Description
The project responds to a recent deterioration in the situation in socially excluded groups in boarding houses in Brno and surroundings. Through the project, we want to improve the situation of mothers and pre-school children living in these areas characterised by a higher occurrence of phenomena such as incomplete compulsory education, unemployment, dependence on state social benefits, debts, insufficient access to services, feelings of resignation and deprivation, criminality, violence, drugs and prostitution. The project aims to increase awareness of rights among mothers and activate them to solve their life situation autonomously as well as to support the development of their children of pre-school age. The project rests upon the provision of social services through field work, which makes it possible to get to know the specific living conditions of mothers and children in the boarding houses well. One of the project outputs shall also be a communication campaign focused on experts, representatives of public administration and the broader public.
Summary of project results
This project has responded to the deteriorating conditions in boarding houses and in socially excluded localities in Brno and its surroundings. In particular, we wanted to improve the situation of local mothers and preschool children. Regular field work has been expanded to localities where social services had not been active before. We have established a relationship with the residents of hostels and socially excluded localities, which has given us better insight into long-term processes as well as current events, allowing us to better respond to their needs. We have secured preschool education for children for whom it had not been available for various reasons (lack of funding for travel fare and school snacks; parents’ inability to accompany the child due to care for other children; parents’ ignorance of the benefits of preschool education for their children’s future; lack of kindergartens). We have also provided regular low-threshold social counselling – for many of our clients, making an appointment, the waiting time itself, or the termination of cooperation if they fail to attend the appointment are all substantial barriers leading to further deterioration of their situation. We have informed the public about life in these conditions of social exclusion and of the methods we use when working with the people who live there. We have carried out innovative and unique social field work in Brno with children in hostels. We consider these services urgently needed and want to expand them further.
Summary of bilateral results