Eugenia Chernysheva, Valeria Lazareva, Kristine Barane, Natalie Kristiansen
breaking the borders
There are more than 15.000 people using a wheelchair in St. Petersburg, Russia but you can't really see them on the streets. This beautiful city isn't adapted for disabled people. There are a lot of borders outside and inside: unavailability of space and misunderstanding in society. We are a Russian-Norwegian team and we want to focus you on this problem and to try to find some solutions in Norwegian experience.
We are walking every day. Hey, hurry up, you're running late... Upstairs, downstairs. Faster, you got to run down the subway escalator.
Saint-Petersburg is a very beautiful city. The citizens are proud of the fact that there are a lot of old buildings and the city centre still keeps to its historical view. It's a shame, but St. Petersburg isn't a well-adapted place for physically challenged and disabled people. There are some laws but they didn't solve the problem in general.
Can you imagine a stroll on a wheelchair? Our team asked Natalya Kamolinkova to give us the opportunity to see what it feels like.
Natalya is a blogger. She Natalya is a blogger. She has an Instagram account where she shares her experience and her emotions. It's a unique case for St. Petersburg and that's why she became quite popular with about 13,5 followers. She works as ecologist at home and she is promoting the idea of adapted space in St. Petersburg. She is a winner of the 1st city beauty and talent contest for physically challenged girls.

If you want to learn more about Natalya - there is a video from a beauty contest for disabled girls. Subtitles are available in English (CC menu).
We met in the morning. It was rainy and windy but we were excited. When we told her the girls came from Norway Natalya smiled: "I spent 6 months in Norway because I participated in an exchange program as a student". She was wheeling fast enough and we were talking to each other about ourselves.
"Let's take a coffee" - we came up with this idea all together because there is nothing better in the world than to sit down in a warm cozy cafe drinking hot strong coffee and to watch this cold rain falling down somewhere outside like in another reality.
We saw a nice small cafe with a big window but when we came closer we explored that there are no ramps and it's impossible to come inside with Natalya . "I often see this place and I always think that there is a tasty coffee but I can't buy it when I'm alone". Eugenia stayed with Natalya outside during Valeria, Natalie and Kristine were buying coffee.
A guy who was making our coffee asked about Natalya. "I'm so sorry that she can't enter but I'll ask for making a ramp here!" - he said when we told him about Natalya and her role in this project.
There was a bench and we were drinking coffee outside.
We were walking about a hour and we faced with a big number of problems and difficulties:
- stairs without ramps;
- high borders;
- bad quality of an asphalt covering;


The most strange and sad troubles were damaged or wrong-constructed ramps. "We made ramps for disabled people", - say owners of these buildings. And nobody cares that it's dangerous or just impossible to use them.
Borders are very high and that's why Natalia is wheeling on the road with cars. Our assistance wasn't useful. No doubt that this situation when a person on a wheelchair is on the road is extremely dangerous. Disabled people become invisible here.
Public transport is a very important part of a megapolis system. Is it available for people who has difficulties with moving?
We wrote a letter to the department which is organising and controlling electric transport in St. Petersburg.

According to the information which was provided by the electric transport department there is a project of adaptation all public transport for disabled people.

You can see some statistics here: department made some steps to improve trams and trolleybuses but it isn't enough.


There are some actions of transport department which are focused on the adaptation of the city transport system:
1) People with disabilities have an opportunity to participate in the process of accepting new transport vehicles;
2) Social inspectors control the process of creating an accessible environment;
3) Transport staff is instructed with participation of disabled people;
4) Transport is equipped with a special system for blind people.
Svyatoslav Novikov
Press manager of the electric transport department
What's about Norway?
This workshop has given us an opportunity to compare Russia and Norway.
1) People have the right to receive help from their community (partial or full-time). All of it is financially covered by the government though taxes all inhabitants pay;

2) People do not have to pay for the wheelchair, they can rent it, or can get custom-made if they have a problem with a back or other problems which will not work with a «standard» one;

3) Communities are supposed to have houses where disabled people can live in their own apartment, but with help from nurses and other care-personnel. They rent the apartment with money they get from the taxes (they get enough for rent, food and other things needed). But it relates to the ones who were born with such diagnosis or have become more disable because of the diagnosis (for example, down's syndrome, or cerebral paralysis);

4) Every public building has to be equipped with elevators. If people on wheel-chair have to use stairs to enter the building, there must be a way for wheelchairs to enter the building as well. Disabled people are supposed to get the help they need to do most of «everyday tasks» themselves, with help if they need it. This includes go to the store, work if possible, visit family, go to arrangement (concerts, movies, or travel). In front of any public building, or store, there is a handicap parking that is wider and have the space needed to get a wheelchair out of the car (with the help of a mini-elevator in the car);

5) There are special places in communities where people with down's syndrome or autism (if they still have some ability) can function well. For example, they make decorations or mailboxes which they sell.
Obviously, the situation is better in Norway. The best illustration of this statement is the fact that a lot of disabled people are living alone. The space allows them to be more independent than in Russia.
In spite of this some problems are still exist. There is an organisation in Norway which is promoting the idea of adaptation.
The Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD) is the advocacy organisation of people with disabilities. Our vision is a society for all, where people with disabilities have the same opportunity as other people have to live according to their own wishes, abilities and interests.
And you can see some publications by Carine. She is a blogger from Norway and she is paralysed. She shares her experience on her website. She is trying to solve her problems but it's easy to see without Norwegian language that unavailable buildings are not her main problem.
Be independent
There are a lot of people with disabilities in Norway who can live alone with some assistance (2-3 times a week). Is it possible to live alone in Russia if you have to use a wheelchair? We made a survey in a social network. 33 persons have parciticipated.
I live alone in my own house for a long time. I made everything convenient according to my needs. Ramps, all stuff. Of course, my friends help me if it's necessary. Sometimes I ask for a help from my social worker for some shopping for example (especially in autumn and winter). It's possible to be independent if you really want it.
I use online-banking and it's really easy. And I have a car with a handy control with big doors (I can put my wheelchair inside by myself and place it on a seat).
Ilya Masterov
IT-specialist, uses a wheelchair
How to help?
It's easy. Open your eyes!
There are some communities of disabled people in St. Petersburg who is trying to defend their rights and to influence on the situation with unavailable space. "On wheelchair without borders" is a very active association. They've already done some events like a beauty contest for disabled girls. They organised some campaigns against high borders and bad rumps. "Wheelchair riders of SPb" is a community for discussing based on social network. You can find a lot of useful information for movements, activities, health.
Unfortunately, disabled people have only 2 ways for solving their troubles: official letters the government and media.
Disabled people are not invisible. They don't have opportunities to move freely in St. Petersburg. And we can support them by paying our attention to the problem. Let's see! Let's discuss! Let's solve!
Society vs Identity
There are a lot of borders inside. Stereotypes are the cage which blocks the freedom of thoughts and movements. Children are not defended of the wrong attitude in our society. It's very important to help children and people with disabilities in general to identify themselves as a part of the society. They are not outsiders!
Unfortunately, our society is not ideal and sometimes not tolerant, so it is almost impossible to make children with disables feel normal. But parents can actually help to overcome most of the difficulties and their participation in children's life will lead to great results. It is important to remember that children usually become the part of the society in public places (in school, during sport activities, ect.), so parents should be ready to establish contacts with teachers and couchers. Parents must explain them all important things about their children and, as a result, make them to participate in the process of adaptation. Often it is needed some help of psychologist and parents have to consult a doctor if necessary. It is very significant to discuss everything with children before and after visiting new places and events. Also parents should not forget about their own psychological stability because they are role models. If all people around are friendly and easygoing, such children will not be afraid of our big and interesting world.
Darya Yausheva
an employee of the organisation for children with disables "Authelper"
Natalya Kamolinkova
All borders are in our minds.

It is not about phisycal difficulties on your way. It is connected with your mentality. If you fight the situation, you are ready to do impossible things. But if you are reserved, if you have unresolved questions in your mind, it restricts your movements.
Our team
We are students and we study journalism. Kristine Barane and Natalie Kristiansen came from Volda University (Norway). They provided contacts and information about the situation in Norway. Eugenia Chernysheva and Valeria Lazareva are students of Saint-Petersburg State University. Eugenia was working with experts from Russia. She was an interviewer and she made translations. Valeria's area was pictures, videos, design and basic storyline.
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