Description
The incidence of children left behind by parents working abroad is increasing in rural areas in Dambovita County. These children are extremely vulnerable to social exclusion (due to underdeveloped social skills, limited/lack of access to support services in rural areas, school drop-out, lack of positive models, lack of parental support, etc.). The project aims at creating a non-formal education network of 7 local NGOs and 70 public libraries able to provide educational services and career counselling to 1,400 children left behind and 400 parents/legal guardians. By the end of the project it is expected that targeted children will have developed life skills and improved capacity for further integration on the labour market. Trained staff of local NGOs and public libraries will have increased capacity to organize non-formal education activities targeting vulnerable children at community level. They will become important resources for the communities where they activate, ensuring the sustainability and continuity of the project.
Summary of project results
The incidence of children left behind by parents working abroad is increasing in rural areas in Dambovita County. These children are extremely vulnerable to social exclusion, due to underdeveloped social skills, limited or even lack of access to support services in rural areas, early school drop-out, lack of positive models and parental support, etc. At the beginning of the project, out of 82 communes in Dambovita, only 8 were benefiting from psycho-pedagogical assistance services provided by local authorities. Due to the project, partnership agreements were signed with 72 local councils and a network of 13 NGOs and 77 local libraries that functioned as non-formal education centres in rural areas was established (2 libraries were set during the project implementation as a follow-up of the activities implemented). Trainings were organized for 91 librarians and NGOs representatives (volunteers) on Training techniques, Non-formal education methods and Communication and team work. They acquired new skills and exchanged experiences by participating in 17 exchange visits. They became important resources for the communities where they activate. The handbooks Human Rights Education and Developing Independent Life Skills were developed for the activities with children. Based on a needs assessment and the handbooks developed, trained professionals provided life skills sessions to more than 1,890 children at risk aged 10-15 (with parents working abroad, coming from single parent families, living in isolated communities etc.). These sessions contributed to the development of attitudes and behaviours that respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, promoting active citizenship, democracy, social justice and cultural diversity. A number of 20 children became forum theatre actors and participated in national tours for promoting the project and mitigating for their rights. 430 children were evaluated based on the testing platform Cognitrom Assessment System and benefited from individual counselling sessions, as well as educational and vocational guidance. All activities and results were posted on a Facebook group that brought together over 760 members (NGO representatives, librarians, journalists etc.), ensuring promotion of the activities and providing relevant, on time and detailed information to those interested to replicate the interventions.
Summary of bilateral results