Description
In the Prešov Region there is only one refuge for women and their children escaping domestic violence . This refuge has a 3-room capacity with a maximum of 11 persons, which is insufficient. The main objective of the project is to create the first standard Safe Women´s House in the Prešov Region that will provide housing, counselling and supporting services. The project is expected to create a new Safe Women´s House, which will serve as a provider of specific services to women and children experiencing domestic violence. The creation of Safe Women´s House with 10 family places and 1 crisis one, with overall capacity of 30 persons. Creation of new psychologist telephone line service. The target groups include victims of intimate partner violence, children and nongovernmental organisation. Donor partners will participate with their expertise in running the shelters, and help in developing manuals for work with children and post trauma clients, published in both countries.
Summary of project results
In time of the project proposal MyMamy NGO were only two crisis advisors and no other specific services such as advocacy, psychological counselling, special pedagogy services for children with special educational needs. By establishing the first Safe Womens House was the important step for having the significant base not only for help seeking of the clients but also for professional information needed in case of prevention, multi-disciplinary co-operation and education sources in area of gender equality and gender violence prevention and protection. The most important outputs of the project was establishing Safe Womens House by reconstruction of damaged building of the former kindergarten. The n° of family places increased from originally 3, in small flat in block of flats area, to 11, in completally re-built object together with close surronding with parking, garden and in-front park area. There is increasing not only in number of personnel but also quality of services was increased thanks to co-operation with Norwegian partners and common work-out on operation rules of SWH MyMamy and methodological brochures on post-trauma treatment of abused women and another one of mother-child/children relationship reconstruction. MyMamy was able to improve n° of family places in the object of former kindergarten - baseline -0 places, planned outcome was achieved 11. As about the n° of cases of women experiencing gender violence in counselling process during the period of 1 year, planned figure was 55, the real n° of cases was 61. Concerning improving of personnel capacity of MyMamy - n° of counsellors working with children, the baseline was 1 person, planned outcome 2 and in reality we achieved 3. Taking in account the n° of social workers working in area of basic and also specialized social advisory there were baseline of 2 social workers, planned 5 and we achieved 8. In case of n° of psychologists/therapeuts there was 0 in baseline and we achieved planned 2. In case of general objective Increasing of professional capacity of MyMamy, there were achieved next figures: the n°of special publication concerning post-trauma treatment and working with children we achieved the planned 2. Inspired by our norwegian partners in Kirkenes and Kongsvinger, we prepare 1 operation rules of Operation Rules of Safe Womens House. We consider the outcome of 24-hours operating help line as achieved one, as our help line operates during working days and rest of time there is conectivity with national help line.
Summary of bilateral results
The most important output from bilateral co-operation was inspiration for operation rules and some of technical improvement in Safe Womens House. From both norwegian partners - NoraSenteret in Kirkenes as well as from Crisis Center in Kongsvinger, Glamdal the output and co-operation have not only professional but also very human dimension. It offers open dialogue on generaly human topics as equal relationship between man and woman, opportunities and limits of motherhood influenced by violent behavior of another family member, co-operation between various subjects who are responsible for family issues. The multi-disciplinary co-operation executed by norwegian way was a great inspiration for establishing in-formal co-operation in the middle of formal lines designed by Slovak legislation. Norwegian openminded approach and open dialogue of all involved sides is one of the greatest inspiration we have got from the project partnership.To visit and experience two of norwegian special institutions for women experience violence and their children was great inspiration and approving that our organization is marching to right direction. To meet profesionals with open heart, willing to share their knowledge and open to mutual dialogue is always great strenghtening for your own work and decission making process. The issue of gender violence is not an easy one and to have possibility to compare your ideas with professionals from different cultural background could provide you with a bit different point of view which might be helpful and empowering in your own work.