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Description
The aim of the project is to form a citizen of Narva who is aware of his rights and obligations and actively contributes to the well-being of society and speaks Russian as his mother tongue. The project focuses on supporting the most vulnerable target groups in society - families with children (including young families with children) and grandparents in standing up for their rights in solving social problems. In addition to rights, the obligations that a person should contribute to the improvement of his or her living environment are also thoroughly reviewed and people motivated to do so. To this end, working groups are convened to get acquainted with the basics of the functioning of the state and local government, about the opportunities of the citizens to make an active contribution to the improvement of society. In the course of the project, such experience will be introduced in other regions of Estonia.
As a result of the project, proposals for solving social problems will be handed over to the local government, the city of Narva. The number of people who are actively ready to participate in the life of the community is growing.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project is to create an aware and active Narva citizen, whose native language is Russian, who is conscious of their rights and responsibilities and actively contributes to the well-being of society.
In recent years, there has been growing dissatisfaction in Narva city with the local government’s actions and inaction in addressing social issues toppled with the turmoil caused by COVID-19 pandemic in the past year. The number of services available to residents has decreased, and schools are struggling with a lack of support staff. Increasingly, people have turned to the CSO Lapsele Oma Kodu for assistance in solving their social problems. However, the organization has limited financial resources, which prevents it from helping everyone in need.
In communication with individuals seeking help from the organization, it is clear that they are unaware of their rights, do not understand the mechanisms of local government, and are unsure how to communicate their concerns to the authorities. The biggest concern is that people do not realize they have the power to contribute to improving their living environment.
There is a shortage of quality and diverse social services. Part of this is certainly due to ignorance, which is exacerbated by the language barrier. Information about good practices in other regions of Estonia does not reach here because the language barrier prevents the establishment of connections.
The greatest problems are seen in families, especially vulnerable ones—young families with small children, families with children with special needs, and the elderly.
There are likely active and responsible individuals in this region who, with some support, could increase their contribution to improving our shared living environment.
The goal of the project was to create a core of active representatives within the target groups of society, who are aware of their rights and duties in the context of specific concerns. These representatives would also share their knowledge with others in similar situations and provide recommendations on how to develop the services they need.
Project activities were focusing on activating Narva residents, particularly those whose first language is Russian, by raising awareness of social norms and practices (rights and duties). The working groups were composed of more sensitive target groups (grandparents, young mothers with small children, and families with children with special needs), for whom it was important to explain their role in society through rights and responsibilities. Monthly meetings with relevant specialists were held, and trips to other regions of Estonia were organized to familiarize participants with existing practices.
The project enhanced the awareness of the elderly, young mothers, and families with children with special needs regarding various aspects such as social services, digital opportunities, psychological stability, resilience, self-esteem (including the psychological characteristics of children and children with special needs), safety, leisure activities, fundamental rights, the functioning of state and local government institutions, and the importance of civic engagement and initiative (for instance, through elections and mass media channels).
Key circumstances that influenced the project included the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine that erupted in 2022. These factors heightened the caution of the target groups. However, it is worth emphasizing that during such critical times, the project had a significantly greater impact on members of society, particularly in Narva. People realized they were not alone and understood that they were cared for through meetings and efforts to raise awareness about societal processes.
Overall, the project’s results are positive and highly valuable for Narva. When individuals feel needed, secure through the proper functioning of rights and responsibilities, and cared for through support offered by local institutions, they are more inclined to want to live in such a society and to contribute positively themselves.