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Description
In this project we support 15 families in the Załęże district of the City of Katowice, who are experiencing difficulties as a consequence of their isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic, and need help and quick intervention. These families experience problems such as loneliness, anxiety, educational difficulties with their children, cases of aggression in the family or alcohol abuse. As part of the project, we employ assistants who work with those families. We run group workshops on coping with stress, strengthening self-esteem, reinforcing parenting skills and dealing with aggression. We provide individual psychological support in the area of personal crises and parenting difficulties, addressed to both parents and their children and youth. We work towards integrating families. We organise outings and picnics together to maintain the psycho-physical well-being of the participants and their families. In this way we want to strengthen family ties, including intergenerational ties, and help families return to the way they functioned before the pandemic. The project will result in the development, together with the families, of a handbook containing the most important information on problems arising during the period of isolation. We will provide advice on how to deal with them and where to find support. We will also organise an online conference to summarise the project and its results.
Summary of project results
The Angels with the Family project was implemented in the period from March 1, 2022 to October 30, 2022 by the Children and Youth Aid Association Guardian Angels House in partnership with the Municipal Social Welfare Center in Katowice, financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway from EEA funds under the Active Citizens Program - Regional Fund.
The aim of the project was to support families who are experiencing difficulties related to the period of isolation during the pandemic and require help and quick intervention. The support they could use included the work of a psychologist, family assistants and employees running a support group as well as group workshops. Additional activities they could take advantage of included integration activities, participation in picnics, and preparation and active participation in a conference summarizing the activities carried out in the project. Participation in the project resulted in the creation of an information guide that was to be a guide for people who needed support during the pandemic.
The implementation period of the project, which was aimed at supporting families during the pandemic, coincided with the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. This time had a very negative impact on the functioning of families, hence the implementation of the project was intended to strengthen the people participating in the project. People involved in the implementation of the project over a period of 8 months contributed to achieving the assumed indicators, and some of them were exceeded due to the need.
15 families actively participated in the project and benefited from 40 hours of psychologist''s work, 267 hours of support from family assistants, 42 hours of group workshops including a support group, 2 picnics and conferences.
The project implementation period significantly improved the mental condition of people participating in the project. It had a positive impact on family relationships, the ability to cope with difficult situations, and showed where to find help in crisis situations.
The result of the project was a conference (online webinar) entitled: "How has the pandemic affected the functioning of families? Conclusions and reflections from work."
In addition, an information guide was created as a tool to support families. It has been made available on the Association''s website and can be used by all people who live in the city of Katowice or will seek help and support in this city.