Who We Are
Inspire Foundation
Supporting individuals with disabilities by providing educational, therapeutic and leisure services, whilst advocating for inclusion in society, in order for them to reach their true potential.
Who We Are
Inspire Foundation’s inception dates back to 2009, following the merger of two leading Maltese organisations in the disability sector. The scope of Inspire Foundation is to provide an enhanced multi-disciplinary service and better serve the community, whilst being more cost effective and leading to long term sustainability and added value.
We are accredited by the National Autistic Society (NAS) in the UK, an accreditation provides an autism-specific quality assurance programme for over 300 organisations throughout the UK and across the globe. The Autism Accreditation award provides a seal of quality and can give people peace of mind when choosing a service for a relative. We are in fact the only organization outside of the UK to have ever been awarded Advanced Accreditation and are the only organisation either in or outside of the UK to have been awarded this status for a therapeutic service.
At Inspire, we celebrate every milestone our members reach, no matter how small. For some, it might be the first words, for others, it might be taking part in the Paralympics.
We understand the daily struggles that relatives of people with disability encounter, and that is why we offer the support necessary through support, networking and workshops.
We believe that inclusion should be practiced in any situation, and that is why we use our knowledge base and expertise to raise awareness among the general public.
Who We Help
At Inspire various programmes are delivered in a highly structured environment targeting the age-appropriate areas of development of children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum. Services are provided by tutors and therapists trained in the SPELL and TEACHH framework in both individual and group settings.
How We Do It
Inspire Foundation currently operates from two distinctive facilities in Malta, and one in Gozo. The foundation is equipped with:
- a clinical and academic framework providing a structured environment for academic and clinical services to be delivered in the most efficient manner
- a 25m hydrotherapeutic indoor pool and a fitness hall
- an arena for Animal Assisted Activates using horses & other animals
- a multi-sensory garden
- a highly specialised multi-sensory room
We help over 200 children and young adults on the autism spectrum through 5 different programmes:
STAR is a programme which impacts several young men and women who have profound multiple learning disabilities. The programme is designed to empower these individuals to do things for themselves, making sure they are engaged in all activities and participating in all aspects of their lives where possible. The professionals work collaboratively with each individual to maintain, enhance, and maximise their quality of life and independence. This is done by assisting each client on their interactive and cognitive activities such as personal care, social activities, cooking sessions, cognitive games, and outdoor activities. It aims to encourage the client to become ambitious and to succeed, to be responsible for their self and as independent as possible within the limits of their abilities
The STEP Intensive Early Intervention Programme caters for children with an autism diagnosis between the ages of three and five years. The programme takes a holistic approach towards the development of the child. STEP IEI comprises of a day programme where individual sessions, group sessions and therapeutic intervention are provided by the transdisciplinary team. The programme also works directly with the families and with the schools to better support and aid the children within the different environments they are in.
The STEP Forward Programme is a continuation of the STEP IEI Programme. The children who attend the STEP IEI programme and are turning five that year, can transition to the STEP Forward Programme. The programme provides group sessions carried out by a team of tutors, which target the children’s social skills, emotional regulation and cognitive skills. This programme operates after school hours and children come for one and a half hours, once a week.
The School Outreach Programme offers the opportunities for primary and secondary school learners with autism that are struggling to follow an adapted curriculum in the mainstream school to attend Marsaskala twice a week with their LSE during the school day. SOP offers a variety of academic and therapeutic activities including cooking, art, animal petting, and the multisensory room and works with the LSEs using best approaches to meet the needs of the children. The SOP team is a diverse and multidisciplinary group focused on collaborating with the LSEs and families to create more opportunities for all.
The LinC programme is a school for primary school learners who have difficulties attending within mainstream education. LinC offers an alternative curriculum focused on academic skills and life skills taught through the interests and strengths of the learners. It also makes use of various therapeutic services including a multisensory room, therapeutic horseback riding and a hydrotherapy pool. The LinC team is a diverse and multidisciplinary group of professionals who collaborate with families and communities to create a more inclusive environment for all.
These programmes are all aimed at supporting learners with their educational needs and social development through the provision of specific strategies, materials and other resources that will help each child’s unique learning and participation through the implementation of specific teaching approaches.
Apart from the traditional therapies such as occupational, physio and speech therapy, we also offer complementary therapies such as animal assisted therapy, therapeutic and creative arts therapy and therapy using our state-of-the-art multi-sensory theatres.
What Can You Do For Inspire?
Our list of services is a long one, and so is our list of expenses. We work tirelessly to offer the best service, while taking on new projects we believe are beneficial for our members, but this comes at a huge cost. This is where we depend on others to help us out, through donations and funding of projects.
Your support can make a significant difference in the lives of people with disability. Your Donation will help to keep providing the valuable service we are providing to children on the autism spectrum and the families.