necessary support to make it a reality.

It is not an assessment of being able or not, but rather to define the Personalized Support Plan, which indicates the type, quantity and frequency of support for the disabled adult to develop into what he really needs and wants, according to your choices – and, little by little, gain confidence and celebrate the gains and challenges of a full adult life.

Support services are structured on two levels:

• Support Base, with a team on call 24 hours a day, which knows and supervises the residents’ routines, identifying any changes in this routine, investigating and taking action whenever necessary. For example, work schedules, therapies, courses and medications. This team also responds to specific demands and occasional situations that cause unnecessary stress. It is a permanent welcoming space, with its doors always open, on the same floor as the residents’ apartments.
• Personalized Support Plan (PSP): support agents ensure the execution of the planned activities, according to the established workload, in house care and in the resident’s routine, such as preparing snacks, organizing and washing clothes, paying bills and doing shopping, among others.

All support agents know in detail the routines of each tenant and are trained to act, they know when, who and how to call in case of unforeseen events and emergencies.

Each resident has an identification card with all the data about their health: allergies, medications used and how often, health plan, family doctor contact (if any) and list of contacts for communication in case of emergency.

“We hire for attitude and train skills.”
This phrase by David Williams, former president of Ability Housing, guides the selection and training of support agents, professionals who see the person before the disability, with a proactive and positive attitude. The technical coordinator and supervisor of support services are professionals with more than 25 years of experience, with a PhD and a Master’s degree, respectively.

The team is trained in the JNG methodology, which brings a new look at the disabled adult. Support agents are trained to encourage and teach what to do, and not to do for the person, creating, even if unintentionally, a bond of dependency. They must teach autonomy to the resident, perceive the different nuances of communication, through active listening, with empathy and respect.

The team of specialists that applies the methodology is multidisciplinary, made up of pedagogues, a psychologist and a social worker, with complementary experiences in diversity, special education, development and inclusion of people with disabilities, mediation and supported employment.

The support agents are trained professionals and bonding is part of their work, with every care not to create or maintain situations of dependency. JNG’s exclusive methodology provides for evaluation and quality control of the services provided and the family can, whenever it wishes, send comments and suggestions.

As in any condominium, we have affinities with some neighbors, and with others not so much. Each resident will have their privacy, their apartment and their daily activities, interacting with the community the way they want.

The building is not exclusive, it brings together different residents, with or without disabilities, with numerous shared spaces that favor integration and inclusion. In addition, most residents are students, who are also in the transition phase to adult life, leaving their parents’ home and taking on responsibilities. The neighborhood has parks, museums, a subway and a wide range of shops and services, allowing residents to interact naturally with the local community.

Yes. One of the pillars of the independent housing model is that the person with a disability can choose whether to live alone or with someone of their choice, be it a boyfriend or a friend.

It is important to know that the costs of independent housing are charged individually, both rent and support services.

Yes, for this it is necessary that the Support Base be informed and the rules of the condominium for visits are respected. In the cases we follow in England, family ties are often strengthened and visits from parents, siblings and family members are frequent.

Ideally, there should be up to two people. Exceptionally we evaluate the possibility of up to three people.

No. The JNG Institute believes in supported decision-making, and the families’ contract with the Institute was signed by the residents.

The rental agreement with ULiving is signed by the finance officer. This goes for all residents.

In the case of the contract for the provision of support services with the JNG Institute, the person who signs it is the resident. this topic was widely discussed in the pilot group, including meetings with lawyers. JNG enforces article 116 of the Brazilian Law of Inclusion, supported decision-making. Persons with intellectual disabilities elect at least two suitable people with whom they maintain ties and who enjoy their trust, to provide support in signing contracts, for example.

Yes. Any person with a disability can live alone, what varies are the hours of support they need to perform routine tasks and activities.

This is a belief that we recommend working with the Individualized Support Program team. Even though they are highly dependent, people with disabilities must exercise their autonomy of choice, even if they do not have the autonomy to perform tasks. From the simple fact of having your own house, there will be many stimuli for the person to expand their practice of autonomy. But if he/she still needs permanent follow-up, the technical team will probably suggest that the Personalized Program be contracted, with periodicity and number of hours to be jointly determined by the family and the professionals who carry out the functional assessment.

Any person with a disability can live alone or with someone of their choice, what varies is the type and amount of support hours that person needs.

Part of the work of the Individualized Support Program team is to observe residents’ behaviors and reactions. It is common for there to be more or less affinities with some of the other residents, however, these practices need to be experienced so that they can be correctly developed.

The image of a child alone, sad and helpless corresponds to a negative projection (negative belief). This being a concern, there will be an opportunity to share it with the team of specialists so that everyone is aware. In this way, the concern brought by the family for feedback during follow-up and supervision meetings is welcomed.

No, because the pilot project assumes that all residents are in the same building. We are studying a way to take the Personalized Support Plan (PSP) to people with disabilities who have their own property or who still live with their parents, but already want to acquire skills for an independent and more autonomous life.

For the pilot group the apartments will be rented. In the future, we can think about and discuss alternative models, without losing sight of our premises.

Yes! Since our founding in 2013, we have been in dialogue with all actors in society, including governments in the most diverse instances. On our YouTube channel you can find our participation in some events in the public sphere.

The JNG Institute is a non-profit Social Organization of Public Interest, registered in the National Register of Legal Entities, authorized by the Ministry of Justice under process nº 08071.000219/2013-18, published in the Official Gazette of May 2, 2013. financial statements are kept rigorously updated and are available on the CSOs Portal / Map of Civil Society Organizations.

Since it was created in August 2013, the JNG Institute has been building a solid trajectory. Throughout this journey, it articulated with different actors in society, such as families, the Public Ministry, health and education professionals, universities, associations and OSCs that work on behalf of people with disabilities, municipal, state and federal governments and, mainly, young people. and adults with disabilities.

Among its partners, it is important to highlight the Getúlio Vargas Foundation and the State University of Rio de Janeiro – UERJ, Bhering Cabral Advogados, the architect and urban planner João Sousa Machado, managing partner of Sergio Conde Caldas Arquitetura and specialists in the area of people development with disabilities.

J, N and G are the initials of João, Nicolas and Gabriella, three young people with intellectual disabilities who were school friends. Their mothers shared concerns and anxieties about the lack of perspectives after the end of school. Where are you going? How to seek training? Are you going to work? Where are you going to live? With each question the horizon closed even more.

Thus, they decided to found the JNG Institute to promote the debate on the adult life of people with intellectual disabilities, focusing on a topic that is rarely addressed, due to its complexity: the right to housing. What used to be a problem has now become a solution.

Today, the first independent house in Brazil is already a reality! Young adults with disabilities are living in their homes, making their choices, experiencing their autonomy and with individualized support according to their needs and respect for their uniqueness.