Criteria for choosing the good practice examples
I have kept an eye on the work of Regional Advocacy Foundation for a long time. One of the main reasons for founding the Foundation was to decrease the high rate of unemployment that was created around 1990, as an NGO.
The NGO’s colleagues and volunteers since then (for over 20 years) have been making efforts to assist disadvantaged people in being successful and staying in the labour market. “We should not let the unemployed fail, but should transform this phase of their lives into a possibility that provides them with the ability to change, learn a new vocation, gain new competencies, and return to the world of labour, by developing their abilities and skills” – Regionális Érdekvédelem Foundation (http://www.revalap.hu/
alapitvanyunkrol/a-rev-alapitvany-bemutatasa). This is why I chose RÉV Foundation, as the projects realised continuously help people a lot.
Their projects include:
▪ Occasion for work! programme facilitating occasional employment in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county
▪ NGOs for NGOs – across-borders NGO professional support programme
▪ Redeeming family obligations hindering occupation and assisting women’s labour market careers
▪ I will work again! A complex support programme for reintegration in the labour market in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county
▪ Versatility in the workplace, equality in employment
Organisation(s), person(s) that the good practice concerns
▪ Regional Advocacy Foundation
▪ Nyírbátor and Catchment Area Multifunctional Microregional Association Centre for Social Care and Pedagogy
▪ South Nyírség Social and Children’s Welfare Centre Nagykálló Institution Unit
▪ Social workers, youth counsellors
▪ Psychologists
▪ Community developers
Parties of interest of the good practice
Children and young people between 14-26 who wish to receive help when starting their careers, are uncertain with regard to their careers, would like to develop their self-knowledge and abilities, have difficulties with learning or integration, or would like to have counsel from or talk to professionals attentive to their problems.
Objectives and activities of the good practice
The goal of the project was to reintegrate disadvantaged children and young people between 14-26 with low school qualifications and living in Nyíregyháza, Nagykálló, Nyírbátor and the vicinity into public education or extracurricular training, vocational training, and to stop dropout, furthermore, to facilitate their employment in workplaces appropriate for their abilities, and to develop their communal abilities and communication skills.
Express objectives:
▪ To reintegrate disadvantaged children and young people between 14-26 with low school qualifications and living in Nyíregyháza, Nagykálló, Nyírbátor and the vicinity into public education or extracurricular training, vocational training, and to stop dropout.
▪ To help disadvantaged youth with catching up, to operate special preparatory training courses to acquire base qualifications.
▪ To facilitate employment, the gaining of work experience in workplaces appropriate for the given young people’s abilities.
▪ To develop the youth’s communal abilities, self-knowledge, communication skills, stress bearing abilities and other key competencies.
▪ To prevent adolescent depression and suicide in individual and group sessions.
▪ To support youth’s grassroots and value generating communities.
Field(s) influenced by the good practice
▪ Assessing conditions
▪ Developing an action plan
▪ Occupational counselling
▪ Career orientation counselling
▪ Labour exchange
▪ Life coaching
▪ Club of people looking for employment
▪ Training counselling
▪ Individual psychological counselling in the case of adolescent behavioural disorders
▪ Courses for catching up and developing key competencies
▪ Visiting employers, learning about professions on site
▪ Social counselling and administration
▪ Follow-up care
Regional scope of the good practice Nyíregyháza, Nagykálló and Nyírbátor.
Conditions of the good practice (technological, human, financial) Of course, for the project to be realised appropriate professionals are necessary, which have been listed above. In addition, the professionals must also be paid. With regard to material conditions, the costs of rent, technological conditions e.g. computers, projectors, as well as excursions and camps must also be covered. As this was a TÁMOP project (TÁMOP-5.2.5-08/1-2008-0234), the Foundation received financial support.
Results of the good practice, short-, medium- and long-term effects 111 young clients belonging in the main target group were involved in the project, of these 71 persons completed the project successfully, 64% of the total number. 23 people gained occupation. 20 people became registered job-seekers. 16 people remained in public education. 7 people participated in vocational training. 5 people took part in OKJ training.
Free-time activities included: excursions, camps, self-knowledge club, art and personal development club facilitating individual living, sessions for Romany and handicapped children, animal welfare day.
Sustainability of the good practice
Regarding sustainability the age group could be expanded to 14-35, as there are job-seekers above 26, too. Of course during the project I would divide them into groups. I would also expand scope with regard to the region, too, to county level to the whole of Szabolcs – Szatmár – Bereg county. Also, more organisations could be involved in the project, e.g. libraries, cultural centres, adult education organisations. In addition, I would cooperate with more professionals in the project.
Adaptability of the good practice
In my view, several organisations can adapt the projects of RÉV Foundation, especially this one, since disadvantaged people with low school qualifications live also beyond these 3 regions; they need help, too.