Description
Banská Bystrica town lacks community space in the city centre, where people may meet, discuss, and do some cultural and community activities. At the same time, it is known that excluded people (e.g. disabled, in poverty, Roma, etc.) are not able to gain a space and opportunity to let public know about their situation, raise awareness, prepare and manage common activities. Therefore the Záhrada NGO launched project with objective to make community place focused not only on cultural activities, but also on presenting and involving excluded people, giving them opportunities. The outcome of the project is "the Garden", place where people meet, collaborate, discuss, present themselves, get training and education. The outputs of the project is reconstructed building in the garden and various activities and events of excluded people. The primary target group of the project are excluded people, however wider target group is a public in Banská Bystrica.
Summary of project results
The project addressed two issues: 1. lack of space for independent cultural and social activities in the centre of the Banská Bystrica city and 2. lack of opportunities for excluded people ((e.g. disabled, in poverty, Roma, etc.) to let public know about their situation, raise awareness, prepare and manage common activities. The project joined a solutions of these issues in one solution successfully and in full scale and with significant impacts as far it demonstrated a new efficient model of raising awareness about excluded people and their problems. Outcomes of the projects are wide: reconstructed cultural centre in the town, raised awareness about excluded people, improved communication and mutual understanding of majority and minorities, created opportunities for self-employment of excluded people and a few new jobs created for them. Main outputs: 1 reconstructed building of cultural centre, 21 excluded persons trained for assertion in life, 1 workshop where excluded people may work when needed, 113 social and cultural events focused on social inclusion with above 2600 participants, 6 trained community leaders, etc. Main beneficiaries were excluded people - persons with disability, Roma, persons in poverty. They were not only participants in various trainings and workshops but they were active as actors as well as "presenters" of their life in specific events. Main benefit for them consists of increased self-confidence and employability and better relations with majority. Two partners were involved, achieving given goals - to involve mentally disabled people in the project and to train volunteers for further work of the centre.
Summary of bilateral results