The multipliers of the AC project ”Promotion of Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education for All in Armenia” not only actively take part in different events organized within the frame of the same project, but also share their knowledge, experience and changes of their own paradigm with other students. Under the title: ”My success story”, we are going to introduce the individual experience of the mutipliers on how the inclusion has become a lifestyle.

I am Iyolanta: a multiplier and also a volunteer of the project

By saying “Inclusive education” at school age, I only meant the education of people with special needs, and even called them “inclusive children”, “children of inclusive education”.

All these was a proof of the existing attitude of the society toward people having special needs, everyone was behaving like the way I did, calling them in stereotyped words.

There was no idea on inclusion at all, because we constantly heard only the phrase “inclusive education” and by saying “inclusiveness” we meant only the education of people having special needs.

The profession I chose after graduating from the school had a very close connection with education, inclusive education and inclusion in general.

At the university I learned about the project entitled “Promotion of Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education for All in Armenia”, I joined them and started participating in various activities organized within the project, I just realize how much my way of thinking has changed now.

I understood the idea of inclusion, its different aspects and features.

Now by saying “inclusion” I understand that we all need to be included, inclusion is for all of us. I try to choose my words carefully, to speak and express my thoughts correctly so as not to offend anyone.

When someone talks about inclusion, I can’t stay indifferent, especially when stereotyped words are used during the conversations, I immediately try to explain them about the correct way of speaking on the topic and the importance of the concept of inclusion.

We all must respect each other despite our differences and peculiarities. It must be emphasized that we are the ones who spread this idea and only in this case we will have an inclusive society.

Being an active member of the project and sharing the idea of inclusiveness made me a volunteer of the program today. The project has changed my way of thinking on the concept of inclusion, in addition, I have received professional and personal growth, I have begun to look at issues from different angles.

The project itself together with the staff gave me the opportunity to grow and feel valued and included. The key to achieving results is to start. We have taken the first step; we must continue to spread this idea and to become one of the cornerstones of the inclusive society.