Inclusion Initiative, also known as IAMYOU was formed to spearhead a campaign for inclusion in the Philippines.

IAMYOU envisions communities where:

  • children are afforded their equal rights and opportunities to quality education regardless of his/her socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, religion, ability, or sexual orientation;
  • differences are celebrated and supported;
  • children with disabilities are educated alongside his/her peers in the classroom and;
  • children are taught in a learner-centered, safe and friendly environment.

Our Mission:

To work with all stakeholders to co-create solutions for inclusive education.

IAMYOU aims to accomplish this by:
  • establishing a community of practice where teachers are provided multiple forms of teaching support – from seminars/workshops to peer mentoring – and an avenue for shared learning and problem solving;
  • building capacity for shared leadership in schools where principals actively work hand in hand with teachers in instituting a school improvement plan focused on every students’ success;
  • supporting change advocates to push effective policies where disabled peoples organizations (DPOs) and other marginalized groups take the lead through forums, peer networks and consultative dialogues;
  • increasing investments in inclusive education by working with policy makers in developing policies to secure the resources needed to effect real change on the ground and;
  • supporting champions with the political will and commitment to inclusive education.

Project Highlights

International Summit on Inclusive Education (Part 2)

November 27 – 29, 2017, Quezon City

Building on the momentum of the first summit, Inclusion Initiative Inc. (IAMYOU) in partnership with The Teacher’s Gallery (TTG) held the Part 2 of the International Summit on Inclusive Education which covered a wider range of issues in inclusion – ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, and disability. With a broader set of topics, this summit created a space for open and meaningful sharing and co-creation of ideas, approaches, methodologies, and sound practices in inclusive education.

The International Summit on Inclusive Education – Part 2 also served as a call to action to education key stakeholders to ensure that no child in the Philippines will be left behind in education.

IE Advocacy Forum: Oriental Mindoro LGUs

May 18, 2018, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

Spearheaded by Inclusion Initiative Inc. and The Teacher’s Gallery, with support from UNICEF Philippines, National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), and the local government of Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, this advocacy forum on inclusive education focused on deepening understanding of inclusive education among local officials. The forum successfully engaged LGU members from across Oriental Mindoro, equipping them with knowledge about inclusive practices and their community-wide benefits. Participants concluded the event by developing concrete action plans to implement in their municipalities, marking a crucial step toward creating more inclusive educational environments throughout the municipalities and cities of Oriental Mindoro.

IAMYOU’s IE Learning Portal Showcased in DepEd Training Inclusive Education Roll-Out

May 23, 2018, Davao City

During a pivotal training session for DepEd Regional and District Supervisors at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City, Inclusion Initiative Inc., supported by UNICEF Philippines and The Teacher’s Gallery, showcased the IAMYOU’s Inclusive Education Learning Portal. This presentation aligned with the broader roll-out of inclusive education initiatives. The supervisors emphasised the critical importance of establishing a comprehensive resource bank, recognizing it as an essential tool to empower DepEd teachers and administrators in effectively implementing inclusive education programs. This digital platform represents a significant step forward in providing educators with the necessary resources and support to create more inclusive learning environments.

IE Advocacy Forum: NCR Region

June 29, 2018, Mandaluyong City

In a significant move toward educational inclusivity, Inclusion Initiative Inc. and The Teacher’s Gallery collaborated with the City Government of Mandaluyong and UNICEF Philippines to organize the LGU Regional Advocacy Forum on Inclusive Education. The participants worked on strengthening existing policies and creating new initiatives to bettwe serve diverse learning within their communities. This strategic gathering marked an important step in enhancing educational accessibility and support systems across Metro Manila’s local government units.

IAMYOU Programs presented at LCF CSR Expo 2019

July 4, 2019, Pasay City

Our inclusion champions, Dr. Serry Vargas and Ms. Sarah Jane Dela Rosa pitched our programs in empowering educators in building inclusive communities during the League of Corporate Foundation (LCF) CSR Expo 2019. The theme of the expo is “Toward Collective Impact: Collaborations that Work”.

Highlighting the Inclusive Education Mentorship Program, a joint endeavor by Inclusion Initiative Inc. and The Teacher’s Gallery, demonstrates their ongoing committment on empowering educators with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively support students with disabilities in regular classroom settings.

Inclusive Education Framework Workshop

August 14-15, 2019, Quezon City

Inclusion Initiative Inc., including various civil society organizations (CSOs) working from different sectors involving children, gathered to identify the CSOs existing practices that promote inclusive education. The goal is to develop an comprehensive IE framework that can serve as a guide in engaging the government both at the executive and legislative branches in the development of the inclusive education bill. After the two-day workshop, the participants developed cohesive strategies focusing on policy development, systems improvement, and campaign initiatives.

Program Framework

This illustrates the overall thrust, strategies, programming, and expected outcomes for engaging multi-stakeholders with the primary goal of increasing enrollment within marginalized sectors and nurturing students to achieve their personal best.

e

Program Components

The Inclusion Campaign hopes to implement its programs under shared ownership with UNICEF, the local government units, legislators, Department of Education (DepEd)/Commission on Higher Education (CHED), school administrators/principals, teachers and the representatives from the marginalized sectors. Central to the inclusion campaign work is a collaborative partnership working towards a common goal.

Awareness Campaign

There is a need to define inclusive education to the various stakeholders. In areas serving persons with disabilities especially those with intellectual challenges, inclusive education presents itself as a disruptive innovation. The traditional special education model popularly known as SPED is still being espoused and for lack of information, legislators are filling bills pushing for SPED and mayors across the country are supporting the establishment of SPED centers. For other marginalized sectors such as the indigenous people, Muslims, LGBTs and girls, there is a need to spread awareness of how they are being excluded and prevented from having a better future.
w

Advocacy Intervention

By working in conjunction with school districts, state policymakers and educators from across the country to increase the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders at all levels, the inclusion campaign aims to push for municipal ordinances allocating funding for IE programs and a comprehensive inclusive education act that enables the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to enact policies effectively intergrating inclusive education in the Philippine Educational System.

Capacity Building

IAMYOU strongly believes that both the school administrators and its teachers should work in partnership to create an inclusive environment for its students. Through a two-tiered ‘train the trainers’ leadership program – one for principals/supervisors and another for teachers along with a continuous mentoring component per district, IAMYOU hopes to produce a cascade effect with trainers being tapped to conduct training sessions in the next district.

Passionate About Building an Inclusive Community?

Start with learning the basics on how to develop an inclusive mindset and values through our wide range of resources in our online learning portal.
Create an account

Already have an account?

Login Now