The aim of the Modern Community project was to promote the importance of the family and the active role of the father in the education and development of the child, by developing modern learning opportunities for parents and strengthening cooperation between partner organizations in Romania, Bulgaria and Sweden. To achieve this goal, the project achieved the following objectives in the 14 months: 1 Raising awareness of the role of the father in the child's education for a minimum of 450 parents from 9 local communities in RO and BG, through parenting education activities and community caravans - RO: Iasi, Timisoara, Bucharest, Cluj, Brasov, BG: Haskovo, Sofia, Karlovo, Pldoviv and DEOR activities 2 Developing parenting skills of 4 staff members from Romania and Bulgaria through a study visit and exchange of good practices in Sweden 3 Strengthening organizational capacity and cross-sectoral cooperation between the three partner organizations, through the development of a collaboration network and the Modern Community Solutions Map, a practical resource based on research into the real needs of parents and examples of European good practices.
The project was initiated to respond to real needs identified in Romania and Bulgaria regarding parenting education and support for modern families. The analysis carried out before the project submission, including a preliminary study on 110 parents, highlighted = a low level of parenting skills 21%, = difficulties in managing emotions and family conflicts 18% = low involvement of fathers in children's education 24% = imbalance between professional and family life, as well as limited collaboration between organizations providing support services for parents. In addition, statistics on postnatal depression, an increase in the divorce rate 28.5% and a decrease in the average duration of marriage confirmed the need for interventions dedicated to families. At the level of the organizations we have identified clear needs such as: = equipping staff with the necessary skills in counseling and parenting = equipping staff with non-formal education competencies, including examples of good practice from the SE partner = equipping staff with key competencies