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Description
The aim of the project is to increase the awareness of the inhabitants of the Łubniany Municipality about the phenomenon of domestic violence and empathy for those experiencing it. We address the project to the residents of the municipality (especially families with experience of foreign labour migration) and services responsible for counteracting violence. As part of the project, we run a student theatre for elementary school students in grades 6-8 and 10 volunteers – adult residents of the municipality. We provide training for teaching staff on child abuse intervention and effective communication with children and parents. We introduce parents of children in grades 4-8 to the topic of dialogue instead of punishment and prepare them to deal with crisis situations. We implement cooking workshops for families entitled. ‘Saturday at the pots’, where we introduce them to the idea of zero waste and ideas for preparing desserts for children using organic ingredients. A psychologist participates in the workshops as an observer of the families providing support when needed. We offer psychological support to people experiencing violence and their families in the form of telephone consultations with specialists. We provide training for 24 members of the interdisciplinary team on the Blue Card procedure and working with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. We will present the results of the project and good practices in the field of counteracting domestic violence during a conference summarising the project. The project is implemented in cooperation with the Łubniany Municipality, elementary schools and the Łubniany Cultural Centre. In particular, the partners support us in the recruitment and promotion of the project and provide rooms for the training sessions.
Summary of project results
The main goal was to increase residents'' awareness of the phenomenon of violence and empathy for people experiencing it. Thanks to the use of innovative methods of working with participants (including theater, culinary workshops), the intended goals were achieved. We managed to open up the project participants to share their experiences, problems and obtain the support they need.
The COVID pandemic, but also diagnoses carried out in the commune, indicated that the problem of psychological violence in families has increased, disrupting their functions. It is worth emphasizing that in the Łubniany commune a characteristic feature is foreign economic migration, which concerns nearly 1/3 of families with children. In the era of remote learning, this meant an increased scope of responsibilities for de facto single mothers. Relationships in these families became more tense and there were more arguments. We have noticed the breakdown of family bonds and the intensification of violent behavior in families. The children were more stressed, but also aggressive. They felt misunderstood at home and escaped into the Internet world, which contributed to phonoholism and networkaholism. Teachers complained that despite reporting observed problems with children to parents, they were downplayed and treated with hostility. They needed to know how to talk effectively with parents when they do not notice problems in their children or when they themselves pose a problem in the family relationship. The project also strengthened our organization! The aim of the institutional support was to help implement the organization''s statutory activities by improving the competences of its members in mediation and counteracting domestic violence. This increased the professionalism and quality of the support provided, among others. families affected by violence or having communication difficulties or conflicts. The effects of the training and purchases (telephone and computer) were therefore useful not only to the members of the association, but above all to the recipients of our activities.
The following activities were carried out as part of the project: a youth theater group was created, which prepared a play entitled The secret is addressed to both peers and adults, a film was created from this activity, a play was performed three times and three preventive lectures were held for children and teenagers, parents and adults. The parents of the young actors, in particular, were invited to the premiere of the play. Throughout the entire project implementation period, a social campaign was conducted by a psychologist who, during telephone shifts (104 hours), provided support to people who needed help in dealing with domestic violence or other family problems. 142 posters were made to promote and advertise (in all villages of the Łubniany commune) individual events and activities, as well as to promote the project itself. Three culinary workshops were held "SATURDAY AT THE GARACH" during which parents and children could integrate and jointly carry out the task of preparing dishes of Silesian cuisine in a modern version, under the watchful eye of an instructor. A psychologist also participated in this project and, if necessary, talked to the participants. After each meeting, the psychologist was also on duty and those who needed it could benefit from the consultation. 16 training sessions for teachers and parents were held in all schools in the Łubniany commune, conducted by a psychologist and a pedagogue. Two training sessions were also conducted for members of the Interdisciplinary Team on the Blue Card procedure and helping an abused child. These trainings were conducted by a specialist in helping victims and a psychologist. At the end of the project, a conference was organized to summarize the activities carried out in the commune and a performance performed by young people was presented.
Results of the activity: 30 child actors, students of schools in the Łubniany commune, gained knowledge about alternative forms of spending free time, including: by developing your passions and interests; in this case it was learning and improving acting skills (addiction prevention); 264 people (spectators, who were the actors'' parents, teachers from the commune''s schools and authorities from the commune and the Opole Voivodeship) invited to the performance SECRET), learned about the prevention of risky behavior and learned about young people''s views on the problems they face. 200 parents were trained in communication with children and developing a young person''s internal motivation and ways of dealing with problem situations; 94 teachers were trained in effective communication with parents/children and analysis and intervention with abused children; 64 people took part in culinary workshops aimed at integrating family and residents and showed how to establish relationships through time spent together, 284 people from the interdisciplinary team were trained in the blue card procedure amending the Act on counteracting domestic violence, working with victims and perpetrator of violence and helping an abused child. 72 people received psychological support within 104 hours. help; 47 conference participants learned good practices and will be able to use this knowledge in their further professional work.