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Description
The aim of the project is to achieve basic values such as sustainability and quality in civic activities. The project promoter, acting in the animal protection sector, sees the sustainability and quality of civil society with means of meaningful volunteering, and with active participation in public administration.
The project promoter believes that animal protection starts with a systematic environment - regulatory, urban and an emotional environment for each individual. As part of the project, it is intended to develop high quality and meaningful voluntary activities, as well as to gather its long-term experience in the guidelines that will be useful for other NGOs, particularly those working in the animal protection sector. Our future – our children, as a special target group, will also be involved in project activities. In "humanity lessons", children will develop emotional intelligence, which will provide a good foundation for their future civic activities. The second target group is people at risk of social exclusion - it is easier for them to open up to civic activities when they aim to help someone weaker, i.e., animals.
The long term objective of the project promoter is a country where animal shelters not needed anymore, where there is a high level of public responsibility, where not only NGOs but also individuals are involved in animal protection initiatives.
The target audience involved in project activities will be informed of the variety of ways and opportunities how everyone can personally influence political and legal processes at national and local level within their own capabilities. Therefore, the sense of being an active citizen is not forced, but it is becoming self-evident and easy to develop.
Summary of project results
Latvia has a large number of registered animal shelters. Animal shelters are turning into dumping grounds for animals and a mirror of public irresponsibility, even though the basic purpose of an animal shelter is to provide temporary shelter for an animal that has wandered off or has been left without an owner for some reason. While there is a huge number of stray and orphaned domestic animals in Latvia, animal breeders are uncontrollably creating an overproduction of animals, animal shelters are overflowing with irresponsibly abandoned, unwanted animals. Animal protection and welfare is an area where national and local authorities currently lack the capacity to ensure high standards. This is a brief summary of the negative consequences for the animal protection sector. The Project Promoter`s strategic vision is to tackle the root causes by increasing public responsibility; strengthening the culture of animal ownership; the quality of legal rules, their application in practice and the inevitability of legal liability. Volunteering plays a key role in this area. In Latvia, the quality of volunteering and the level of involvement is currently insufficient - volunteers lack awareness of opportunities, responsibilities and motivation to volunteer regularly. Animal shelters and animal protection organizations are places where volunteering skills can be developed to the highest level, as the motivation to help someone who is weaker than you is natural.
*Organizing and coordinating volunteering and training for the Project Promoter`s permanent volunteer assistants;
*Engaging NGOs for the protection of the interests of persons at risk of social exclusion promoting volunteering and teaching social responsibility;
*Public events - Open Days at the animal shelter promoting animal protection issues and volunteering;
*Organizing “Humanity Hours” educating young people on animal protection issues and volunteering;
*Promotion of cooperation between NGOs for animal protection;
*Participation in public administration regarding animal protection;
*Preparing guidelines for volunteering in animal protection;
*Seminar series "Good owner - humane and empathetic person".
The involvement of volunteers has been taken to a new level – the Project Promoter has developed a permanent volunteer team. The number of permanent volunteer helpers has increased, and the involvement of different groups of people in NGOs for animal protection has been promoted. Thanks to the activities implemented in the project, volunteers are motivated, educated and ready to continue their activities organized by the Project Promoter.
The guidelines for the organization, recording and motivation of volunteer work in the field of animal protection serve as educational material for both the animal protection NGOs, regular volunteers and those, who only think of becoming or have recently become volunteers.
Through participation in public administration, changes in animal protection legislation are achieved.
Different groups of the population are educated about animal welfare.