The project addresses the challenges that young people leaving residential care face and it is based on the observation and real needs (as reflected in their daily practice) in the field of youth care and residential youth care of the partner organisations. Generally the transition from dependent to independent life is a process which may take several years. Young adults living with their biological families who are past the age of maturity can (and do) ask for additional support from their family members when facing difficulties. However, young people from residential care do not have this support; they are obliged to leave institutional care when they reach the age of maturity or at the age when they finish their education (in average at the age 24-26 depending form country to country). Leaving institutional care becomes the biggest challenge for them due to shortage of professional aftercare services. On the other hand institutional care centers do not focus enough on the development of life skills and certain formal restrictions (imposed by other authorities, like health inspection and other authorities) do not permit care centers to facilitate everyday life skills of young people (eg. They cannot take part in cooking, they do not have access to a “household budget”, etc.) In most cases without proper social and life skills, topped by unsolved personal problems, they are extremely vulnerable to social and financial challenges. Therefore it is extremely important that the process of leaving care is systematically planned and prepared well before the child leaves the residential care, and the present project proposes such a complex learning plan. Preparation for independent life and social inclusion is also essential for unaccompanied minor migrants as they lack some important socially and culturally defined knowledge for their adaptation and inclusion to the host community. The project aligns with the European and national priorities on reducing disadvantages and assuring equal opportunities for youth at risk. It follows the aim to raise awareness and provide practice directions for effective ways of assuring a successful transition to independent life for residential care leavers, to help achieve successful integration. Through a special training programme which combines new media elements with well used training techniques, 120 no. of young people from 4 countries develop their social and basic life skills train in, civic competences (knowledge on citizenship, civic participation), intercultural competences (transnational cooperation) and critical thinking skills. The knowledge, skills and attitudes developed throughout the project will considerably increase young adults’ chance to active participation in social life and social integration, including integration into the labour market. Furthermore the project addresses the development needs of 16 no. of specialized youth workers, residential care workers to widen their professional knowledge and experience based on peer learning at transnational levels.
The project addresses the challenges that young people leaving residential care face and it is based on the observation and real needs (as reflected in their daily practice) in the field of youth care and residential youth care of the partner organisations. Preparation for independent life and social inclusion is also essential for unaccompanied minor migrants as they lack some important socially and culturally defined knowledge for their adaptation and inclusion to the host community. The From Youth to Independent Life project has been successfully implemented, it has made important achievements, has led to improved practices in youth work by developing three intellectual outputs. This partnership tried to keep the project plan in order to respect the proposed aims and objectives, just with some minor delays as compared to project timeline, but every task has been finished by the end of implementation period. Even though IO1 didn’t get finance, the partners considered that is important to have relevant information about the needs of target group, this activity have been carried out, but the research couldn’t be done in the extent which was proposed initially. Activities performed: IO1. Gateways to integration – Report on the resources for social inclusion of youth in residential care Preparation of study instruments: development of the interview guidelines for the guided interview for young adults, and after care providers. Revision of interview guidelines and translation into the partner countries languages. Study Implementation: implementation of the interviews with 20 young adults, in total, who already had left care and 13 after care provider. Evaluation of results: Partners agreed that in general all partner countries presented similar difficulties of the young people leaving care. There is lack of support in self-esteem and self-awareness, presenting difficulties in managing finding and maintaining job, or housing conditions. In the 1st Intellectual Output it was important to access specific information for development of successful and valid training material. The investigation was used to get to know realities of those who leaved the care-system in order to widen the aftercare - preparation program and provide the young persons what they need. Based on the interviews from partner countries most relevant topics to work with were self-esteem and self-awareness and vocational guidance before leaving care. As well as on the professional awareness as young persons have difficulties in finding the right career path that is in concordance with the interests and competences. IO2: 2. Make a living – Online games for young people to get prepared for independent life was led by P2, SEC (RO). All the partners contributed to the selection of the competencies. The software for the online platform has been developed, which is in fact a PHP based educational online multi-game system. Taking into consideration the learning outcomes, some activities are better suited for online activities, the division of skill-groups was adapted to the online games. The online games contains in total 5 units, 25 lessons and 2 games/unit. The theory part of the lessons can be read at anytime, but the games already solved successfully, can’t be played again. Learning time: 30-40 learning hours. It consist of 5 units: 1. Self-care skills – family planning, 2. money management, 3. food management skills, 4. housing and housekeeping, 5. career and job related skills. Units structure: Intro, Definition, References, Theory, Videos, Photos. Games: True or False, General Knowledge, Quiz, Letter Pile, Choose the right answer. The game can be played in all partner country languages. Also, a Multilingual guide has been developed in all partner languages, and also a Validation Report as well. IO3. Social workout The training material is focusing on skills listed in the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, with practical tools addressed to young people and residential youth care workers, incorporating the use of the online games. The training programme consists of 5 modules (Interpersonal skills, Legal skills (active citizenship 1), Career and job related skills, Money management, Knowledge on active citizenship 2, it is designed in modular format, each of the modules can be used separately, and it has 180 pages. The training curriculum was jointly developed by the partners, 14 of them took part of the joint staff training, and after that they piloted locally with 120 participants. Beside the developed intellectual outputs, it is important to acknowledge the multisectorial nature of the project that facilitated opportunities to cooperation of relevant stakeholders from different backrounds: public sector, NGOs, youth organisations, schools, local governments. etc. The partnership had the opportunity to improve their competences in youth work and so they can directly exploit the project results to their target groups.