Description
The overall objective of the project “I know x I want x I do = I generate change” is the development of the NGO sector in Romania, by consolidating the FCC members and volunteers data base and increasing their participation in the activities of the foundation. The beneficiaries are 60 visually impaired students from two special education high schools, 20 teachers who teach in these high schools and 30 young persons without visual impairments. The project is structured in three parts: 1. Personal development training course for the 60 students and 20 teachers 2. Training of two groups of 30 young people each, from Bucharest and Cluj Napoca, high school students with and without visual impairment, in non-formal education methods –Sensory Labyrinth Theater (SLT). SLT will be divided in three activities, the first the visually impaired will work alone, the second they will work with the young people with no visual impairments and the third where they will offer their work group in a public performance, open to the public 3. Each of the groups of young members / volunteers formed will identify a problem in their community and will design a small intervention / project to solve it.
Summary of project results
The Travelling Book Foundation has been providing services for 20 years to people with visual impairments, facilitating immediate access to information, education and employment, through modern technologies. However, it is only now that a direct contact with the beneficiaries was established, due to the IT courses on how to operate a computer. The strategic objectives of the Foundation include, firstly, increasing involvement of people with visual impairments in the projects implemented by the Foundation and, secondly, increasing the number of young organization members directly involved in the planning, programming and delivery activities. The main objective of the project was to consolidate the Travelling Book Foundation members and volunteers data base and to increase their participation in the Foundation's activities. The project intended to form a group of young people with and without visual impairments that will later on engage in the activities of the organization, as members or volunteers. Volunteering was an underused resource by the Foundation until this very project. Due to this project, a functional program for young volunteers was established, which has allowed developing and improving the Foundation's activities in the community. A total number of 57 young people were directly involved in project activities, in creating and playing sensory maze theatre representations, as well as in the strategic planning process undertaken in 2015-2016. Out of them, 54 visual impaired youth have attended personal development courses. As the Foundation had little experience in working with young people, it has benefited from best practices and tools transfer, from the partner organizations Community Resource Centre Cluj Napoca and A-maze Me Association.
Summary of bilateral results