The Polish Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PSONI) is Poland’s largest non-governmental organization working on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The Association has been working continuously since 1963, supporting people with intellectual disabilities at every stage of life—from early childhood through adulthood and into old age.
PSONI’s mission is to safeguard the dignity, happiness, and quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities and to ensure they have an equal place in their families and in society. The Association works to promote equal opportunities, respect for human rights, health protection, and the active participation of people with intellectual disabilities in social life, and supports their families in all areas of life.
PSONI realizes its goals through advocacy, education, and expert activities, by initiating systemic changes, and by providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary support services for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The association has a nationwide structure comprising a Central Board and 118 local branches operating in all provinces. In total, PSONI operates approximately 350 facilities and permanent support services, which are used by nearly 30,000 people each year.
A key focus of PSONI’s work is supporting independent and self-reliant living for people with intellectual disabilities. The Association develops solutions that enable people with disabilities to make decisions about their own lives, access personal assistance and legal aid, various forms of housing, and participate more fully in the life of local communities.
One of the key elements of these efforts is ensuring the right to communication and accessible information, understood as a fundamental human right without which it is impossible to exercise other rights and freedoms. Accessible, understandable, and supported communication enables people with disabilities to express their needs, make decisions, and meaningfully participate in social, educational, and professional life.
PSONI’s activities are consistent with the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the United Nations, particularly the principle of respect for dignity, autonomy, and the right to independent living and inclusion in society. The Association actively works to implement the provisions of the Convention in practice—both through advocacy and expert activities, and by creating accessible, practical forms of support that address the individual needs of people with intellectual disabilities.
Contact
Polish Association for People with Intellectual Disabilities – Central Board
2B Głogowa St., 02-639 Warsaw
Tel. +48 22 848 82 60
Email: zg@psoni.org.pl
Website
https://www.psoni.org.pl
Social media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zgpsoni/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psonizg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/polskie-stowarzyszenie-na-rzecz-osób-z-niepełnosprawnością-intelektualną
