On the 14th of December at Casa Avramide took place the final event of the Two times Us project produced by the Helping Hands Charity in partnership with the General Headquarters of Social Protection and Assistance Tulcea, project during April 2015 – December 2016.
When one is involved directly, day by day, in every particular aspect of a project for 20 months it is possible to get caught up, to deepen so much in the desire to bring up light, that finally you can’t see the light yourself are spreading. Every day you put on the working clothes and with a chisel in one hand and the brush in the other you chop, polish, level, in the hope of a worthwhile successful result. And you work without cease because you have a goal, you know where your heading to and what you want to achieve: that is to improve the quality of the social services by stimulating the co-operation by an innovative social inclusion program in the South East and North East Region.
You find yourself every moment surrounded by people ready to sacrifice so that one day the world will be different. Where there are two of us, the power increases: Two times Us. Where there is a complete team, miracles can happen. And the results were amazing!
Training of the 60 social services providers in applying the puppets theatre was like a stone thrown in the lake. It produced some waves. It has brought change at scales that we did not even imagine. Some of those waves are also spreading in the virtual space (internet), through the networks created as well as through the personal networks. Scrolling through the results presented as pictures and videos for the ones that showed up at the final event, has fired up their enthusiasm, a inspired a new hope that as long as there is a will and co-operation, great things can be achieved.
The results of the project have been presented to all those invited:
- A Study of Impact regarding the socializing activities provided by the Helping Hands Charity and the way in which these services have been perceived by the beneficiaries and community in general
- 74 representatives of the local and county authorities, 58 representatives of the entities from the private sector and the civil society have a acquired new and specific knowledge regarding the equality of chances, discrimination, intercultural understanding and respect for diversity through:
- 4 events during the Campaign of informing and raising awareness in the south east and north east Regions of Romania
- Piatra Neamț – November 2015
- Tulcea – January 2016
- Brăila – February 2016
- Buzău – April 2016
- 4 Regional events
- Iași – November 2015
- Bacău – February 2016
- Galați – February 2016
- Constanța – June 2016
- An electronic version of the non formal method for social puppets theatre – Two times Us–guide
- 150 working instruments provided: puppets
- a Network of support towards promoting The programs of social inclusion biking nobody methods of socializing and spending the spare time and towards granting support to children at risk from the Danube Delta – July 20151
- Developing of a Network of cooperation, exchange of experience and good practices with the aim of fighting the discrimination practices, social and economic exclusion of the disadvantaged groups, actions that are to be mutually implemented by representatives of the public sector together with actors from the civil society and the private sector applying knowledge and specific abilities in implementing the method of the puppet theatre in the south east and north east region of Romania – august 2016
- Implementing a Model of social inclusion in an NGO from Danube Delta, social services of Day Centre Type, for 10 children at risk from Dunavățu de Jos, Tulcea County, at the ”Raza Soarelui – SunLight” Day Centre in the Murighiol Communa
- Accreditation of the Raza Soarelui-SunLight Charity as a social services provider
- 1 thematic trip at Constanta
- 2 intercultural camps in summer for
- 22 beneficiary children from Dunăvățu de Jos and Tulcea in July 2016
- 20 beneficiary children from Isaccea in august 2016 at Casa Valentin Cataloi, Com. Frecăței, County of Tulcea.
- Developing knowledge and specific abilities in the method of the puppets social theatre during training participative workshops for the specialist in the social services by taking part to the training Training course
- Constanța – June 2016 – 28 specialists attended
- Iași – September 2016 – 32 specialists of DGASPC Iași (General Headquarters of Social Protection and Assistance) and Penitentiary in Iași of which 5 roma ethnics trained at a standard of non formal education that is comparable with European standards.
- 1 Workshop ”Developing knowledge and non formal specific abilities for the specialists of the social services” credited by the National Collegium of the Social Assistants – at Tulcea – November 2016
- 48 de non-formal workshops using the social theatre puppets for children at risk from the Danube Delta in order to improve their social abilities
- 70 children at risk (out of which 25 roma ethnics) from the tulcea community through the Programme Me and the surrounding ones – an educational program designed to guide children at risk step by step in an easy but efficient manner.
- 70 parents of children at risk, including 25 roma, have received support specific services.
- 2 methods developed and applied that contain anti discriminatory measures, values and inclusive practices.
- 2 multicultural representations (shows) – valuing and producing on stage the newly acquired abilities through the project.
- Medgidia – 03.12.16 In pursuit of joy
- Tulcea – 14.12.16 Caroling together
We were so happy to hear about the impact acknowledged by our Partner in Project, the Social Assistance and Protection Headquarters, represented at this final event by Mrs. Director Zibileanu Stefania, that is still impressed of the real significance of the title and activities of the “Two times Us” Project”. The colleagues from the social assistance, from the private sector, have felt a revival, an encouragement, a motivation, a co-operation that has led to new, better, things in the area of the services provided to the beneficiaries. They have wished us to continue to be an inspiration and an engine with a catalyst role in the county of Tulcea but also in the entire Region of North East and South East.
Also another special moment was created when mr. Dinu Nicu, the chairman of the Raza Soarelui – SunLight Dunavăț Charity, has referred to the major changes that were produced in what concerns the rhythm of work, the quality of service and the new instruments made available for the Charity he runs and the impact in the lives of the children beneficiaries from Dunavatu de Jos and Murighiol. The Raza Soarelui – Sun Light Charity is one additional social services providers that aligns to the standards of quality, along with other public and private social services proveders.
Mrs. Alis Szuchanszki, the School Principal of “Danubius“ Professional School saluted the determination, consistence and seriosity of the way the Helping Hands Charity has helped the group of roma ethnic children to integrate and to learn a new set of life skills that will provide a better future for them.
The whole meeting, with a friendly and warm overall feel, close to the Seasonal Celebrations, has concluded with an exceptional multicultural representation of the roma children from the “Danubius“ Professional School, that have performed the Christmas “Caroling together”, that has ended in the applauds and tears of all, leaving behind the aftertaste aroma of the carols that adds up to the general trend of these Celebration days.
Without the help offered by the COHERENT of the RO10 Program, funded by the Financial Mechanism of EEA Grants 2009-2014 and due to the possibility of extending it from the initial variant to the PLUS form of the Two times Us Program – we could have not taken this project so far, both in the dynamics of it and on social-geographic level. We caught up wings and we are ready now to allow our creativity, energy, experience, new partners along time, to inspire us to new journeys and accomplishments.