Good practices in activities with vulnerable groups
(common experiences of NGOs in Catalonia and Timisoara)
Cosmin Goian1, Salvador Periago Fernandez2, Patricia Luciana
Runcan3
Abstract
This
paper will point out specific activities of social work and social education in
Timisoara - Romania and Barcelona - Badalona Spain. It will present joint
projects from the past decade collaboration based on bilateral international
exchanges, community intervention for vulnerable groups, promoting
volunteering, labor market integration, etc.. Reference organizations are
Association Pro impAct 21 of Timisoara Romania and La Rotlana Organization in
Barcelona, Spain. It will also highlight the features of the people involved as
volunteers in projects of both organizations, with reference to similarities
and differences between them. It will describe the effects of learning and
training of the volunteers attending these projects in Romania and Spain.
Keywords: social education, vulnerable
groups, bilateral cooperation, Volunteering.
Introduction:
Bilateral cooperation between the two
organizations from Spain and Romania started in 2001 and continues to this day.
Between the members of LaRotllana and ProImpact 21, international exchanges for
four European projects have been succeeded, a joint network, 18 volunteer
internships funded by the European Commission, long or short. Also, between
social educators in Spain and social workers from Romania, there has been a
continuing correspondence implementing various independent projects. For
starters, we must mention that the techniques of working with vulnerable
individuals or groups have many similarities between the two organizations.
Also, the administrative components of the environment of Romanian and Spanish
(Catalan) meet a great number of similarities. Regarding the source of funding
for NGOs, both use funds from the European Commission, mayors, local councils,
government agencies, and private donors. In terms of beneficiaries, the two
organizations offered social services for young people with fewer
opportunities, young delinquents, dropout situations, ludotherapy, and people
living with HIV. Differences found on beneficiaries are: the Spanish
organization offers services to individuals and groups of immigrants, consumers
of banned substances and ProImpact 21 had between 2003-2007 programs for street
children and youth in the child welfare system - foster care, people infected
with tuberculosis. These common and different elements between the beneficiaries
of both organizations have enabled their members in the two countries to engage
in various social activities of the culture in which they live. Even if
geographically there is a clear gap between the two countries there was the
possibility that members can participate directly in the other country in
specific activities of social education and social work. We tried to involve
beneficiaries in activities that do not exist in the home of a member
organization. Thus members of Romania had the opportunity to engage in social
activities with immigrants from Africa or Eastern Europe and members of Spain
to work with street children or people sick with tuberculosis. An important
feature of the two NGOs is that both are trying to use beneficiaries in their volunteer
activities, for example Spain is counting on the support of immigrants, of
persons who committed offenses of a criminal nature or were addicted to
prohibited substances and in Romania working with volunteers from the child
protection system. We will further describe common projects of the two
organizations and volunteers involved in activities with reference to
similarities and differences.
1 Social Work Department, West University, Romania,
cosmin.goian@socio.uvt.ro
2 NGO La Rotllana, Barcelona-Badalona, Spania,
salva@rotllana.cat
3 Social Work Department, West University, Romania,
patricia.runcan@socio.uvt.ro
Method
In order
to obtain data for the analysis of peculiarities of volunteers in Romania and
Spain records of volunteers of 50 members of the two organizations were used.
Also, the features of the archive information on the organization Pro Impact 21
Projects were used: ES-31-34-2005-R1, DIGNIDAD Y CIUDADANIA EUROPEA PARA TODOS,
EN-1.1-37-2004-R1-action 1, ESBORO ES -31-16-2007-R2, RO-12-11-2007-R2-funded
by the European Commission, Education and Culture, action 1 - Youth for Europe,
1.2 Youth Initiatives and PRO Functionality 2013.
Table 1. Characteristic of
volunteers:
NR
|
Characteristics
|
%
|
1
|
Gender:
Male
Female
|
26%
74%
|
2
|
Age:
18-25
years
26-40
years
40-60
years
+60 years
|
48%
32%
18%
2%
|
3
|
Working area
Urban
Rural
|
92%
8%
|
4
|
Degree:
High
school
Bachelor
Master
Ph.D.
|
26%
58%
12%
4%
|
5
|
Work experience:
without
experience
1-5
years
5-15
years
+ 15 years
|
44%
16%
22%
18%
|
Regarding the situation of
similarities and differences between Romanian and Spanish volunteers, we found
these. Volunteers from La Rotllana are all from the same neighborhood, the same
proportion Badalona, participate in volunteer activities following the
neighbors, friends, and family member’s model; there is an important tradition
in this respect. Volunteers in Romania are in proportion of 46% of Timisoara
and the difference lies in Timis County and various cities in Romania: Deva,
Hunedoara Drobeta-Mehedinti, Oradea, Bihor, Caransebes-Caras Severin, etc..
Most of Romania which are not from Timisoara met as colleagues at the Social
Work Department, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology at the West University of
Timisoara with common interests in the social area. It is a peculiarity in
providing time and resources of an organization4.. Based on motivation
identifying involvement in volunteering in a paper published in 20045, we
identified cases generally similar to determine volunteers from the two
countries to engage in activities: Need for offering help, compassion 92%
religious motivation (liability due to personal religion) 62%, need to have a
cause 28% social support (need of friends) 68% indirect interest (getting a job
in that organization.
4 Adirondack S. (1999) Efficient
management for NGO’s, FDSC, Bucureşti p.46
5 Goian, C. (2004) Skills in Social Work, European Institute, Iasi
pp.133-139
or references for future jobs) 44%;
opportunity to travel to international volunteer placements or exchanges 56%,
because of the opportunity to use equipment, vehicles 14% for curriculum vitae
and the trend 22%, 8% lack of occupation.
For
availability of time volunteers from both organizations are willing to come
whenever necessary and have free time to participate in the activities. The
ones from La Rotlana are engaged in a greater number and then participate out
of working hours and during weekends. As the difference, in Romania, the social
work students seek to supplement their practical work and so there is confusion
between the practice of their specialty and volunteering6. It is known that
social assistance is predominant a practice profession so students are looking
to develop skills in this area but the organization must clarify boundaries
between practice and volunteering. In the study it was revealed that those
registered as volunteers know the status of the organization, responsibilities
and rights they have and the person who is the coordinator. Statements of the
management team of both the organization of Spain La Rotlana and Pro Impact21
of Romania were put in a position to fire volunteers. The job evaluation
activities used in Romania are after the following criteria:
6 Iovu,
- Number
of hours completed
- Work
- The
results of activities
-
Relations with the coordinator of volunteers
-
Relations with other volunteers
-
Relations with beneficiaries
-
Expectations for the future, other areas of interest
Next we
will describe features of joint projects of the two organizations. We will
analyze two international exchange projects one of the Association Pro Impact
21 E-1.1-37-2004-R1- action 17 and one of the Association La Rotllana ESBORO
ES-31-16-2007-R28. The first one was conducted in Romania in two locations in
Timisoara and Suceava (Zugreni area) and offered the opportunity of a group of
28 young people from Romania and Spain have set up common network projects in
the European Voluntary Service on Social Work specialization . A "Youth
Exchange" is a project that is based on partnerships that brings together
youth groups from several countries. "Youth Exchanges" means more
than that. Through these projects, young people have the opportunity to work in
an intercultural environment, with young people from other countries and other
environments. They have the opportunity to collaborate, discuss, to debate, to
experience cultural diversity, differences, Europe. And also have the chance to
know themselves in relation to others and to form their own impressions, to
combat prejudice and stereotypes about other cultures. All these things can
happen in a "Youth Exchanges" project, whose idea is designed and
implemented in common. The themes to run projects are very diverse and can meet
a broad range of needs and interests. Projects can be cultural, ecological,
environmental, social, sporting, civic culture. In other words, the idea of the
project is the choice of youth! And regardless of the chosen theme, such a
project has the power to send messages to participants, as in the spirit of
diversity, inclusion, tolerance, participation9. The second project
ES-31-16-2007-R2 was held in Badalona, Spain in the summer of 2007 in the Youth
in Action Program. This project has worked on the following principles:
Cooperation with Member States – A common agenda, mutual learning,
dissemination of results and progress reporting are key elements to promote
learning from good practice and exchange of information on their priorities and
actions
6 Iovu, M.B., Runcan P.L. Evidence-Based Practice: Knowledge, Attitudes
and Beliefs of Social Workers In Romania. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie
Sociala, 2012, vol. 38, p.66
7 Project Report RO-1.1-37-2004-R1-acțiunea 1, Education and Culture;
Programul Youth, European Commission
8 Prporoject R ES-31-16-2007-R2 ESBORO, Education and Culture, Programul
Youth in Action, European Commission
9 http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/
Structured dialogue – involving young people in
continuous joint reflection on priorities, implementation and follow-up
Evidence-base for youth policy – all policy must be
based on concrete evidence, experience and knowledge of the situation of young
people
Youth work – promoting opportunities for young people
to develop autonomy and key competences such as a sense of initiative and
entrepreneurship and to actively participate in all fields of public life
(social, political, educational, sports, service)
The
Youth in Action Program – contributes to the goals of the EU Youth Strategy by
providing opportunities for young people to be mobile, to learn and to
participate across the EU10
10
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/overview_en.htm
11 Raportul de finalizare al
proiectului DIGNIDAD Y CIUDADANIA EUROPEA PARA TODOS cu numarul de identificare
ES-31-34-2005-R1
12 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2009:0200:FIN:EN:PDF
- An EU Strategy for Youth – Investing and Empowering
A renewed open method of coordination
to address youth challenges and opportunities
13 http://ec.europa.eu/esf/main.jsp?catId=35&langId=en
European Social Fund
An
efficient project developed between the two organizations was DIGNIDAD Y
CIUDADANIA EUROPEA PARA TODOS with identification number ES-31-34-2005-R111. It
has proposed to involve young people in activities common to the two
organizations to provide services for Timisoara’s street children in 2007. In
addition to improving the quality of life of the beneficiaries the project
offered the members of the work teams of the two NGOs positive professional
experiences, competences to work in a team, to improve personal values, to
support the principles of social justice. Improved and assumed values have a
particular importance between young people from both communities on the one
hand so different, because historical moments, technological development, and
on the other hand with many cultural similarities. The project was also visible
because of the establishment of a documentary with a professional team of
Spanish television news TV Badalona.
A New
Project, Pro functionality 2013, implemented throughout the year 2013 by the
Association Pro Impact 21 is based on experiences gained in the last decade, in
relationship with La Rotllana. Also, the project is based on the principles of
the European Commission for working with youth12.. Pro functionality 2013 aims
for specific working techniques of social work and social and professional
advisors to provide for a group of 20 young people with fewer opportunities the
chance to find and keep a job. The project is based on European principles and
Social Operational Programe Human Resources Development Fund for integrating
disadvantaged13 people in the labor market.
Conclusion:
After
over a decade diachronic analysis it can be concluded that the cooperation of
the two organizations in Romania and Spain have resulted in projects that have
improved the quality of life for different social service beneficiaries,
members of professional organizations were formed and have developed more
skills, cultural differences have been experienced by participating in
international mobility. In numbers, cooperation between La Rotllana-Pro Impact
21 means 122 people have attended the bi-or trilateral international exchanges
in the European Voluntary Service.
Reference
1. Adirondack S. (1999) Efficient
management for NGO’s, F.D.S.C., Bucureşti p.46
2. Goian, C. (2004) Skills in Social Work, Institutul
European, Iasi pp.133-139
3. Iovu, M.B., Runcan P.L. Evidence-Based Practice:
Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs of Social Workers In Romania. Journal of
research and social intervention 2012, vol. 38, p.66
4. Project Report RO-1.1-37-2004-R1-action 1, Education and
Culture; Youth Program, European Commission
5. Project Report ES-31-16-2007-R2 ESBORO, Education and
Culture, Youth in Action Program, European Commission
6. http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/
7.
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/overview_en.htm
8. Report DIGNIDAD Y CIUDADANIA EUROPEA PARA TODOS
identification number ES-31-34-2005-R1
9. http://eur-lex.europa.eu
10. http://ec.europa.eu/esf/main.jsp?catId=35&langId=en
11. www.proimpact21.ro
12. www.rotllana.cat
