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Description
In the area affected by the earthquake in December, 2020, most civic initiatives and civil society organizations including the Local Volunteer Center Association IKS from Petrinja, which are vital for supporting vulnerable groups, strengthening democratic culture and civic engagement, were left without room for action. Valuable projects to empower the local community through volunteer activities are now threatened. Although there is a great interest of volunteers outside the Banovina area to contribute in revitalization, there is a big problem of accommodation and nutrition of volunteers who would be engaged in specific jobs (psychosocial support, learning assistance). In this situation, it is necessary to organize support. Despite the help of volunteers from all over Croatia, this form of support is the least represented because it requires good organization and ensuring minimum conditions for its implementation. Objective: to organize professional volunteer support for primary school children and their parents through learning assistance and psychosocial support. Activities: 1. Mapping support needs; 2. Engaging volunteers and making a work plan; 3. Direct work of volunteers with children and parents. The beneficiaries of the project are 20 children of primary school age and parents. Due to the pandemic and the earthquake, children were unable to attend classes, and many were left without basic means of learning. Online teaching makes it even more difficult to follow classes and significantly affects the continuity of education. Parents burdened with daily problems around existence, do not have enough time for greater support for their children. These activities will reduce the feeling of helplessness, will help children and parents in the process of establishing family dynamics and will reduce the feeling of failure. Added value of the local partner is securing volunteers with specific knowledge and providing a basic resources for work with children.
Summary of project results
On December 29, 2020, the Sisak-Moslavina County was hit by an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, which left a large part of the population without space to live and work. At the beginning of the project, we conducted a mapping the needs of the County residents, which provided us with a base for further work and field services.
During the needs mapping period, it became obvious that residents needed psychosocial support, and through this project we included vulnerable groups such as families in rural areas, the elderly, people with disabilities. Professional psychosocial support was provided by volunteers from the partner organization, and the users expressed how much this approach really means to them and the fact that they do not have to travel to a nearby city for all necessary services.
Students lost more than a month of regular classes after the quake, and then had to adjust to new schools, some even participating in online classes from housing containers. The key to overcoming these difficulties was the learning assistance activities provided by the volunteers of the ICS Association and helping students to master the material before the end of the school year. The aim of the project was to organize professional volunteer support for primary school children, families and other members of vulnerable groups through learning assistance and psychosocial support in Sisak-Moslavina County, which we achieved through project activities. The effects of the project are:
1. Mapping of support needs-50 children for learning assistance activity and 29 persons belonging to vulnerable groups of psychosocial assistance activity were identified
2. Engaging volunteers and drafting a work pla-a volunteer work plan was developed and competent volunteers were hired
3. Direct work of volunteers with vulnerable groups-volunteers worked directly with 50 children on learning assistance activities. Although this is a significantly higher number than originally planned, we did not want to limit the number of users in this activity because we recognized a great need. Volunteers provided psychosocial support to 20 beneficiaries, and tried to reduce feelings of helplessness, help in the process of establishing family dynamics, processing emotions and reducing fear and anxiety in beneficiaries.