ARFIE (Association for Research and Training on Integration in Europe) Belgium
ARFIE (Association for Research and Training on Integration in Europe) was set up in 1992 as a European NGO to improve the support, the social inclusion and the availability of services to people with disabilities, people with important dependency needs and with associated mental health needs.
Through more than 25 years of close collaboration between service providers and training and research centres in the disability field, ARFIE has delivered numerous European projects and publications on disability issues, all with the aim to disseminate good practices on how the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities could be implemented. Nevertheless, as an ordinary member of the European Disability Forum, ARFIE has been in close collaboration with organisations and other stakeholders defending the rights of persons with disabilities and promoting social inclusion.
ARFIE is a network of service providers and research centres who share the vision that quality training of the staff working with persons with disabilities contribute to the quality of the services provided, increasing the quality of life of users and their social inclusion.
ARFIE believes that a person with disability shall remain the main decision-maker in his/her future life projects and should access education and training in the same manner of any other citizen. Therefore, ARFIE believes as well that professionals should remain trained, skilled and qualified to offer an adequate support to the evolving needs of people with disabilities. Moreover, ARFIE believes that the social inclusion of people with disabilities enhances the quality of life of all citizens thus fully supports the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and promotes the development of know-how practice for its implementation.
Today ARFIE represents a platform for professionals to compare and develop best practice across different countries with regard to quality of life and equal opportunities of people with disability. To do so ARFIE promotes exchanges among its members and develop European projects in the field of access to social services for people with disability and training for professionals in the disability field.
ARFIE’s Project Team Members:
Raymond Ceccotto is a psychologist with a long and sound experience in the field of Social services for people with disability and European projects in the social field. He studied Psychology at the University of Strasbourg where he graduated with honours, before completing an MA in Psychology Studies. For 40 years he worked in Luxembourg as general director of APEMH foundation (LU) to organise and manage social service for people with intellectual disabilities and improve the quality of services in line with the principle enshrined in the UNCRPD. As President of ARFIE, Mr Ceccotto has always worked to promote the rights of persons with disability and the full implementation of the UNCRPD. He combines a strong knowledge of the sector’s local diversity with a view of the wider European dimension where he has established effective partnerships with other Associations and stakeholders.
Federico Camporesi
I am an expert in the coordination of networks and management of European Projects with a strong knowledge of EU Policies and Law. I combine a legal background with skills in project management, communication and networking.
I studied Law at the University of Bologna where I graduated in 2004 with honours, before completing and MA in International and European legal studies. Since 2009 I hold an international PhD in EU law and policies from the University of Bologna and the University of Strasbourg (joint Italian-French programme). I successfully completed an internship at the Legal service of the European Parliament (Brussels) and in 2011 I joined Diesis where I worked until 2018 as a researcher and project manager in the field of Social economy and Social innovation. Since 2017 I am responsible for the coordination of the ARFIE Network, the European Association for research and training on integration for people with disabilities.
Two words describe my profile: flexibility and determination.
