Presentation of Home – Start activity model in Lithuania: non – formal education of

adults and children (generation experience continuity)

2013-03-20/23Brno, Čekija

LITHUANIA Lithuania is a small country in the north of Europe, situated

along the shore of the Baltic Sea. It is the land of rich history, arts and culture, still living old traditions, and a little bit withdrawn, but friendly and hospitable people. The beauty of Lithuania is created by nice landscapes, woods, lakes and rivers, and a very unique seaside. Towns and cities reminds old and noble history of Lithuania – baroque crown of Vilnius, the capital, free spirit of Interwar in Kaunas, German style Klaipėda port and much more historical towns, villages and places.

KLAIPEDA is 318 km west of Vilnius and is the third largest city in Lithuania with a population of  205,000. The city is located on the very southern seashore of the Baltic Sea, at a straight connecting the Kursiu Marios lagoon with the sea.

For nearly all of its history Klaipeda has been a predominately German town, called Memel. Historians maintain that a settlement of ancient Balts, the ancestors of modern Lithuanians, stood on the coast of the Kursiu Marios lagoon at the estuary of the Dane river as early as the 1st century. In 1252 the Livonian Order took over Klaipeda and the brick castle of Memelburg was erected.

What is it Home-Start?

Home-Start (hereinafter - HS) – It is organization. It’s volunteers offer regular qualified emotional and practical, but not financial support for families with pre-school age children in their own home. Volunteers provide support to prevent family crisis and breakdown, which may affect children's socialization processes.

Public institution “Nuo pradžios” (“From the beginning”) – program Home-Start creation in Lithuania

Home Start begins when European Union Communities program EQUAL project " Model of Women's Employment " was conducted in Lithuania.

Using project funding has been translated part of methodological material donated by HS International; has been created an organization statute; the first coordinators of Home-Start activity have been trained for work with families.

Organization‘s „Nuo pradžios“ ( which works according to the Home - Start principles) statute has been created in October 2005.

„Nuo pradžios“ became the member of international organisation Home – Start the 28th of November 2005.

„Nuo pradžios“ was registered in the State Register of Legal Entities Centre on the 9th of January 2006.

Whom Home-Start helps?

To large families; To parents with twins or more than one pre – school

age children; To sick people; To unemployed parents; To single mothers; To mothers with postnatal depression; To families without friends, close people.

Statistics ofchildren's needs

I -“children in case”

II -“children at risk”

 

III -“children of need”

 

IV - children at normal conditions

Social Services are working with I and II groups.

Nobody have a consistent work with the III group. The work with the III group - means posibility to return to normal conditions group; to avoid the chance to go to the risk group.

Institutions providing assistance and support to families with children in

Lithuania Family, close people, neighbours, friends; Church; Nongovernmental organizations; State and local government institutions providing social

services/organisations, Child rights protection institutions/organisations; Institutions providing health care services/organisations; Institutions of education/organisations.

Why HS is different from other service?

The lower cost of service

Unite all the problems / complexity

Turns the whole community

Implements early prevention

Service individuality

Confidentiality Variety of services Service flexibility

Free services for families

Family selects the service themself

Services are provided within the home / home visits

Development of volunteering

Work and family life balance

equality of genderSocial services network expansion

Non – formal education of adults and children (generation experience continuity)

What institutions might be

interesting/useful in HS activities? Child protection services and institutions– because preconditions are created for correct socialization of children, carried early prevention for a variety problems, prevention of violence against children, reducing child and family social exclusion.Organisations of education – a) on children's stability; because children will come to school more emotionally stable and more socializedb) for the prevention of problems; because it has been working with special needs children and their families.

Organisations providing health care services – because HS carries prevention of psychological and physical health problems considering in volunteer opportunities. Social services– because volunteers are visiting families for free, carries preventive activities in flexible and comprehensive way and saves time of social institutions.Nongovernmental organizations– because strengthens the position of NGOs in society, promote cooperation in solving similar problems, encourage volunteering.

Home-Star structure

Address:Debreceno 3, Klaipėda

tel. +370 46 300385E-mail: hsnuopradzios@gmail.lt

Thank you for

your attention