ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT

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AGAPEDIA FOUNDATION ROMANIA

Assistance and Support for Children and Families in Need

ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

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Contents

I. AGAPEDIA - Love for Children 3

II. President’s Message 4

III. Activities in 2016 5

IV. 2016 facts and data 6

V. Partners in 2016 18

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I. AGAPEDIA - Love for Children

AGAPEDIA Foundation Romania was established in August 1995, aiming to improve the quality life of children and families in difficulty, to contribute to the development of the child protection system and to create efficient social and medical services.

AGAPEDIA Foundation Romania is a member of the international network AGAPEDIA, alongside Jürgen Klinsmann AGAPEDIA Foundation Germany, AGAPEDIA Foundation Moldova, and AGAPEDIA Foundation Bulgaria.

At a national and local level, AGAPEDIA Foundation Romania is a member of Community Aid Network in Brasov, Federation of Non-Governmental Organizations for Children and Federation of Social NGOs in Transylvania.

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II. President’s message

Stefan Barth

President of Agapedia Foundation Romania General Manager of Agapedia Jurgen Klinsmann Foundation Germany

Dear partners and friends,

Thanks those who, over time, were next to Agapedia Foundation Romania!

In 21 years of activity, we believed in dialogue, in bottom-up and top-down planning, with the involvement of all actors

from the community. Our direction for action was one oriented for realizing a safe future for all those we represented

and that our voice has an impact in what concerns the development of child protection system and creation of efficient

social and medical services.

We consider that out projects and actions we developed were of real use, not only for our beneficiaries but also for our

private partners and public institutions we collaborated with.

In 2016, together with our dedicated team, we continued to approach social problems differently, so that we have

results with a long term impact.

We made the necessary steps and we got the provisory functioning accreditation for the Counselling and support

Centre for children and parents running in the Foundation and we promoted this social service in the community. We

also initiated partnerships at local and county level; we developed new partnerships for non-formal education with

public authorities in other counties but we also oriented to provide social services to the NGOs in Brasov County.

Our activity was completed by collaborations and projects developed at international level. These became new

opportunities to create new networks of friends and collaborators and to generate new ideas on equal chances, youth

labour market integration and development of learning and entrepreneurial competences.

In the year that just finished, we had a lot of challenges and lessons learned and now is the time to reflect on what is

next, what we need to do from now on with the experience gained and if it is time to approach new fields of activity!

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III. Activities in 2016

National Adoption Service

Material and financial support for vulnerable children and families

Counselling and Support Centre for Parents and Children

Family Planning and Contraception

Counselling and labour market mediation

Formal and Non-Formal Education and Creative Workshops

National and international projects

Sacele Day Centre for Children at Risk

Federation of Social NGOs in Transylvania

Agapedia SocialBiz

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IV. 2016 – facts and data

134 children involved in activities

653 medical consultations and advices

11 persons counselled and mediated for labour market integration

22 participants and certified at training programs

1. National adoption service

Activities for adopted children and their parents or for families who wish to adopt:

16 children with their parents participated at parents – children meeting organized by Agapedia

for Christmas, children being engaged in recreative and ludic activities by a professional animator.

3 series of training for preparing future adopters in consciously assuming the role of parents, with

the participation of 24 persons from DGASPC Brasov (evaluated for becoming adoptive parents or

who already are adoptive parents). Trainings were organized based on the partnership agreement

between Agapedia Romania and DGASPC Brasov.

2 youngsters in our evidence, participated at an international youth meeting (May 2016),

organized by Agapedia Foundation Germany in Chisinau (Odiseu Touristic Complex), Republic of

Moldova.

One training dedicated to adopters (in post – adoption period), with the participation of 5 persons.

3 adolescents counselled post – adoption, for a period between 3 and 12 months depending on

needs.

A partnership with West University in Timisoara (UVT), Social Assistance department (DAS), was

concluded with the purpose of organizing the conference „Romanian youngsters adopted on the

entire globe (TRAIM)”. The conference was held on the 2nd of June in Timisoara and was addressed

to all those interested or involved in adoptions: adopted youngsters and children, adoptive parents

or parents approved for adoption, professionals, researchers and academics, also students

interested in the field of child adoption.

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2. Material and financial support for vulnerable children and families

Social help offered during 2016: food, school supplies, clothing, foot wear, powder milk for infants, dippers, oral hygiene products, social counselling for solving some family problems, 24 children received Christmas presents.

In 2016, 2 families were supported with the purpose of preventing separation of children from

families: one single parent family (underage mother) and a family with 6 children. The support offered for

the two families was in offering of powder milk and dippers for a 3 month period. The money needed for

this came from sponsorships.

In December 2016, at Agapedia Romania Foundation, on the occasion of winter holiday, we organized

a meeting with children from vulnerable families and their parents. At the event 24 children participated.

The purpose of the meeting was to offer children a moment of joy, support and participation in a group. At

the event, parents had the chance to discuss about the evolution of children, their successes in school and

in families. Children received presents from us. At the event there were also present volunteers from Red

Cross, Brasov branch. They facilitated the offering to the vulnerable families of some packages with food,

sweets and cleaning products from Auchan.

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3. Counselling and Support Centre for Parents and Children

Starting with November 2016, at Agapedia Foundation Romania is functioning a new social service–

„Counselling and Support Centre for Parents and Children", with the purpose of providing support

and assistance for parents and future parents to help them handle difficulties which affect family

relations, the development of parental abilities and support children when development problems

appear.

Target group for support and assistance through the Centre are:

1. Parents, extended families and substitutive families:

Need competences and abilities to care for children, tailored for the new psycho – pedagogical

principles in the field;

Live in disadvantaged environments;

Finds existing or emerging family problems which affect the proper development of the child.

2. Future parents who want to form (educate) before the birth or the adoption of a child.

3. Children with development problems and/ or integration difficulties in families, school or

community.

Services provided through the Counselling and Support Centre for Parents and Children:

informing and counselling,

family and child counselling,

group counselling,

emergency counselling,

children and adolescents counselling,

parental support and education,

support groups for parents.

4. Family Planning and Contraception Medical Cabinet

Medical services offered through the cabinet:

653 medical consults,

136 Babes - Papanicolau tests,

17 pregnancy tests,

200 abdominal and gynaecological echography.

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5. Informing, counselling and labour market mediation, authorized by Brasov Agency for

Employment:

Informing, counselling and labour market mediation, authorized by Brasov Agency for Employment:

11 person beneficiated by professional informing, counselling and labour market mediation and

support in finding a job.

6. Formal, non-formal education and creative activities

6.1 Formal education We organized training courses, authorized by ANC, for: development of entrepreneurial

competences and chamber maid.

One specialization training course for development of entrepreneurial competences for 12 persons

One training course for chamber maid, 10 qualified persons.

6.2 Non – formal education

„Puberty and adolescence” The mobile team of Agapedia, went to schools and

high schools for holding informative sessions

with the theme “Puberty and adolescence”

Subjects:

We organized informative and sexual education

for:

a number of 41 students from the School

in Cristian, Brasov County

a number of 71 students from the School in

Prejmer, Brasov County;

a number of 45 students from

“Ţara Bârsei” College, Prejmer, Brasov County.

Puberty and adolescence

Personal

hygiene

Healthy and responsible

sexual behaviour sponsabil

Reproductive

health

Risk of beginning the sexual

life

Preventing sexual

transmitting diseases

Abortionand

consequences

Pregnancy

prevention in

under aged

girls

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Non-formal training services – Education for health

Project „Access to education, a chance for children and young people from the roma community in

the village of Fermei, Hăghig”, PEL122

Project promoter: Hăghig City Hall, Covasna County

Between August and December 2016, Agapedia Foundation Romania, through its specialized

personnel, provided non formal training services, in Haghig, Covasna County.

“Education for Health” training course, with a 6 months period, approached themes like: healthy

independent life abilities, healthy eating, adolescence and puberty, behaviours with high risk for

health.

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6.3 Creative activities With the occasion of “A different school/ Scoala altfel”, at Agapedia Foundation Romania, 41

children participated in pastry and rights and obligations workshops.

During the “Educational and recreative holiday workshops”, children were involved in pastry and

handcrafting creative objects workshops. At these activities, have participated 21 children.

In September 2016, in a public space - at CORESI Shopping Centre, Agapedia Romania

representatives made multicolour bracelets using Rainbow Loom method.

Number of children involved: 10.

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6.4 Agapedia ArtCamp Between 07th and 14th of August 2016, in Sacele Brasov County, we organized the international summer camp – Agapedia ArtCamp, with the participation of members and youngsters of Agapedia international network. The activities were organized at the Day Care Centre in Sacele, centre coordinated by Foundation

for Social Assistance and Youth (FAST), in the activities being involved also children from the

centre.

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7. National and international projects

7.1 EU funded national projects sustainability

In 2016, we insured the sustainability of the tree projects financed by the European Social Fund through the 2007-2013 “Invest in People!” Operational Sectorial Human Resources Development Program, implemented by Agapedia Foundation Romania between 2012 and 2015. Representatives of Agapedia Romania Foundation continued after the project ended the collaborations with partner public and private institutions. „ RurActiv – integrated project to improve the employment rate in Tarlungeni, Apata and Budila Communes” Implementation period: 01.02.2012 – 31.01.2014 Partners: Tarlungeni, Budila and Apata Municipalities “RurAbility – integrated project to improve the employment rate of persons employed in subsistence agriculture, persons in search of job and unemployed persons from rural areas of Brasov County” Implementation period: 04.04.2014 – 03.10.2015 Partner: Community Aid Network Association “Workability - multidisciplinary initiative for increasing the employment rate and employment capacity of inactive persons on the labour market and long-term unemployed people in Brasov County” Implementation period: 04.04.2014 – 03.10.2015 Partner: Community Aid Network Association

7.2 International projects

„Jugend im Wandel” („Youth in Transition”)

Financer: Baden-Württemberg Land Foundation, Federal Ministry of Baden Württemberg Land

Main objective was to promote transnational civic participation of youngsters inside the European

Union Strategy for the Danube Region (SUERD).

The project aimed youth exchange and meetings, development of new competences and

intergenerational dialogue for a sustainable future.

In 2016, took place 2 meetings between the partner countries. In the period 22nd – 27th May 2016

took place the meeting in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova), at Odiseu Touristic Complex and in the

period 01st – 02nd of November, in Bratislava (Slovakia), took place the final project meeting.

The participants at the final event analysed new project ideas connected with European Union

Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and visited the Elderly Home in Dom Seniorov, Pezinok

city.

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„Danube Social Service & Education Cluster - Creating more accessible, effective and

integrated social services and inclusive education programmes delivered to vulnerable

groups in danger of social exclusion through clustering of social NGOs”,

Partners: Federation of Social NGOs Bulgaria, Agapedia Foundation Romania, Liebenau

Foundation Germany, Concordia Foundation Austria

Initiative inside EU Strategy for Danube Region (EUSDR)

Period: March 2015- February 2016

The objective was to increase quality of education - of the vocational training – so that it is better

integrated in the educational structures. The project aimed to improve the access of disadvantaged

groups, especially of roma children, not only to lifelong education but also the access of children

and elderly to quality social services.

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8. Collaboration with Sacele Day Centre for Children at Risk

Between November 2015 and November 2016, during the collaboration with the Foundation for Social

Assistance and Youth (FAST), Agapedia Romania implemented a series of activities not only in the Day

Centre for Children at Risk but also in the local community.

The collaboration aimed to: realize information activities of beneficiaries about the social services provided

by FAST, sending to the Day Centre of eligible persons and solving when possible the social cases sent to

FAST for the social activities respecting the legislation.

Activities done by Agapedia Foundation team:

a) Recreation and socializing

b) Psychological (individual and group therapy)

c) Social assistance with impact on: professional development, building a network of support

groups with employees, providing qualitative services to beneficiaries.

Maximum number of children involved: 100.

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9. Federation of Social NGOs in Transylvania

The Federation of Social NGOs in Transylvania, part off which Agapedia Foundation Romania is, was

founded in 2015 through START program of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, having as founding

members 10 associations and foundations from Cluj, Covasna, Brasov, Mures, Hunedoara and Sibiu

Counties.

In May 2016, in Sibiu, took place the conference „Sustainability and quality insurance in providing social

services in Transylvania", which aimed to reaffirm the role and contribution of the Social NGOs in

Transylvania, members of the Federation, and to promote their experience in providing qualitative social

services adapted to community needs in the nowadays context.

At the conference participated representatives of social associations and foundations in Transylvania and in

the North East Development Region: one representative of Labour, Social Protection and Elderly People

Ministry - expert in social services; one representative of Deputy Chamber; representatives of local, county

and regional public institutions: General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection, County

Agencies for payments and Social Inspection, Social Assistance public services from Brasov, Covasna,

Mures, Cluj and Sibiu municipalities.

In November, took place in Brasov, the third conference of Federation of Social NGOs in Transylvania with

the theme “Social innovation for an inclusive society”. During the event, “social innovation” was approached

and was developed ideas, services and action models through which non-profit organisations can better

respond to social challenges.

The event was organized in partnership with Brasov Prefect institution, Brasov County Council, Brasov

Municipality – Social Services Directorate and the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child

Protection Brașov.

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At the conference participated around 100 persons: representatives of partners, one representative from

the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Elderly People (Councillor Minister), vice-consul of Federal

Republic of Germany Consulate, vicepresident of Brasov Chamber of Commerce and Industry, program

director from Brasov Metropolitan Agency and the representatives of Associations and Foundations from

the social area in Transylvania.

10. Agapedia SocialBiz

„Agapedia SocialBiz” is the generic term for the economic activities developed by Agapedia Foundation

Romania. The concept was launched in 2013 and in the last years went through some changes and

adjustments.

Starting 2016, the activities realized under „Agapedia SocialBiz” develop and promote creative industries

and qualitative social, medical and educational services provided for those who are interested.

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V. Partners 2016

General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection Brașov Brașov Directorate of Social Services National Agency Against Trafficking in Person, Brașov Regional Centre County Agency for Employment Brașov Probation Service Brasov next to Brașov Law Court Community Aid Network Association (CAN) Brașov

Brașov Metropolitan Association for Sustainable Development “Viscri incepe” Association Romanian Association Against AIDS - Brașov Branch Metropolitan Greek- Catholic Caritas Blaj, Brașov Branch „Casa Speranței” Reformat Church, Brașov

Foundation for Social Assistance and Youth (FAST), Săcele

“Bucuria Darului” Foundation

Budila City Hall, Brașov

Tărlungeni City Hall, Brașov

Apața City Hall, Brașov

Prejmer City Hall

Haghig City Hall, Covasna County

„G. Moroianu” Theoretical High School Săcele „Țara Bârsei” College, Prejmer, Brașov County

Cristian Secondary School, Brașov County

Prejmer Secondary School, Brașov County

Zarnesti Secondary School no. 2, Brașov County

West University of Timisoara (UVT), Social Work Department

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AGAPEDIA Foundation Romania

No 48 Bisericii Române Street, 500080 Brașov, 500080

Phone/Fax: 0368-409115 Email: info@agapedia.ro

Website: www.agapedia.ro