This subject has always been exclusive, now it has become a social emergency. The challenge is up, demanding the need to face the lack of information and new solutions to tackle social inclusion of children abused or neglected. However, when we are going to address child problems the key action is to put children first, let them be the most important part of the society. Many children fall victim to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence which takes place on a daily basis, at home, at school, in institutions, at work and in the community. During armed conflicts and in the aftermath of disaster, children are particularly vulnerable. The exact scale of violence is unknown, partly because children are often too afraid and too vulnerable to report it themselves. Violence and abuse seriously affects every aspect of a child’s development. Each day, the safety and well-being of some children across the Nations are threatened by child abuse and neglect. All types of abuse are damaging to children physically, emotionally, and psychologically and can cause long-term difficulties with behavior and mental health development. For most of us, it’s hard to imagine anyone harming a child. As disturbing as it can be, child abuse and neglect is very real. The issue of neglect and abuse is an important issue that negatively affects all life experiences. It has serious consequences for child development and family health throughout the life cycle. Most of project partners have already implemented activities or projects on this topic. However, in terms of innovation, our project will transform neglect or abuse from the subject of a lesson, into a matter that affects the whole teaching life of the child/student and requires an urgent solution. Objectives: *to create safe environments for children and young people through robust safeguarding practices; *to teach children and young people about staying safe; *to make a great difference in a child's life who is exposed to neglect and abuse; * to develop a more systematical, total and connective understanding in which multi-disciplines take place so as to be able to prevent child abuse and overcome its consequences; *to place the general signs of child abuse and the necessities to prevent it into the educational period. Number and Profile of Participants: The project will involve 7 partners from 6 countries. All of them will include participants that have nearly the same school level and similar problems about the project topic. Methodology: • Behavioral parent training programs; • Early childhood home visitation; • Improved quality of child care through licensing and accreditation; • Public engagement and education campaigns; • Family-friendly work policies. Description of Activities: Thanks to the various planned activities related to the purpose of the project, we hope to reach the project’s objectives. Activities are correlated with their purpose and objectives in terms of expected results. Mainly: *surveys, meetings, seminars and workshops, we will raise participants’ interest towards child abuse and neglect, they will get the main idea of the topic in partner organization and outside of the school for their future; *students will organize Teen Voice Dais, they will develop some skills like transversal skills, the sense of initiative, self-confidence and entrepreneurship; *students will take part in designing some materials like project logo, brochures, flyers, posters, etc., improving their ICT and visual skills; *through discussions, social networks, and eTwinning, they will exchange ideas, improve intercultural dialogue, transcultural skills and foreign language competence; *they will visit some universities, Child protective services and NGOs to promote, broaden their point of view and extend the knowledge and understanding of phenomena related to child abuse and neglect; *parents and local people will be involved in project activities such as seminar, conferences, events, fairs and this will raise awareness towards child abuse and neglect and its importance for future generations, etc. Results and Effects: The project results are strongly related to the objectives. As mentioned above, we aim at supporting children who have been abused or neglected in acquiring the necessary skills and competencies in order to successfully integrate into the socio-political life, business, economy, community, youth education, etc. through social entrepreneurship activities, engaging, connecting and empowering children in the same time. We believe that small steps are the key to great successes. That is the reason why we will start our efforts in disadvantaged areas from the partner countries, hoping that our attempt will inspire a real and profound change in the society and will improve the situation of the target groups. Impact: As a result of the project and the support they will get, the students will feel more valuable, important, motivated socially and believe in the future.
By implementing our project, we integrated social entrepreneurship activities, empowering children in socio-political life, business, community, and youth education. Our small steps in disadvantaged areas aimed to inspire profound societal change. Our objectives included sharing best practices and strategies through seminars and workshops, building trust between educators and parents, and reducing child abuse. We established a network of young volunteers across partner countries for mutual support. Teachers were supported in improving their competencies and teaching strategies. A project website was developed for sharing best practices. Cultural interaction and EU citizenship were promoted through project meetings and partnerships. The effectiveness of the project was measured through organized meetings and questionnaires. A guidance book was made available on the project website and sent to stakeholders, schools, and UNICEF offices. Main stakeholders were involved, providing tools for participants to become more confident about their future. This strengthened cooperation between local communities and schools. The project resulted in an increased civic participation of young people, and success for all organizations involved.
We applied for this project to address the issue of child abuse and neglect, and its detrimental effects on society. Our objectives included creating a supportive environment for children, educating teachers on recognizing and addressing abuse, and promoting cross-cultural collaboration in Europe. We aimed to foster active citizenship, human rights awareness, and a shared responsibility among adults to protect children, in line with the UNCRC and other human rights conventions. By implementing preventative measures, providing necessary support for affected children, and strengthening the social links between youths, families, and organizations, the project sought to minimize the occurrence of child abuse and contribute to the development of responsible, informed EU citizens. By fostering a strong community of support and education, we can ensure the safety and well-being of children across Europe, leading to a more harmonious and equitable society. This transnational approach is essential as child abuse knows no borders, and collective action is required to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. Working together, we can build a future where every child is safe, supported, and free to reach their full potential.