The European Erasmus+ project SHIELD (Safety and Health: Inclusion to Emergency Training and First Aid for Disabled Persons) aims to strengthen the resilience, safety and participation of people with disabilities through their active continuation to emergency preparedness and disaster management. Starting in December 2025, the project is coordinated by Johanniter Germany (Johanniter-Akademie Mitteldeutschland, Leipzig) and brings together a consortium of organisations from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Lithuania and Slovakia, including Johanniter Austria and the JOIN Office.
Across Europe, people with disabilities are still not sufficiently considered in disaster preparedness and civil protection systems. Recent disasters and emergencies have underlined that their specific needs must be better integrated into planning, training and operational decision-making. SHIELD will address this gap by developing inclusive training approaches for both civil protection personnel and people with disabilities.
At the core of the project is the development of new training material, train-the-trainer concepts, and adapted first-aid courses tailored to people with physical and cognitive disabilities. These activities built on a comprehensive needs analysis conducted with civil protection experts and organisations of and for people with disabilities will ensure that perspectives and lived experiences are embedded from the outset.
To improve the preparedness of first responders, SHIELD will design practice-oriented civil protection training modules that raise awareness for the specific requirements of people with disabilities during emergency operations. Through joint exercises including people with disabilities as participants or role-players, the project will foster mutual understanding and improves response capabilities while strengthening the confidence and self-efficacy of all participants involved.
SHIELD will develop adapted first-aid courses including modules on self-protection for people with disabilities. It is with these trainings that persons are enabled to recognise emergency situations, take appropriate first steps, and act as multipliers within their communities.
To ensure long-term societal impact, SHIELD will create a Civil Protection Handbook summarising key validated findings, practical recommendations, and training concepts. National and European dissemination activities will ensure that the results reach civil protection authorities, emergency services, disability organisations, and policymakers across Europe.
The SHIELD consortium consists of:
The project runs for 24 months and is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.