Description
Project activities will be targeted at two groups of recipients from Warsaw agglomeration: 100 people subject to violence as direct beneficiaries, and 40 members of Working Groups (WG) – indirect beneficiaries. Activities focused on direct beneficiaries should help them and their families to avoid violence. Individual support will include psychological and legal advice and services of an assistant – social advocate, as well as therapeutic support. Group support will be based on support groups and workshops. We also plan to arrange family consultations for parents and guardians of children and adolescents with violence related problems. As for the WGs – indirect beneficiaries dealing with specific cases of family abuse – a publication dedicated to systemic support will be prepared (500 copies), and two seminars will be organized, for 40 people in total, focused on disseminating knowledge about effective cooperation within WG and new models of systemic support.
Summary of project results
"Violence in families is an increasing social problem. Persons and their families affected by it are doomed to psychical and social degradation, and as a result of it to social exclusion and transmission of negative patterns of behaviour to next generations. Activities of public authorities, also in Warsaw, are not sufficient to solve the existing problems. According to the employees of the Social Assistance Centres, almost one third of families with violence problems remains without help and intervention. The activities undertaken by the police and social assistance employees are not supported by entities offering specialist (e.g. psychological and legal) help. Members of working groups created to work with particular families in order to stop violence also complain that they have no support. They indicate difficulties in diagnosing the situation of families and building realistic plans for assistance. The aim of the activities undertaken under the project was to counteract exclusion of persons experiencing violence in family through giving them assistance in the process of exiting life crises and to develop standards for activities conducted by representatives of the working groups helping persons experiencing violence. As a result of implementing the project, 80 persons that used the comprehensive support offered became close to permanently exiting the violence situation and are ready to proactively try to change their situation and defend their rights. Effective methods to cooperate with violence victims and their families were developed. The individual support given under the project consisted in: psychological assistance for 63 persons, legal assistance for 84 persons, support from social advocate in contacts with institutions given to 43 persons, and psychological therapy for 16 persons. Two support groups were organised (with 15 women in each group). 5 psycho-educational workshops were organised (64 participants). 2 expert seminars were organised for members of working groups (38 participants) to enhance their knowledge on effective forms of work with harmed persons, and a guide on effective cooperation (500 copies) was published. Direct support was used by 123 persons experiencing violence. Publicising the guide will let Grantee reach greater number of working group members (under the project 38) and will make their work more effective."
Summary of bilateral results