“Innovative approach in matching social services with social entrepreneurship – Centre “Opportunity”” – working project
For the five months since it was opened, Social Center “Opportunity” has proven to be a successful idea. Over 50 young people, who have left specialized institutions for children deprived of parental care and people at risk of poverty (including people from Roma communities), have sought help from the Centre. Some of the young people were involved in groups for training sessions, while others – due to a lack of permanent housing – were redirected to the programme “House of Opportunity” or to night schools or directly to employers (three out of five were hired!).
There are currently four separate groups that are being trained at the Social Centre – each of the groups has passed through several trainings/modules – some groups are still at the beginning, while others are already producing soaps and discussing the ways to promote and sell the products.
Within the project “Innovative approach in matching social services with social entrepreneurship – Centre “Opportunity”” groups of up to ten people will pass through a total of 5 modules: first Motivational module (10 astronomical hours) and 4 other modules, each of which consists of 10 hours of theory and 30 hours in which the young people and their trainers will focus on the practical side of things.
The project aims to support care leavers and people at risk of poverty in their transition to independent life. FSCI implements therapeutic individual and group techniques, training in social skills and personal development with focus on social entrepreneurship and training in key skills, such as sales skills and business planning.
The project gained support from society as well – more than 50 people took part in the donation initiative of the “Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion”. The mission was launched on the platform for volunteering and good deeds – www.TimeHeroes.org – the initiative lasted for one month and aimed at equipping the newly opened centre for social services “Social Centre Opportunity” with office supplies and products.
As a result of the initiative, FSCI managed to equip the centre with everything needed – printer, scanner, desks, several computers, monitors, keyboards, laptop, tablet, headphones, router, various stationery materials, radio, cups, towels, 200 notebooks, electric kettle and many other practical items. Most of the donors visited FSCI’s office and Social Centre personally to meet the team and find out more about the foundation’s activities and programmes that support young people leaving specialized institutions for children, deprived of parental care and people at risk of poverty.
For more information about Social Centre Opportunity, click here.
