IMPACT - an HHC Romania Training in Bulgaria

We aim to reach the potential of children and youngsters with special needs. For this, we developed a new, pioneering methodology, based on proactive relationships, instead of reactive damage control, especially when we refer to challenging behaviour and unforseen triggers in the lives of special needs people. HHC Bulgaria, participates actively to reforming child protection in their country, supporting deinstitutionalisation and developing family-like services. This week, Otto and Reka from HHC Romania and Dr. Delia Pop, Director of Programmes from HHC UK, are in Ruse, presenting IMPACT, the new methodology in working with chidren and youngsters with special needs. IMPACT is the result of our partnership with Autistic Services, Inc. from Buffalo, USA and it aims to offer special needs children who spent most of their lives in institutions - a chance to living their lives in dignity.  The authors, Veronica Federiconi and Bianca Stegeran, believe that all human beings should live a life in dignity and within their communities.

IMPACT is innovating, integrative, focused on individuals, active, continuous and transformational.

A number of 16 representatives of HHC Bulgaria are going to disseminate the method into the services they work in, for an increased impact in the lives of vulnerable children and youngsters. This week of training is but the beginning of a long process, in which HHC Romania is to share its own experience, to change mentailites and attitudes, so that people with special needs can develop and be acknowledged as valuable members of their own communities.

Romanian and Hungarian Youngsters Get Involved in Social Projects

For six months, 30 Romanian and Hungarian youngsters got together for project work, discussing ways of getting involved into changing their society and communities for the better. The democracy in Romania and in Hungary, what it should be about, leadership, child institutionalisation and children in state care were some of the issues discussed in 12 investigative sessions. After the visit in Hungary, it was our turn to organise a week in Baia Mare city. For a few days, the 30 youngsters learnt and talked about diversity, identitity, social inclusion, family, child rights and online safety. They played with the children in the Day Centre and visited museums and local attractions. In spite of the language barrier, they had a lot of fun and will keep in touch for further common project work. Somehow, they concluded they should be more involved into how and what goes on around them. And finally, this was the aim of the project.

One More Institution Closed! Two More Small Group Homes Innaugurated!

For the 24 children living since yesterday in the two family homes we opened in Teaca, Bistrita County, a new life begins! A life to live among people, in a family environment, as it should be for any child. Other six were helped to get back to their families, and a group of four siblings were helped to live in a small house, with their parents. The partnership with Bistrita County Council and Social Services is very good and this is the first institution to be closed, with more to go! By what we have done together, all the children who were in this institution are now in family environments, and many others are in their families, due to the prevention programme we run in the county.

I was glad to be part of the joy yesterday!

On How People Wash Away their Sins by Taking Home an Orphan Child for Christmas

Like potato sacks, abandoned children are given to real families for a few days, for Christmas. An apparently good PR exercise, the childcare system and the willing families pay attention to those who are less lucky. It does not matter we do not know exactly who they go to. It does not really matter that the "orphans" are not properly asked if they understand what is going on, if they want to go just for a couple of days, than come back, into their loveless, cold, world. Some families wash their sins and consciousness, by taking home for a couple of days an orphan, ignoring the tragedies born into the children"s souls.

For them, this experience reminds them once again how worthless, how disappointing they are, because why else would those families take them for a few days, then bring them back without looking back?

Loads of children in institutions go through this, on "Take me home for Christmas" programmes. As having around some orphans seems to work for ignoring families, who just want to look good, by using one-off children for a cheap show. But hey - why should it matter, if it works for some people...

The Council of the Mortgage Lenders Supports Our Work

Last night, at the Annual Dinner of the Council of the Mortgage Lenders, there were more than 1,000 people in a special location, the Old Billingsgate Market, in London. We met amazing people and talked about how our programmes manage to transform the world we live in. The silent auction raised in excess of GBP 10,000, and the raffle has presumably raised the same amount (we have not yet finalised counting the envelopes).

Making a presence together, businesses and NGOs, can only work smoothly. We, the NGOs, should look more closely at how the businesses operate to create financial added value, and they, the businesses, should analyse the opportunities partnerships with NGOs bring, as the added value we create impacts directly on their operations, on the quality of life and social welfare they come across in everyday life.