"RACOS - Responsibility, Access, Cooperation, Opportunities and Support"
The Brașov Agency for Sustainable Development implemented between 15.09.2021 - 30.04.2024, as a partnership leader, the project "RACOS - Responsibility, Access, Cooperation, Opportunities and Support" (project code PN4066) together with the Home Care Association (Asociația Îngrijire ACASĂ), the SCUT Social Services Association (Asociația de Servicii Sociale SCUT) and the General Direction of Social Assistance and Child Protection Brașov (Direcția Generală de Asistență Socială și Protecția Copilului Brașov - DGASPC Brașov).
The project benefited from a grant in the amount of 5,499,072,12 lei (1,112,948.69 euros) offered by Norway through the Norwegian Grants within the Local Development Program for the implementation of integrated local community development measures, in order to increase the quality of life and increase access to complex social, medical, educational, employment and housing services developed by the project for 550 people from vulnerable families and children left "home alone" from Racoș commune, in parallel with the empowerment, awareness and awareness of the importance of supporting vulnerable groups in community, representatives of local institutions and people belonging to the majority population of Racoș commune.
The objectives are:
1. Facilitating the development of a multidisciplinary team for Community interventions able to develop a complex system of services and integrated activities, such as non-formal education, socio-medical services, employment mediation and/or housing improvement services, addressing the target group of 550 persons - 280 children, 90 young people and 180 adults, parents/tutors or/and inactive people/unemployed that belong to disadvantaged families/groups from Racoșul de Jos and Mateias communities, by involving them into at least two types of the servicies.
2. To raise the awareness regarding the non-discrimination and equality issues among the majority population from Racos, as well as for 470 pupils, 30 teachers and staff from the schools from Racoș and 180 employees from Racos companies, by addressing them in information sessions, competitions and trips.
3. Raising the level of expertise and accountability for 15 employees from public institutions with attributions in the social inclusion of disadvantaged people/groups, to coherently and effectively engage in complex social interventions, by involving them in multidisciplinary training sessions, providing them with targeted and coherent information on the most effective ways of social intervention in Racos.
The quantitative and qualitative results obtained at the end of the project:
1 multifunctional health, hygiene and education center was established in the village of Racoșul de Jos, composed of:
- 1 room for medical activities - equipped with high-performance medical equipment (e.g. mobile ultrasound, mobile electrocardiograph, body analyzer, etc.)
- 1 room for educational activities - equipped with furniture and equipment specific to the development of educational activities with children, young people and adults
- 1 laundry room with 4 washing machines and 3 professional dryers available to the community
- 3 shower cabins equipped with specific furniture available to the community
2 spaces were arranged and equipped within the premises of the Cultural Home in Mateiaș for the provision of socio-medical services to members of the vulnerable community in the village
more than 250 social surveys of households from the vulnerable community in Racoș commune were carried out
723 members of the project's target group (children, young people and adults) were involved in the following activities:
- remedial education for children who attend the school in Racoș for which the need was found (workshops for primary school students and Romanian language and mathematics workshops for secondary school students)
- non-formal education for children, young people and adults (workshops for the development of motor skills and fine motor skills and the development of vocabulary through reading, poems, stories for children aged 3-6 years, personal development and self-knowledge workshops and the development of emotional intelligence for children over 7 years and young people aged 5-24, workshops to develop parenting skills, personal development and self-knowledge and "Parents' Seat" - crochet, painting, sewing workshops, etc., for young people and adults of the community
- assessment and individual or group psychological counseling for children, young people and adults
- employment mediation (psychoaptitude evaluations with specialized tests, vocational counseling and trainings to facilitate integration into the labor market for 88 young people and 243 adults
- socio-medical services (consultations, health monitoring and screening, medical tests, health mediation and social counseling in order to overcome vulnerable situations)
- anti-discrimination sessions given, but also to members of the secondary target group
Artistic contests were organized with awareness-raising and anti-discrimination messages and 5 trips to Bucharest (Antipa Museum and Palace of Parliament, Sinaia (Peleș Castle), Sibiu (Porumbacu de jos – Calendar Story), Bran (Vila Bran) and Odorheiul Secuiesc (Mini Transilvania Park) for 171 children from the vulnerable community in Racoș commune who attended school and were involved in the project's activities
4 community projects were implemented in which students of the Samuul Bethlen Secondary School in Racoș commune, coordinated by teachers, voluntarily got involved in the creation of spaces intended for non-formal education, literature and culture, recreation, sports and environmental protection
235 families from the community, whose members actively participated in the project's activities, were rewarded with goods, equipment and products to improve living conditions, as follows:
- 144 stoves, cookers and refrigerators
- 155 packages with household products to improve living conditions (quilts, bed linen, towels, tableware sets, etc.)
- 235 products packages for cleaning and sanitizing the household (washable paint, detergent, etc.)
- 500 hygiene packages (soap, shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc.)
Additional information can be obtained from the Agency for Sustainable Development of Brasov County, Institute str., No 35, Braşov, tel. +4 0268/47.05.05; +4 0268/47.05.06. fax. +4 0268/47.05.04, e-mail: contact@addjb.ro (Igor Cojocaru – responsible for communication)or from the web page: www.addjb.ro
This material is produced with the financial support of the Norwegian Grants 2014-2021.It’s content (text, photos, video) does not reflect the official opinion of the Program Operator, the National Contact Point or the Financial Mechanism Office. The information and opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of the author.
For official information on EEA or Norwegian grants, go to www.eeagrants.ro;
www.frds.ro
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