Dobra praxe_ENG_CR_2.indd

Transcription

Goo d practice
rience from
Czech and foreigner expe
ntact services
low barriers and easy co
Good practice
Czech and foreigner experience from
low barriers and easy contact services
Editorial team:
PhDr. Zdena Filípková
Mgr. Helena Kotová
Bc. Lenka Staníková
Mgr. Zdenka Vymětalová
Bc. Martin Holiš
Mgr. Jindřich Racek
Mgr. Martin Svoboda
Mgr. Michal Zahradník
Language editing:
Mgr. Martina Stavjaníková
Mgr. Monika Urbanová
Graphic design:
Hana Kačírková
Published in frame of project „Support of sharing good practice experience
in low barriers and easy contact services in particular EU countries“
Registration no. CZ.1.04/5.1.01/12.00060
Published by Czech association of street work (ČAS), 2011
This project is financed by OPLZZ – ESF
ISBN: 978-80-905069-1-6
content
Foreword .........................................................................................................................................................5
Section I:
Examples of Good Practice in the Services in the Czech Republic.......................................................7
Good Practice Topic: Client’s Report Card
Ladislav Vondruška.........................................................................................................................................9
Monitoring of Target Groups in the Location – Mapping the Need
of Youth-Oriented Fieldwork
Jaroslav Marek ..............................................................................................................................................11
Motivation System
Michaela Pittnerová ......................................................................................................................................17
Working with Older Clients in Club Environment
Mgr. Jan Neudert ......................................................................................................................................... 23
Organisation of the “Kotelnafest” Music Festival in Cooperation with the Clients
Alena Mirgová .............................................................................................................................................. 35
Facebook and its Use in a Drop-In Centre
Bc. Lenka Čiháčková ................................................................................................................................... 43
It May Start with a Camp
Bc. Jana Jarošová, DiS. ...............................................................................................................................47
Event Organizing by Clients – Methods and Techniques
Bc. Zuzana Bartoníčková ............................................................................................................................. 55
Section II:
Examples of Good Practices in the Services in Slovakia..................................................................... 59
Principles of Work with Children and their Application in Specific Situations
in the MIXCLub and MIXáčik Projects
Mgr. Barbora Brichtová, Mgr. Ivana Pitková .................................................................................................61
Sex Business and Human Trafficking
Mgr. Katarína Chovancová .......................................................................................................................... 73
Preschool Preparatory Programme of Kopčany Community Centre
Mgr. Monika Juríková ....................................................................................................................................81
Relationship as Basic Motivation Tool in Street-Work
Mgr. Jozef Vycpálek ..................................................................................................................................... 85
Section III:
Examples of Good Practices from Belgium, Nethrelands and the Poland......................................... 95
Trajekt – Maastricht and Environs
Mgr. Patricie Hanzlová, Bc. Simona Zatloukalová .......................................................................................97
Good Practice Excursions to Belgium and the Netherlands
Helena Kotová, Milan Štorek, Artem Vartanyan .........................................................................................103
MOPS Kraków – Municipal Social Assistance Centre in Krakow
Lucie Voláková, Tomáš Příhoda ................................................................................................................. 111
About the Authors .......................................................................................................................................119
Dear reader,
the present volume forms a loose continuation of the two previous Czech Streetwork Association publications that bore an identical title Contact Work and Contact Work 2010. This time, we have opted for a different format that aims to present a portrayal of the field of low-threshold and field social work services, and
at the same time to provide you with inspiration for further development and professionalisation of social
work.
Social services are undergoing constant development and face the requirement to measure their quality
and efficiency. As a part of international project “Support of Sharing of Good Practice in Field and LowThreshold Contact Services in Selected EU Countries“ financed from HREOP ESF, the Czech Streetwork
Association conducted for three years activities (educational courses, international internships, conferences) aimed at sharing of good practice in order to improve the quality and efficiency of the provided services.
When we started preparing this project in 2009, we set four goals. First, to improve international cooperation in the field and to continue in the already established cooperation between Czech and Slovak experts.
To have a look abroad, gain perspective, inspiration and share experiences, instead of remaining settled in
our own turf. Second, to search for examples of good practice in the field and to support the professionals
who seek out, develop and bring to life new approaches in the field of contact work. Moreover, to establish
principal criteria of quality and efficiency. Last but not least, to motivate the individuals who are just entering
the field of low-threshold contact services and searching for their place in it. In search for the papers collected in this volume, we have addressed all participants of the project with an ambition to collect and submit
to the readers a sort of cookbook of ideas and experiences that can serve as an inspiration to reflect about
one‘s own work, or to try out and implement the ideas that have already been successfully implemented.
The idea of this book could also be described as not discovering what has already been discovered and
mutually sharing our experiences. We hope that at least some of our ideas will be fulfilled and that you will
be inspired by the selected texts.
We would like to thank all people who have participated in the preparation of this volume.
Mgr. Martina Zikmundová
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/7
Section I.
E xample s of Good Practice
in the Se rvice s in the Czech Re pu blic
The papers on good practices have been submitted by the participants of a training
programme for the good practice lecturers that was conducted with the support of the
“SUPPORT OF SHARING OF GOOD PRACTICE IN FIELD AND LOW-THRESHOLD
CONTACT SERVICES IN SELECTED EU COUNTRIES” project. The training programme consisted of two courses that were carried out between 2009 and 2011. We
have received a total of 37 texts. In our selection, we focussed on those papers on
services in the Czech Republic that bring new ideas or new critical perspectives
into the field of contact and low-threshold work.
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/9
Good Practice Topic:
Client's Report Card
Ladislav Vondruška
Contact Centre, Civic Association Prostor - Kolín
Contact Centre is a low-threshold facility that provides services to the users of narcotic and psychotropic
substances and their friends and relatives. The service aims at decreasing the social and health risks
related to the clients’ life style, motivating the clients to engage in some activities, change their behaviour
and attain independence, with the intention to promote the clients’ social integration. The contact centre has
been in operation under the auspices of Prostor [Space] civic association since June 2003.
I have selected the topic based on a good experience our facility made with distributing report cards to
selected clients in order to highlight the kind and amount of services used by them most frequently. I believe
the report cards can be used also in the context of drop-in centre services, field and other programmes
whereas the concerned facility may decide, which services it wants to evaluate and report to its clients or
users.
In 2010, our supervisor Ms. Markéta Lukáčová came up with an idea that we could report the services
provided by our facility to selected clients. It occurred to us that a suitable method could consist of report
cards distributed to the clients. We have selected the following most often used services: contact room
(contact), food service, hygienic service, laundry service and [needle] exchange programme.
Use of each of these services was indicated in a chart on the report card, including comparison of the
use of services for the entire year of 2009 and first five months of 2010. This overview was supplemented
with verbal assessment of the client, describing his/her current social situation, state of health, as well as
any other relevant factors that currently influence his/her life.
The report cards were handed over individually in the counselling room providing clients with an
opportunity to inquire about any issues they might have not understood. We used the report cards in
preparation of individual plans and setting of the targets the client would like to achieve with our assistance.
In 2010, we prepared a total of 25 client report cards. Out of this total, we have distributed over 22 report
cards; we could not deliver the report card to 3 clients.
The report cards were prepared for 16 men and 9 women.
Out of 22 persons (100%) who have received the report cards:
• approx. 15% are currently serving a prison sentence
• approx. 15% pursue substitution therapy at an AT [alcohol and toxicology] clinic (including one client
undergoing Hepatitis C treatment in Prague)
• approx. 5% service terminated
• approx. 15% do not visit the contact centre at all
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/ 11
Examples of Good Practice in the Services in the Czech Republic
•
•
•
•
approx. 20% are still trying to change their behaviour (safe application)
approx. 15% do not want to do anything about themselves
approx. 10% are not directly using our services but are still drug users
approx. 5% state that they are not drug users (women taking care of children, have they definitely quit?)
Questions for future development:
• How many times a year should we distribute the report cards?
• In which months should the report cards be distributed?
• Should we issue the report cards to all clients using the contact centre or field programme services?
Recommendations for other facilities:
• prepare a report card template and just fill in the information; it will speed up the preparation of report
cards
• schedule a date (time-frame) for handing over of the report cards
• inform all the team members about the contents of the report cards
• it is important to discuss individual clients – [to obtain] complex and comprehensive information about
the person
• it is possible to sort out the clients – the report cards may be issued only to selected clients, etc.
Method of Implementation in our Facility:
• 1st year: May 2010 – preparation
• data and information gathering
• consultations within the team; discussion about individual clients, gathering additional information
• individual statistics; overview of the amount of services used
• client diaries outputs
• setting of the timeframe (semi-annual, annual issuing of the report cards)
• selection of services (which services should be included in the report cards?)
• printing of the report cards
• handing of the report cards to the clients
Conclusion
To conclude, I would like to state that even a very simple idea, in this case a good practice topic “Reportcard” may be very useful in our work. This tool may assist us in assessing the client’s current situation and
discovering the right procedures, methods and extent of possible cooperation with the client. It should be
noted that each client is unique and may require distinct approach. If the report card makes at least a couple
of people think about themselves and commit to some future goal, I believe that it will be work well done and
that the report cards will have succeeded in fulfilling their objective.
We must keep on mind that the fight against drug addiction – one of the typical problems of this day and
age – is extremely demanding and hence even small steps and advances on the path towards liberation
from this problem and discovering oneself represent a success.
Monitoring of Target Groups in the Location:
Mapping the Nee d of Youth-Oriente d Fieldwork
Jaroslav Marek
Šance pro Tebe, o.s., Chrudim
About the organisation
Šance pro Tebe,o.s. [A Chance for You] is a provider of low-threshold social services in and around the
town of Chrudim. Its programmes focus on social work with children, youth and young adults, and provision
of educational and consultancy services.
Good Practice Topic Description
Topic Assumptions
This paper is based on the assumption that mapping of the needs of low-threshold service constitutes
a necessary precondition of its subsequent establishment.1 It serves to justify its creation, just as continuous mapping of the need (usefulness) of an already existing service justifies its continued existence. In this
context, I perceive the target group (hereinafter TG) monitoring as one of the tools of service need mapping.
Ideal Types of Target Group Monitoring According to Participation
on their Needs
TG Monitoring is an activity that precedes the contact work, an activity that supplements the contact
work but also constitutes a part of it, being an important component of field-work. In this paper I consider
three ideal types of monitoring TG and their needs. They differ in respect of the degree of integration of
monitoring into contact work or the depth of understanding of TG’s needs – i.e. participation. These are:
1. Preparatory monitoring – the initial mapping of TG and local environment and formulating hypotheses
about the needs of potential TGs; it is a tool for analysing the utility of the service. Example: seasonal
mapping at a suburban housing estate.
2. Continuous monitoring – it concerns attentiveness and integration of changes in broader contact field;
it is a tool for detecting further usefulness of the service. Example: mapping of communication, relationships and roles between individual groups and individuals in a park where contact work takes place.
3. Participatory monitoring – observation of TG dynamics and conscious participation in it. Example:
mapping of relationships between individuals or mapping of current needs.
1/ In 2010, the author conducted a survey among the Fieldwork Forum members. 73% of the respondents stated that their organisation has
fi rst conducted a target group survey, 64% discussed the need of follow-up services network, 57% relied on existing relevant materials and
one answer stated that the service was created exclusively based on the city’s request.
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Monitoring of Target Groups in the Location – Mapping the Need of Youth-Oriented
Fieldwork / Jaroslav Marek
On the following pages, I will describe the first of these types of mapping. I will introduce one of the possible TG monitoring frameworks as a tool for mapping of the need of youth oriented field-work using the TG
monitoring in Chrudim as an example.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Preparatory Monitoring in the Organisation
Šance pro Tebe [A Chance for Your] conducted a survey mapping the presence of TGs in Chrudim in
2007/2008 in the framework of Šance pro Ně... [A Chance for Them...] block grant. The survey was intended
to serve in preparations for a launch of a new set of low-threshold services for children, youth and young
adults in the location. Its course and the obtained results are recorded in document titled Proces zřizování
terénního programu pro mládež v Chrudimi [Process of Establishing of a Youth Oriented Field Programme
in Chrudim] (2009)2.The basic methodological framework and guidance for this research were provided by
o.s. Prev – centrum3. My description of the method used therefore draws primarily on these documents.
Preparatory Monitoring as a Tool of Mapping of the Need
of Youth Oriented Fieldwork
The reasons for mapping of the need of service, methods of TG needs analysis, as well as the contents
of monitoring are sufficiently covered by the existing literature.4 The present paper offers rather a systematic
description of the structure of the conducted survey. It is a set of guidelines that may be used to conduct
preparatory monitoring. Let us have a closer look at its structure.
Stages of Preparatory Monitoring
Preparatory monitoring can be divided into five logically interconnected stages:
1. specification of the research intent and conditions
2. establishment of the monitoring team
3. selection of suitable method and tools
4. execution of the survey
5. evaluation of the survey and submission of proposals of subsequent steps
The research intent and conditions must be specified prior to the launch of any research. Specification
of further steps needs to be adjusted according to the conditions, e.g. TG characteristics or research taskmaster’s preferences.5
1. Specification of Research Intent and Conditions
The purpose of this stage is to set the bounds of the survey. At its conclusion, we should primarily know
the answers to the following questions:
2/ Proces zřizování terénního programu pro mládež v Chrudimi, [Process of Establishing of a Youth Oriented Programme in Chrudim], Šance
pro Tebe, 2008/ 2009. Unpublished paper.
3/ In 2006, this organisation executed a research in Prague 6 district, summarized in the document Mapování terénu. Terénní sociální práce
nízkoprahového klubu Suterén [Field mapping. Field social work in the low threshold club Suterén.] (2006).
4/ Topinka, D.: Analýza potřeb v sociálních službách [Need Analysis in Social Services] In Janoušková, K., Nedělníková, D. (ed.), Profesní
dovednosti terénních sociálních pracovníků [Professional Skills of Social Fieldworkers], Ostrava: Ostravská univerzita, 2008, pp. 329-361;
Zimmermannová, M., Terénní sociální práce [Social Fieldwork] In Klíma, P. (et al.), Kontaktní práce: antologie textů České asociace streetwork, [COntact Work: Anthology of Czech Streetwork Association Texts] Praha: ČAS, 2009, pp. 307-313; Herzog, A., Obsah terénní sociální
práce s dětmi a mládeží [Contents of Social Field Work with Children and Youth] In ibid., pp. 315-317.
5/ The choice of the research implementer presents an ethical dilemma due to a possible confl ict of interests – see Topinka p. 341.
/ 14
Where will the survey be conducted? (location definition),
At what target group will it be aimed? (TG defnition),
What purpose will it have? (postulate reflection),
What means do we have available for the research? (costs determination),
Who will lead the research? (implementer selection),
When and for how long will it be held? (period and time specification).
2. Creation of the Monitoring Team
Creation of the monitoring team and hence the survey implementer selection depends on the taskmater’s preferences as well as on the survey intent and scope. The monitoring team gets acquainted with
the research intent and its preliminary timetable.
3. Selection of Suitable Methods and Tools
This stage answers the question: how will the survey be conducted? The implementers together with the
task-master select suitable method and tools to be used in the survey.6 Subsequently, research tasks are
planned and distributed among researchers.
In our preparatory monitoring we have employed a three-stage method, which is described under item 4.
Each research stage is based on the preceding one.
4. Conducting the Survey
a) Collection and Research of Available Material
This stage primarily provides a sense of orientation in the local network but it is also required for the
“market and environment analysis” - mapping of the demand for the intended service and its possible provision by existing suppliers. By available materials I mean primarily socio-demographic data (e.g. data from
the local government’s residents records), address lists (social services, educational establishments, etc.)
local network development plans (e.g. community plan) relevant survey results, maps.
b) Distribution of the questionnaires and conduct of the interviews
A questionnaire-based survey and interviews with the target population or other interested persons may
provide additional material for the analysis of the need of the intended service. It can also be used to inform
others (potential TG, follow-up institutions) about the planned service. For this stage of the survey we select
a range of persons at whom it is targeted and criteria that will help us define the potential TG at whom the
work at the location will be focussed. The obtained data must be considered as preliminary – primarily as
an aid to be used in the next stage of field observation.
c) Field Observation
In this stage, we have opted for participant and non-participant observation on location. The researchers
map the target population, its behaviour, visible signs of its activities; they also monitor civic amenities in the
environment, in which this segment of population spends its spare time. During the participant observation
they lead interviews with potential TG [members] on the monitored topics (e.g. How do the young people
in the location spend their free time and what would they like to change? We inquire about awareness of
and interest in low-threshold services, [or] available social assistance services in the location.) During this
stage of the survey, the researchers rely on evaluated questionnaire survey that monitors primarily the TG
activities and presence in space and time. It is advisable that the researchers visit the selected locations
repeatedly at different times. Repeated observations of individual groups are necessary for their description
and subsequent formulation of preliminary hypotheses about their needs.
6/ Disman, M., Jak se vyrábí sociologická znalost: příručka pro uživatele [How Sociological Knowledge Gets Manufactured: User Manual],
3rd Edition , Praha: Karolinum, 2000.
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Monitoring of Target Groups in the Location – Mapping the Need of Youth-Oriented
Fieldwork / Jaroslav Marek
5. Monitoring Evaluation and Submission of Proposals for Further Action
The ideal output of preliminary monitoring consists of a time-space map indicating the TGs occurrence
in the observed location, depicting their primary (e.g. age, location, shared identity) and secondary (e.g. socially undesirable conduct, contact with institutions) identification signs, and quantification of these groups.7
Other outputs can consist of mapping and contacting local service network or possible promotion of the
intended service.
Evaluation of the preparatory monitoring is followed by drafting of the proposals of further measures.
Based on the obtained data we conclude whether the situation pertaining to potential target groups in the
location – i.e. the needs expressed by these groups and detected by the researcher – requires implementation of eventual measures. The nature of the needs determines the nature of the measures. The proposed
measures may consist of an existing sports complex renovation or opening of an anglers’ club on the one
hand, as well as establishment of a field programme or a drop-in centre on the other hand. One of the
measures proposed following the evaluation of the 2008 target group mapping survey in Chrudim consisted
of launching a youth-oriented fieldwork programme in selected locations. Based on the information drawn
from the conducted survey and study of methodological materials, the fieldworkers drafted a field-work
methodology and subsequently launched a pilot operation of the street-work programme under auspices
of the drop-in centre. At the end of September of the same year, the field programme Streetwork was
registered.
work of “Suterén” Low-Threshold Club] Centrum komunitách aktivit, o.s. Prev-centrum, 2006. Formally
accessible at: <http://www.prevcentrum.cz>.
Mapa výskytu cílových skupin v Chrudimi [Map of Target Groups Occurrence], Šance pro Tebe, 2008. The
map has not been published.
Proces zřizování terénního programu pro mládež v Chrudimi [The Process of Establishing of Youth Oriented Fieldwork Programme in Chrudim], Šance pro Tebe, 2008/ 2009. Unpublished paper.
Topinka, D., Analýza potřeb v sociálních službách [Need Analysis in Social Services] In Janoušková, K.,
Nedělníková, D. (ed.), Profesní dovednosti terénních sociálních pracovníků [Professional Skills of Field Social
Workers], Ostrava: Ostravská univerzita v Ostravě, 2008, pp. 329-361.
Zahradník, M. Funkční a efektivní komplex nízkoprahově orientovaných služeb pro děti, mládež a mladé
dospělé v městské a příměstské lokalitě do 30 tisíc obyvatel. Náměty a metodická doporučení. [Functional
and Effective Bundle of Low-Threshold Services for Chidlren, Youth and Young Adult in a Suburban Location
with up to 30 000 Inhabitants] Šance pro Tebe, 2008.Unpublished paper.
Zimmermannová, M., Terénní sociální práce [Social Fieldwork] In Klíma, Petr (et al.), Kontaktní práce:
analogie textů České asociace streetwork [Social Fieldwork: Anthology of Czech Streetwork Association Papers], Praha: Česká asociace streetwork, 2009, pp. 307-313.
Primary Signs
Secondary Signs
Quantification
16 – 21 years
Use of legal addictive substances, marijuana,
experience with met amphetamine
Approx. 15 persons
Conclusion
The preparatory monitoring may use various methods. Nonetheless, it is important that the data obtained from the survey evaluation be relevant in respect of the potential TGs situation in the location, i.e. that
they describe their real needs. The subsequently designed measures should reflect these needs. If it is the
case, the preparatory monitoring represents a relevant tool of mapping the need of low-threshold service.
This applies also to the subsequent mapping of the usability of an existing service, since the verification of
its need serves to justify its existence and provides important information for its further operation.
TG monitoring thus plays an important role in the fieldwork, since it is can be used to collect both data
about the need of service as well as important data for the follow-up services network, and a tool for mapping of the potential recipients of the service.
VN
loitering
Subculture members
(punk, hip-hop)
Threatening behaviour –
vandalism, aggression
Educational and school problems
Life in a gang
Relationship problems
Example of a Target Group Characteristic Record, see Zahradník (2008).
Bibliography
Analýza potřebnosti nízkoprahových služeb pro děti a mládež a mladé dospělé v Litomyšli [Analysis
of the Need of Children and Youth Oriented Low-Threshold Services in Litomyšl,] Šance pro Tebe, 2009.
Unpublished paper.
Analýza sociálního klimatu se zaměřením na potřebnost nízkoprahových služeb a trávení volného času
dětí a mládeže v lokalitě Velká [Social Climate Analysis Focussed on the Need of Low-Threshold Services
and Free-Time Activities among Children and Youth in Velká Ohrada Neighbourhood], Proxima Sociale,
o.s., 2008. Accessible at: http://www.proximasociale.cz/download/ANALYZA_TEXT.pdf.
Herzog, A., Obsah terénní sociální práce s dětmi a mládeží [Content of Field Social Work with Chidlren
and Youth] In, Klíma, Petr (et al.), Kontaktní práce: analogie textů České asociace streetwork [Contact Work:
Anthology of Czech Streetwork Association Papers], Praha: Česká asociace streetwork, 2009, pp. 315-317.
Mapování terénu. Terénní sociální práce nízkoprahového klubu Suterén [Field Mapping. Social Field-
7/ During the field observations, the researchers identified approx. 200-250 individuals who gather in the selected locations and were marked
as potential target group members. Five separate target groups were identified among these individuals based primarily on age and their
characteristics – see Record of Target Group Characteristics.
/ 16
Map of Target Groups Occurence,
Šance pro Tebe (2008)
/ 17
E xample of Good Practice at M y Workplace,
or Succe s se s Achieve d at my Workplace
Motivation S y stem
Michaela Pittnerová
Diakonie ČCE [Diaconia of the Evangelical Church
of Czech Brethren] – Rokycany centre
Low-Threshold Community Centre Akcent
Introducing the Organisation
Low-Threshold Community Centre (hereinafter LTCC) Akcent accompanies and supports children and
youth from the town of Rokycany and its environs in their struggle with everyday as well as more challenging problems, increasing their chances of leading successful lives. LTCC services are intended for children
and youth between 11 and 20 years of age who face the threat of social exclusion due to poverty, low level
of education, place of residence, ethnic or national background. Furthermore, it is intended for children and
youth whose personal relations, life or social and professional fulfilment are jeopardized by a difficult life
situation and who are looking for a base for their own activities.
LTCC is run by Rokycany Diaconia, which was established in 2000 and started operating social fieldwork programme for children and youth. The club for children was opened in the Autumn of the same year
with the youth club following the suit in 2001. In 2007, the two clubs merged and in 2009 the LTCC [officially]
adapted the originally informal name “Akcent.” LTCC is a Czech Streetwork Association member facility. In
2006, it was awarded the “Time Boot” annual award in “the facility of the year” category. Apart from running a drop-in centre, Rokycany Diaconia also provides social counselling services and social activation
services for families with children.
In January 2011, three new LTCCs were created under our centre’s umbrella: in Pilsen, Dobřany and
Domažlice.
Topic Description: Motivation System
Our services are used primarily by Roma who differ from majority society in many respects, having different culture, traditions, habits and norms.
Our users are typically growing up in a family environment characterised by a lack of stimuli and concern
on the parents’ side. The upbringing is free and often lacks any interventions and obligations. As a result,
out users have difficulties internalising attitudes and requirements imposed on them by the majority society.
Every human being without exception needs approval, appreciation, praise, support. Therefore the
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Example of Good Practice at My Workplace, or Successes Achieved at my Workplace
Motivation System / Michaela Pittnerová
LTCC staff members strive to provide our clients with at least some fulfilment of these needs. We would like
our clients to experience what it feels like having someone who cares about them, we encourage them in
activities they are successful at, and provide support in difficult situations.
The survey focussed on several areas. It inquired about the users’ attitude towards the individual plans
and related benefits, as well as about their attitude to the centre staff (whether it influences defining of
the personal goal.)
I will first summarize the results of the users with an individual plan. The most frequent reasons for having an individual plan are to learn or discover something new but also to gain access to the computers and
the Internet. The users states that they have learned something new thanks tho their work on individual
plans. The only benefit they have recalled was the access to the computers and Internet.
The users from the other group have not concluded an agreement [on an individual plan] primarily
because they are under the impression that they would have to attend LTCC regularly. They state that
they have no idea of what would have to happen or change if they were to discover their personal goal.
They are usually not aware of the benefits stemming from the agreements. The only benefit some of them
are aware of, is the access to the computers and the Internet. They agree that if they were to to discover
some goal, it would have to be something they enjoy.
The survey discovered that the users are not sufficiently informed about the entire range of benefits
offered by the motivation system. They know about the computers and the Internet, a couple of individuals
recalled the collection of stamps. Another finding is that the users often conclude the agreements in order
to gain access to the computers and the Internet. A reassuring finding is the users’ positive attitude to the
staff as well as the fact that they realise that discovering their personal goal and working on it could teach
them something knew and broaden their horizons.
Motivation System History
The motivation system was introduced to LTCC several years ago. Today, we are using a modified version
of the system. At the beginning, it focussed on collecting of stamps whereas the users themselves would apply to take part in this “competition.” Those who gathered a certain number of stamps received an award (they
could choose from about three possible awards). This system was used by the LTCC for younger children.1
Users of the LTCC for youth used to collect “Akcent dollars.”
Both LTTCs also used a simplified system of benefits related to the use of the computers and the Internet,
keyboards, microphones and excursions. At that time, the motivation system was related to conclusion of an individual plan2 and to good deeds committed by users on behalf of LTCC (for example assisting with cleaning up.)
Until January 2011, the motivation system was closely connected with the individual plan. It targeted more
or less exclusively the users with an individual plan (those who committed a good deed on behalf of LTCC
could also participate but this option was used only very rarely).
The motivation system can be divided into four areas.
The first one concerns the stamps collected by the users. If they are fulfilling their individual plan, are active
and make effort, they can gain a stamp for each meeting with the social worker. They can also gain a stamp if
they commit a good deed on behalf of the centre. The stamps are affixed on a large poster with users’ names,
which is displayed at prominent place in the centre. Stamp collection is evaluated at the end of the year at the
Christmas Party. The staff determine the number of stamps that entitles the user to receive an award. The
higher the number of collected stamps, the higher is the award. In the past years, the awards included e.g.
pizzeria vouchers. This year, three most diligent users received hair irons.
The second area concerns the computers and the Internet. Only the users with an individual plan may
use this equipment for any purpose on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 3PM and 6PM, for a maximum
of 3 up to 30 minutes long sessions. Other “visitors” may use the computers and the Internet only to research
information needed e.g. for school work (papers), or various other information (employment, part-time jobs,
selecting a school.)
The third area is related to outings and excursions. Members with individual plan get precedence in applying for various events. Other users may participate only if there are any available slots left.
The last area concerns the use of other LTCC equipment – primarily the keyboards and the microphones.
These may be used only by the users with an individual plan. Others may use it only during certain events
(dance parties, music workshops.)
The option of collecting stamps is used primarily by our younger users.
The older ones find attractive mostly the computers, the Internet, and the keyboards and microphones.
Survey of Motivation System Awareness
I have conducted a survey among our users focussing on the operation of the motivation system. Two
types of questionnaires were distributed – one for the users with an individual plan, the other one for those
without it. Their were 20 respondents – 12 boys and 8 girls with the average age of 14.7 years and average
length of LTCC attendance of 3.7 years.
Motivation System Today
During the last few months, we have been encountering a growing number of users interested in
defining (or having the staff define) an individual plan only to gain access to the related benefits. Such
plans consequently turned difficult to fulfil, working on them was really difficult, the users were not really
motivated and the work was not pleasant for either of the parties. Those without individual plans were
losing their interest in the services because they had only very limited options of using LTCC equipment.
We have therefore concluded that we need to lower the thresholds for our users in order not to lose the
existing users and to gain new ones, who obviously cannot have an individual plan from the very beginning (it used to happen that the first thing a new user learned during his/her first visit to the centre was
what equipment he/she was not allowed to use.) The motivation system was therefore modified as of
January 2011.
Anyone, including the users without individual plans, may collect stamps. A stamp may be received for
any good deed (for instance if someone stands up for a friend, or for active participation in a discussion)
and it may be awarded by any staff member. The evaluation will be conducted again at the end of the year
and the number of stamps needed for a particular award will be clearly determined. The awards will be
ranked (small, medium, large).
The computers and the Internet may be used by everybody but users with an individual plan have
guaranteed access on a given day and may enjoy it for at least 30 minutes. Others have to wait until
a computer becomes vacant.
Outings and excursions are open to all users, but the users with individual plans have priority.
The remaining LTCC equipment – the keyboards and the microphones may be used by all users. Microphones are available at most once a week, the keyboards on certain days (Mondays, Wednesdays).
The users with individual plans may use this equipment provided the current situation in the centre makes
it possible and they have received a prior authorisation from the staff.
1/ Until August 21, 2007 there were two separate centres – for children and for youth. Currently, there is only one centre – Akcent LTCC for
children and youth.
2/ LTCC users worked on their personal goals even prior to the acceptance of the Social Services Act.
/ 20
/ 21
Example of Good Practice at My Workplace, or Successes Achieved at my Workplace
Motivation System / Michaela Pittnerová
Current Situation Assessment
other club equipment (the keyboards and the microphones) at the expense of other services. Fortunately
enough, this did not happen. It is interesting that those who used to come to use the computers and the
Internet although they were not allowed to, do not use these services in greater extent today. Obviously,
there is a couple of users who user only the Internet and the keyboards but I believe it is up to the staff to
find out how to motivate these users, making them more active. An interesting point is that even the users
who previously did not participate in the programme because they did not have the individual plan, started
collecting the stamps. They are proud about themselves and are motivated to pursue other activities. So far,
the new motivation system appears as functional and more attractive – if only because it really is accessible
to everyone.
The new system is running without any major flaws; the staff as well as the users are content with the
current situation, they cannot think about any possible improvements. The only thing we have not achieved
yet is determining the number of stamps required to win an award and the kinds of awards. This is due to
the fact that the staff members cannot estimate how many stamps the users will collect in a year. It could
happened that the required number of stamps would not be achieved by anybody, or by too many users.
Therefore the staff members have decided to make the decision based on the evaluation of the programme,
which will be conducted at the end of the year.
The users do not know the awards in advance also because the LTCC manager does not know what
funds will be available at the end of the year.
Apart from these two issues the motivation system is working as described above.
Bibliography
Assessment and Recommendations
A number of questions come to mind: The fist one concerns lowering of the thresholds. Until now, the
motivation system was intended more or less only for the users with individual plans. We must clarify our
priorities. Do we want to attract new users or motivate the existing ones to be more active? The question is
how to motivate the users to engage in long-term planning and avert the situation when the users are only
using the free-time activities.
Another question that comes to mind is how much to lower the thresholds so that the stay in the club
motivates the users to change their behaviour.
Furthermore, how to make the system more attractive and transparent.
That requires determining the exact number of stamps needed for an award.
Should the award be determined in advance or should there be a financial limit? If we opt for the latter
option, can we guarantee the amount of money?
Recommendations for Others
Public pledge of Akcent Low Threshold Community Centre [online]. Diaconia of the Evangelical Church
of Czech Brethren – Rokycany Centre [Accessed on Jan. 5, 2011]: <http://rokycany.diakoniecce.cz/sluzby/
nizkoprahove-komunitni-centrum/nizkoprahove-komunitni-centrum-verejny-zavazekhttp://rokycany.diakoniecce.cz/sluzby/nizkoprahove-komunitni-centrum/nizkoprahove-komunitni-centrum-verejny-zavazek)>.
Public pledge of Civic Counselling Centre [online]. Diaconia of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren – Rokycany Centre [Accessed on Jan. 5, 2011] <http://rokycany.diakoniecce.cz/sluzby/obcanskaporadna/verejny-zavazek-obcanske-poradnyhttp://rokycany.diakoniecce.cz/sluzby/obcanska-poradna/
verejny-zavazek-obcanske-poradny>.
Public pledge of Family Support Centre [online]. Diaconia of the Evangelical Church of Czech
Brethren – Rokycany Centre [Accessed on Jan. 5, 2011] <http://rokycany.diakoniecce.cz/sluzby/centrum-podpory-rodiny/centrum-podpory-rodiny-verejny-zavazekhttp://rokycany.diakoniecce.cz/sluzby/
centrum-podpory-rodiny/centrum-podpory-rodiny-verejny-zavazek>.
2009 Annual Report of the Diaconia of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren – Rokycany Centre
Our motivation system got obsolete having been created for users who no longer attend the LTCC. With
a bit of exaggeration, one could say that rather than motivational, the system was limiting and obligating, as
it implied obligations rather than benefits. One needs to react to the clients’ requirements and the overall
situation in LTCC taking into consideration the needs of the existing users and reacting to them flexibly.
The staff should not insist on the established procedures. One needs to be open to changes and be there
with the user, rather than standing above him/her. The aim is to motivate the user to be active, rather than
forcing him/her.
Conclusion
We are grateful for the unique opportunity to encounter the Roma culture, its norms and values, for having an opportunity – however tiny it may often be – to positively influence the life of a young person who
attends our facility or at least is in some form of contact with us. We must not miss these opportunities. On
the contrary, we must keep using them to motivate the young person towards activity so that he/she does
not keep getting lost in his/her life and gets a chance to find the right path.
The modified motivation system has been in operation already for six months and I dare to say it is more
functional than the original system. We were worried that the users might be using only the Internet and
/ 22
/ 23
Working with Older Clients
in Club E nvironment
Mgr. Jan Neudert
NKDM PVC Blansko, Sdružení Podané ruce, o.s.
PVC Club Blansko – Facility Description and Goals
PVC Low-Threshold Club provides a base, support and professional assistance to teenagers facing
a difficult life situation. The target group consists of teenagers and young adults between 13 and 20 years
of age from the town of Blansko and vicinity. The secondary target group consists of young adults between
21 and 26 years of age (a different regime applies to these clients). The facility’s principal goals include
socialization of teenagers among their peers as well as [broader] society, minimization of endangering
consequences of the teenagers’ risk prone behaviour on their health and further personal development.
The club serves as a base, which provides safe environment for individuals or groups of teenagers, creating
conditions for their self-help activities. We accompany the teenagers in difficult life situations and provide
assistance in various crisis situations that may arise in their everyday life. At the same time, we engage in
mapping the teenagers’ needs to be used in the development of new practices and methods of social work
focussed on this target group.
Presence of Older Clients in the Club – Positive and Negative Aspects
The PVC club has been in operation for over 10 years. Therefore we have some clients who started
attending the club at the time when their age corresponded to the lower age limit of our target group
and today it is either approaching or has already exceeded the upper age limit. On the other hand, facilities that have been in operation for a shorter period of time may not have any experience with older
clients, as the oldest of their clients have not yet reached the upper age limit. Our club does not strictly
enforce the upper age limit of its target group, working even with clients over 20 years of age. Traditionally, our clients attend the club until the age of 21. Nonetheless, we also take into account the intensity
and contents of their visits. We do not want to throw clients out because of their age and thus we also
have a so called secondary target group for 20-26 year olds. The main criterion from our point of view
is the client’s situation and related need to use the social services provided by our club. “Accompanying
should be based on the young person’s personal situation.” (Svoboda) We hence try to “be with the client” even if he/she no longer belongs to our target group based on the age but still needs out services
and is interested in using them. This decision, which has also various negative consequences, has led
us to prepare a set of guidelines that should enable us providing services suitable to the older clients’
/ 24
/ 25
Working with Older Clients in Club Environment / Mgr. Jan Neudert
needs, while preventing the occurrence of negative phenomena that might be triggered by the presence
of older clients in the club.
similar. After reaching 18 years of age, the client gets acquainted with the terms of the agreement in the
following way:
1) The client gets a copy of the agreement to thoroughly read over (upon request, he/she may take it home
to read through at his/her leisure.)
2) After the clients gets acquainted with the terms of the agreement he/she gets an opportunity to ask
questions to clarify the meaning of individuals articles of the agreement, which is important to ensure
that the client really understands the terms of the agreement and is sufficiently familiar with its contents.
Occasionally, one might encounter a client with specific educational needs who is incapable of adequate
understanding of the contents of written text (due to a specific learning disorder); in such a case, it is
necessary to go through all the articles of the agreement with the client and to explain their meaning.) 3
3) Conclusion of the Agreement. At this stage, the client has become sufficiently familiar with the contents
and meaning of the agreement and may conclude it. The client is not obliged to conclude the agreement.4 If he/she decides against it, he may keep using the service because he/she had been acquainted
with its contents and will be subject to the same rules as other clients over 18 years of age.
Use of the Educational Potential of the Older Clients’ Group
We have observed that the older clients have a great potential to influence the club climate in a negative
or positive way thus effecting the other clients. Provided it is detected and engaged on time, this influence
could have great educational potential. The older clients obviously influence the club atmosphere as well.
This is however conceived rather as a short term momentary situation, whereas the climate may cover the
entire period of client’s needs to use the services offered by the club.
Club Climate Scheme1
Older Clients
Older Clients provide an example to
the younger clients. Younger clients
often adapt their behaviour patterns.
Younger Clients
(other clients)
Club Climate
The staff’s task consists of influencing the
older clients so that
their behaviour serves
as a good example for
the younger clients.
Moreover, it involves
interacting with the
older clients who
serve as an educational model for the
younger clients (educational potential).
Staff
The climate of the club is constituted and influenced by all
three components: the older clients, the younger clients and
the staff. At the same time, however, they themselves are
influenced by the club climate. Positive climate is conducive to
positive and desirable relationships between all three components, which is an ideal state of affairs important for good and
efficient work.
Examples of Negative Climate Effects
The older clients behave aggressively towards others in the
club. The staff members are aware of it but cannot do much
about it. A climate of fear starts developing among the
younger clients of the club who do not feel safe (possible loss
of clients). The younger clients also receive feedback from
the staff implying that the older clients’ behaviour is OK and
sooner or later they adapt it.
A Tool for Work with the Older Clients
The older clients may provide a bad example to the younger ones as they often tend to breach the club
rules, social norms, as well as laws valid in the street outside of the club. These clients are usually over
18 years of age and hence enjoy certain privileges granted by society and law (alcohol consumption, possibility to obtain a driver’s licence,…) at the same time, however, society demands more from them and
expects certain responsibility. As a tool that would guarantee desirable climate for all clients of the clubs
and at the same time could be used to work with the older clients, we have developed a so called Written
Agreement on the Use of Services by User Over 18 Years of Age2 (Hořava).
The Written Agreement on the Use of Services by User Over 18 Years of Age is in essence a revised
version of the standard verbal agreement or written contract on the use of services that low-threshold clubs
usually conclude with their users. The manner of concluding the agreement with the client is hence also
1/ The scheme describes the experiences and results of observations in PVC club Blansko.
2/ See the Appendix - Written Agreement on the Use of Services by a User over 18 Years of Age
/ 26
Efficiency of the Written Agreement on the Use of Services by User over
18 Years of Age
The use of the agreement for users over 18 years of age may have its supporters as well as opponents.
The following chart depicts our experience with the use of this agreement and its efficiency for four segChart: Efficiency of the Written Agreement on the Use of Services by User over 18 Years of Age 5
Older clients
Conclusion of the
agreement constitutes
a model situation that
practically prepares the
client for concluding
various contracts in his/
her future life (mortgage
contract, building society contract, purchase
contract, etc.)
Younger clients
(other clients)
Staff
Club climate
Younger clients are
confronted with older
clients’ exemplary behaviour in the club.
(Such behaviour hence
comes to constitute
a norm.) If the older clients behaviour complies
with the rules of the
club, the younger clients
will behave this way as
well.
Conclusion of the
agreements serves as
a signal for the staff that
indicates the need of
different approach to
older clients. They are
already adult and require attitude appropriate to their age and new
position in society – they
are responsible for their
actions. At the same
time the staff members
are entitled to expect
appropriate behaviour
from the older clients.
Written Agreement on
the Use of Services by
User over 18 Years of
Age is conducive to desirable climate in the club
that will not threaten any
of the component (older
clients, younger clients,
staff) creating safe
environment that will
convey to all the clients
the experience of well
functioning coexistence
of individuals compatible
with the ideals of democratic society.
3/ Stages 2 and 3 should be conducted in calm and safe environment (contact room, etc.) in the presence of no one else apart from the client
and the employee in charge of concluding the client agreements. Conclusion of the agreement should be treated with certain gravity and
the clients should be approached individually with regard to their cognitive, social and personal competences (see also Efficiency of Written
Agreement on the Use of Service by User over 18 Years of Age.)
4/ So far, we have no experience with a client who would refuse to conclude the agreement. This could be explained by the clients’ long-term
use of the service and hence also certain familiarity with this procedure. However, even the clients who started attending the club shortly
before their 18th birthday do not refuse the agreement. Rather, they take it as something that is a part of the service and applies to everyone
over 18 years of age.
5/ The chart describes experiences and observation results from PVC Club Blansko.
/ 27
ments of the club important in our work with older clients: older clients, younger (other) clients, staff, club
climate.
As revealed by the chart, the written agreement on the use of services by user over 18 years of age is
hence not just a tool enabling the employees to impose harsher penalties on the older users, but on the
contrary, it is most beneficiary to the older users themselves. In a simple way appropriate to their age group
and requirements of their impending adulthood, it assists them with the development of their key personal
competences within the framework of educational process.
It is a kind of a ritual
of passage – welcoming the client in legal
adulthood. At the same
time, it provides an opportunity to discuss the
newly acquired rights
and obligations of the
client – i.e. introducing
him/her to the legal
demands imposed
on an adult person –
greater responsibility.
(He/she should behave
in an exemplary way,
may become a model,
preparation for possible
parenthood, etc.)
The client refreshes
his/her knowledge of
the club rules and penalties, its mission and
goals (social services).
Gradual preparation of
the client for the future
regime intended for
clients over 20 years of
age, i.e. limiting the free
time activities as well as
the stay in the club.6 At
the same time, the client is reminded that he/
she may continue using
the social services
provided by the club.
The client may choose
his/her principal social
worker.7
/ 28
Direct Work with Older Clients
This chapter consists of an analysis of our experiences with the work with older clients, as well as a comparison with experiences of other clubs that were obtained by a questionnaire survey conducted during the
preparation of this paper. The survey focussed primarily on these main areas:
• observance of the target group’s upper age limit
• older clients’ needs (or specific requirements)
Strict observance of the target group’s upper age limit
Model situation illustrating how things
work outside (older
clients may not give
cigarettes to younger
ones because if they
are over 18, it is illegal,
etc.) Adulthood does
not entail only various
advantages but also
imposes a great deal
of responsibility on an
individual.
The staff members
have a tool that can be
used to influence the
older clients more efficiently and to enforce
observance of the club
rules. (See prohibitions
and penalties, Written
Agreement on Use of
Services by Client over
18 Years of Age.)
Alternative experience: Strictly observe the upper age limit of the target group and terminate provision of
the services to the clients when it is reached
risks:
• client’s use of the services is terminated based on age rather than his/her situation and needs. The client
may not be sufficiently “started up” yet.
elimination of the risks:
• preparing the client for the termination of the services (prior to reaching the cut-off age limit)
• providing information, eventually referring the client to follow-up care (when available and compatible
with the client’s needs)
positives:
• the club does not become a space where the older clients come to “play,” which may potentially disrupt
the club’s climate and block up the space needed by the younger clients
The upper age limit of the target group is not decisive for service termination
Our experience:
• We do not strictly observe the target group upper age limit
6/ This limits the opportunities for “hanging out” and playing, i.e. engaging in activities that should no longer constitute the prevalent mode
of spending time and that would also lead the client away from solving his/her current issues – the clients frequently do not attend school any
longer, are jobless and typically lack long-term life goals. At the same time, it prevents the older clients from blocking the space needed by
the younger clients, for whom the free time activities serve as a tool for becoming familiar with the service and getting in contact with the staff.
Even after these limitations are imposed, the clients frequently come to the club for a visit or with a specific request either during opening
hours or by an appointment.
7/ If the client has used the service already in the past, he/she has already an assigned principal social worker. Nonetheless, the agreement
constitutes also a revision of the service [conditions] and therefore it includes the possibility of changing the principal social worker.
/ 29
risks:
• the older clients do not feel the need to organise their time differently during the club’s opening hours.
They come to play fussball or to hang around (fixation on the environment and free time activities) –
bad example for younger clients
• their behaviour may disrupt the club’s climate.
We will assist Felix sorting out his needs, distinguishing between long-term and short-term goals. “The
clients set their personal goals and then, in cooperation with us, plan how to achieve them. Subsequently,
we support the clients in achieving these goals.” (Maceček) To resolve his situation, Felix needs to find
a job, which is the first short-term goal. Once he finds it, he will have financial resources to support himself
and will have a chance to find housing (become independent) and consequently improve his life situation,
which is the long term goal. In this case, it is hence important to assist Felix and motivate him in his job
search (talk with him about the goals the job may help him to achieve, about what makes it important for
him, and to make sure this is not just idle talk):
• we will assist him in selecting the right kind of work (appropriate to his abilities and enjoyable – we
do not want to foster unrealistic expectations)
• we will advise him where to search for the job (internet, ads, etc.)
• we will assist him writing his CV, possibly also a cover letter, and help him with communication
• we will support him in overcoming the obstacles he may face at work, or when he gets rejected
elimination of the risks:
• modified regime for older clients – limits on free time activities and time spent in the club – stay in club
during the opening hours conceived as a visit (or taking care of a smaller request and conducting an
interview), option to arrange an appointment outside of the club’s opening hours
• motivating older clients and engaging them in the club’s programme (assistance with organisation of
events in the club and elsewhere)
• stricter penalties for breaking of the club rules (the threat of harsher punishments exists also outside)
positives:
• we try to continue being there for the clients if they still need to use our services (the secondary target
group of 20-26 year olds.) The transition from the children’s world into the adult world is an individual
process and it is impossible to set a clear age limit for it. If we provide the client with the time he/she
needs, we get a chance to walk him/her through this transition and complete it successfully. The reverse situation frequently leads to client’s future frustrations and deprivations that limit the quality of
his/her life. (client’s failures)
• sustaining of the built-up relationship with the client
Once Felix has found his job, we can focus on his need of independent housing, progressing in discrete yet interconnected steps. Felix has found a job, during the week he commutes to construction sites
staying in dorms with his work buddies; he is glad not being stuck all the time in the same town. He comes
home only occasionally to stay over the weekend and the relationship with his mother is improving. Felix
may keep attending the club and usually he uses this opportunity on Sundays when the club is open. He
does not stay there for the entire opening time any more, though, but adheres to the regime to which he
was prepared by the conclusion of the Written Agreement on the Use of Services by User over 18 Years
of Age. Upon arriving to the club, he visits the contact room where he discusses his current situation with
a staff member, bringing in new topics or even requests for further work. If he has some time left, he plays
some fussball, talks a bit with his friends and then leaves the club.
Needs (or Specific Requirements) of Older Clients
Based on the results of the questionnaire survey, the experiences with the most frequent needs of
older clients in our club and in other clubs are the same:
1) looking for a job, part time jobs
2) relationship problems
3) personal and family-related problems
4) assistance in communication with the authorities
If you work with a group of older clients in the club you have to prepare an offer that suites their needs.
Ideally, each staff member should be in charge of a particular group of clients, specializing in their needs.
The following methods of social work are used most frequently in the work with older clients: case work,
counselling and information services. According to our experience, the first of these needs becomes
a very important factor influencing the client’s life situation. Let us have a look at an example of an older
client.
Felix is 21 years old and has been attending the club since he was 14. He has completed only primary
education, since he has not finished the secondary school due to frequent absences. He shares an apartment with his mother who is an alcoholic. Felix is unemployed and does not attend school anymore. When
drinking, he gets frequently into fights; he has also experience with methamphetamine use. Felix attends
the club because he has nothing to do and cannot stand his mother. (Occasionally she even kicks him out
of the flat and he has to sleep over at his friends’.) He would like to find his own place so that he does not
have to fight with his mother at home, and get some job. 8
Conclusion
The staff members may be under an impression that the Written Agreement on the Use of Services by
User over 18 Years of Age is just another piece of paper they have to bother the client with – something
they feel uneasy about as they expect the client may tell them off. That may indeed happen (depending
mostly on your relationship with the client) and if the clients are not used to such procedure it will probably
be the case. You have to realize it is a tool at your disposal that should be used in a way you feel comfortable with. The procedure of concluding the agreement should also be conceived in a way that feels
comfortable to the clients and most importantly brings something to them. This gives to each of you some
elbow-room and it is only up to you whether you turn the agreement into a kind of ritual of coming legally
of age or use it just as a formal revision of the previous oral agreement on the use of services by the client.
The same applies to the wording and contents of the agreement, provided you adhere to the framework
and requirements of this kind of agreement. You are the one who knows best how your club works and
how to determine the needs of your clients. If you don’t feel comfortable concluding the agreement, the
client will not feel good either. Don’t get discouraged at the outset and try to prevent negative situations;
for instance, you may want to avoid putting in charge of concluding the agreements a new employee, who
has been in the club for only two months and the only thing he knows about the clients is that almost all
of them smoke and can beet him in fussball. Yes, they would most likely tell him off with the agreement,
which is not desirable from either side’s perspective.
6/ Felix is a fictitious client. His case is a composite of typical life situations and requirements we encounter with our older clients. According
to our experience, the older clients, with whom we have been cooperating already for some time, frequently come up with such clearly defi ned
requrements.
/ 30
/ 31
Bibliography
Hořava, R.: Přístup ke klientům starších 18 let, [Approach to Clients over 18 Years of Age] [online].
Praha, Streetwork.cz, oborový portál o nízkoprahových sociálních službách a zařízeních, 13.01.2010 [Accessed on: 30.09.2010]. Accessible at: http://www.streetwork.cz/content/view/2383/
Maceček, R.: Proces individuálního plánování průběhu poskytování sociálních [Process of Individual
Planning of Social Servcices Provision], In: Janoušková, K., Nedělníková, D. (Eds): Profesní dovednosti
terénních pracovníků [Professional Skills of Social Field Workers]. Ostrava, Ostravská univerzita v Ostravě
2008, p. 457. ISBN 978-80-7368-503-4
Svoboda, M.: Sociálně-pedagogické přístupy v práci s „neorganizovanou mládeží“ v Nízkoprahových
zařízeních a otevřených klubech pro děti a mládež, [Socio-Pedagogical Approaches in the Work with “Unorganised Youth” in Low-Threshold Facilities and Open Clubs for Children and Youth] In: Kontaktní práce
[Contact Work]. Praha, 2007, p. 59. ISBN 978-80-254-4001-8
Written Agreement on the Use of Services by User over 18 Years of Age
Low-Threshold Club for Children and Youth PVC Blansko,
Sdružení Podané Ruce, o.s., [Helping Hands Association]
Sadová 2, Blansko
And
User.....................................................................................................................................
user name (code, nickname)
hereby record that a specific agreement on the use of services of the low-threshold club for children
and youth PVC Blansko has been concluded with the user.
Welcome to the adulthood (responsibility)
1.
To whom it applies
It applies to users over 18 years of age who attend the facility. These are primarily the existing users
who have reached 18 years of age but are still interested in attending the facility and still meet the target
group criteria. They are threatened by unemployment, they face relationship and family issues, alcohol and
drug related problems, problems related to becoming integrated within society, have problems asserting
themselves. These clients belong to the secondary target group defined by age (18-26 years).
2.
Why do we do it (justification of the agreement)
Our facility focusses on the target group consisting of youth between 13-20 years of age with the average
user age around 15 years. Our aim is to integrate the users into society; we instruct them in [relevant skills]
(including all legal norms of this country) during their everyday use of the club.
When the user reaches 18 years of age (and hence becomes legally adult, and thus responsible for all
his/her acts) we naturally increase the demands on the client just as society does. If the clients wishes to
continue using our services, he/she must conform to these rules. We teach the clients what things should
be like in life and it is therefore unacceptable to present them with bad examples.
On the other hand, we do appreciate a good example, a client who studies [and/or] works, does not break
the rules and standards of decency, thus providing an example and teaching our clients about the proper
functioning of society.
We believe that when a person reaches the age when he/she should integrate into life, it is important to
help her becoming aware of this task, support him/her in achieving it, show her the path, help her to orient
her-self.
Above all, we care about proper education of our younger users, as well as yourself.
3.
RIGHTS of the user of services
You may select one of the social workers who will work with you; he/she will be your principal social-worker.
Limitation: The social worker may refuse for personal reasons that he/she sufficiently explains.
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The facility commits to the provision of a full range of social services.
The facility commits to defend the user’s rights.
In case the facility terminates the provision of services, it guarantees keeping the user informed about and
referring him/her to follow-up services.
E -Prohibition of vandalism and littering
Specifically, this includes:
It is forbidden to behave loudly or litter in and around PVC, to damage property of PVC club or its neighbours.
Other rights:
A – You have a right to be here (if you respect the rules) and not engage in any activities.
B – You have a right to RESPECT that extends to your opinions, attitudes, appearance, etc.
C – You have a right to engage in making decisions about improving of PVC operations.
We care about your opinions.
D – You have a limited right to use the equipment and activities of PVC, to participate in the events.
E – You have a right to assistance from PVC staff when you get into trouble.
F – You have a right to complain and a right for a fair hearing of your complaint – see procedures for raising
complaints, Manual No. 5 – Rules of complaints hearings.
4.
Conditions imposed by the facility:
Remember that when you are over 18, you are legally and criminally responsible for everything you do.
Most of the acts included in the prohibitions constitute criminal offences. By setting these rules we try to
demonstrate how to avoid troubles, how to operate independently without threatening others.
PROHIBITIONS see PVC Club Rules
A – Prohibition of violence, bullying or horrible behaviour to others.
Assaulting other user, displaying aggression towards other users, threatening, offending, swearing at
others, addressing others “for fun,” humiliating others, arguing loudly with others, provoking or participating
in conflicts.
B – Entering under visible influence of alcohol or drugs
What is visible influence:
Loud speech or yelling, shrieks, laughter, inability to talk, the user is falling, bumping into objects, drowses,
vomits, cannot speak coherently, runs around excessively, bragging about criminal activity, acute psychotic
conditions. It is obviously visible that the user is under influence: - small eyes, stagger, alcohol, marijuana
or methamphetamine odour.
C – Prohibition of handling or using alcohol or drugs in the club or around the club – in front of the
entrance, in the alcove, round the corner
In the entire club it is forbidden to discuss or execute drug deals, provide or look for phone numbers for the
purposes of dealing, obtaining alcohol or drugs for oneself or others, lending of pipes. Getting others stoned
or drunk in an obvious manner is forbidden (i.e. you come to the club, take a bunch of people outside and
then all of you return stoned or drunk.)
D – Prohibition of cigarette smoking in the club
Giving away, selling, exchanging cigarettes (even for chewing gums) – especially to younger users, asking
younger users for cigarettes, smoking in the club.
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F – Prohibition of stealing the equipment and property of the club or other users
Taking of objects that lay around; if you don’t know to whom something belongs, bring it to a staff member,
taking things out of pockets, backpacks, jackets, etc.
If you break one of these rules, you will not be allowed to use the service any more (see Item 5:
Penalties).
Breaking of the rules may occur not only in the club but also in the area in front of the club, in the
alcove by the charity, or in the yard.
First time, you will be warned, second time, you will be asked to leave the club.
You may be asked to leave the club if you threaten others, yourself, the club’s employees or its operation.
Club’s operation may be threatened e.g. by someone who publicly displays “fuck everything attitude,”
intentionally talks disparagingly about everything thus belittling the service.
The situation is always evaluated by the employee on duty; if you disagree, you may submit a complaint.
Additional rules are specified in the detailed version of the rules.
5.
PENALTIES
Ban on use of the service becomes effective on the day it was issued. The penalty is determined based on
the severity of the breach of the rules on the following day at the team meeting.
The user receives the decision when he/she arrives to the club. The user may file a complaint against the
team’s decision.
The penalties are directly proportional to the age, capabilities and [the level of] cooperation (awareness of
the mistake and pursuit of rehabilitation), as well as the severity of the breach of the rules.
The penalty may consist of:
• ban on entering the club (for various lenghts of time); counselling is available to you but only upon appointment outside of the opening hours
• working off [the offence] adequately
• settling of the damages
• other positive activity on behalf of the club – it is up to you what you offer
• having a chat with a staff member about your life – depending on which rule you broke
• referring the matter to appropriate law-enforcement agency (in serious situations)
• should the need arise – in case of a threat – we will call the Municipal Police although we try to avoid
situations like this whenever possible - it is up to you
6.
Limitations of the use of the club – valid for users over 20 years of age
No game playing for the entire day (reason – not to prolong the childhood)
Game playing on the premisses is limited to 1 hour a day; it is up to the client to select the period (can be
scheduled in advance). The staff supervises adherence to this rule; consultation is advisable.
CLIENT’S RESPOSNBILITY IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO US – scheduling, planning of activities, pointing the
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clients towards meaningful free-time activities, motivating them to actively work on their difficult personal
situation.
7.
Means of terminating the use services:
Means of terminating the use of services by the user:
1. notification without specifying the reasons
2. the service is terminated when the goals of cooperation are reached
3. mutual agreement
4. the user just stops attending the club
Means of terminating the provision of services by the facility:
1. breach of the rules on part of the client, with explanation
2. the service is terminated when the goals of cooperation are reached
3. the user no longer belongs to the target group defined by age and a demanding life situation
Organisation of the Kotelnafe st Mu sic
Fe stival in Cooperation with the Clients
Alena Mirgová
NZDM Kotelna, Zruč nad Sázavou
Kotelna [Boiler Room] Drop-In Centre
This agreement was concluded in Low-Threshold Club PVC Blansko on ..........................................................
the date of signing of the agreement
User’s signature:................................
(nickname)
Recorded by:.......................................
Employer’s name
The low threshold club and the youth oriented field-work programme are based on the project of a dropin centre in Zruč nad Sázavou that was submitted as a part of Joint Regional Operational Programme
(JROP). The project originated in 2006 following an agreement with the city leadership based on survey
reports and Field Programmes monitoring. The Club, which has four employees, is based in a former housing estate boiler-room building. The facility’s target group consists of young people between 14 and 26
years of age whom Kotelna supports in the development of positive values and attitudes, assisting them on
their path towards healthy self-confidence and a life free of serious complications in interpersonal relations.
The aims of the low threshold club Kotelna consist in
• Creating conditions for the cleints’ healthy development and supporting them so they do not have problems in normal communication among themselves as well as with their family and people in their immediate surroundings, finding new friends and learning to better know the existing ones. Assisting them
to discover meaningful free-time activities, to learn how to reflect independently upon their future, how
to make decisions about their lives and take up responsibility for their decisions. Helping them not to
be afraid to voice their opinions and assert them in a healthy way, so that they can become full-fledged
participants of the public life in Zruč or their hometown. Enabling them to live healthier lives, to complete
their education without problems, find a job and learn to actively and independently solve their problems.
• Decreasing the risks related to the club clients’ lifestyle and preventing the occurrence of such risks.
• Using its activities in and around Zruč to educate the public about the young people’s lifestyle and needs
and to contribute to mutual understanding between the clients and other inhabitants.
How and Why I Selected the Topic
I have selected the topic “Organisation of the ‘Kotelnafest’ Music Festival in Cooperation with the Clients”
because I believe that it represents an outstanding initiative undertaken by our facility that offers countless
possibilities for the development of relationships both within and outside of the club, contributing positively
to the club’s public profile. Moreover, it has a substantial future potential – it could develop into a tradition
embraced by the clients as well as the general public.
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/ Alena Mirgová
The project may provide the clients with an opportunity to train a number of various skills, gain experience, build their self-confidence and ability to assert themselves, ability to cooperate among themselves
as well as with our staff, to build up endurance by not giving up when one encounters problems, to train the
skills needed for dealing with public authorities, to gain the courage for a discussion with older colleagues
or musicians, to deal and negotiate with their peers, as well as adults. The festival itself provides a number
of opportunities for the expression of one’s creativity (preparation of workshops, game activities, theatre,
props, etc.) for expression and use of the clients’ individual capabilities and talents – whether artistic, or
such as reliability, organisational capabilities, ability to resolve problems in a creative way. I also believe
that such work provides good environment for the development of relationships among the clients but also
between the clients and the club staff, because it involves working together, overcoming obstacles together,
as well as a plenty of fun and opportunities to get to know each other in ways that would not be possible
during normal operation.
•
History of the Topic, The Initial Idea
How did it Really Go, What Issues We Encountered, What Should We Watch Out for
in the Future
The initial idea to organise a music festival was born in the head of one team member – our colleague
who is himself an active musician – a rock band singer.
The Kotelnafest was originally inspired by the Yanderov festival organised by the Chrudim drop-in-centre.
The first annual Kotelnafest took place in August 2009. During that time, our club was used by a rather
homogenous group of older clients approximately 18-20 years old whose cooperation on the organisation of
festival seemed feasible. Further development of the original idea was a matter of team-work. Our intention
was to engage the clients in the entire process of preparations and execution of the event, to provide them
with the information and experience of organising [an event] (an opportunity to take part in such an event not
only as a consumer but to see it also from the other side, to show them that “IT IS POSSIBLE”), to introduce
them to different genres of music than majority of them prefers, and (while Zruč nad Sázavou is a lively town
of five thousand, not much happens here in this field) to enrich the cultural life of the region.
My colleagues have mentioned that they were inspired by the Chrudim Yanderov festival, which provides
the local drop-in-centre bands with an opportunity to show their worth. In Kotelna, we too have a very well
equipped music practice room, in which a number of client bands was created and regularly practiced during the previous year. This lead to another idea: to support start-up bands and artists, providing them with
an opportunity to perform and gain experiences from more experienced colleagues.
The First Year
Venue: Palassit – an establishment with a restaurant, an outdoor stage and a lawn (space for game acticities)
Date: beginning of August 2009
Programme:
• bands: Propaganda, Crazy Crash, Hideous Sounds, PNS, QuatroSpeqtive, Rapsód, RV4.
• Quatrospeqtive sound system
• adrenalin climbing on beer bottle crates with belaying by a professional climber
• sports equipment lending
• “Prostor” amateur theatre
• a workshop led by DJ Mosquicz intended for both beginning and advanced DJ’s
• juggling workshop led by the Firelovers group
• fireshow
• video screening
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All four employees, about twenty (then) clients, several colleagues from other programmes and a host of
our supporters and personal friends worked on the first year of the festival.
The preparations started in April.
To promote the Kotelnafest, we used posters, leaflets, emails, word of mouth, as well as Kotelna’s
website.
A food stand was provided by our colleague’s friends, working on their own account, (offering reasonably
priced food for carnivores as well as vegetarians).
The event attracted bands from the region who played for the travel allowance (CZK 3,-/km).
In the end, the client bands decided not to perform.
The most costly item turned out to be the Firelovers group.
The event brought together a total of 200 people, 100 of which paid the admission.
The event venue Palassit – free of charge.
the preparations started in April
the event budget was approximately CZK 20.000,the weather was warm and dry
there was something over 100 paying guests, the entrance fee was 100,the proceeds of 10.000,- were matched by the Divoké husy [Wild Geese] Foundation (the funds were
subsequently used for club’s other activities)
the posters were created by one of the employees
another colleague in the end addressed the bands and persuaded them to participate in the festival
posting of the posters was in the end performed partially by the clients, partially by the city’s public works
department
workshops were staffed by the club’s employees who were assisted by the clients-organizers
belaying at the rope attractions was conducted by a colleague from a different programme of our
organisation
the club’s employees were in charge of lending of the sports equipment (frisbee, diabolos, balls and
fussball)
the theatre plays were performed by our colleagues form a different programme of our organisation
a fellow “boiler-man” was in charge of the sound system
the same colleague headed the dj workshop
juggling workshop and fire-show – performed by the hired Firelovers group
video-screening was arranged by our DJ colleague
our fellow “boiler-man” (who was assisted by the clients-organizers) was in charge of all communication
with the bands, with the Pallassit manager, between the stages, disbursing of the travel allowances, etc.
photo documentation was performed by a client-organizer
The clients took up the following tasks (a special agreement on cooperation is concluded with the client
for this purpose):
• independent selection of the performing bands
• this required an intervention by our colleague – it turned our that the clients did not have a realistic grasp
of the financial conditions – they selected primarily bands and musicians famous from the media whom
we could not afford.
• negotiating with the Palassit manager – did not take place, was performed by a club employee
• distribution of posters and leaflets – executed as agreed
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/ Alena Mirgová
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organizing duties (serving at the entrance, during the stage construction and dismantling works, cleaning
up of the premisses, assisting at the workshops, “being at hand” – executed as agreed)
photo documentation of the event – executed as agreed
Second Year
Venue: Palassit – and establishment with a restaurant, an outdoor stage and a lawn (space for game
activities)
Date: July 2010
Programme:
• bands: Afarastafa, Passage Df, Formace, Hideous sounds, Papírový drak, Kontroll
• QuatroSpeqtive sound system and guests
• theatre workshop
• fight on a log
• juggling workshop
• Kubb – Viking chess
• pétanque, fussball, frisbee, drums
• photo exhibition
• The Boilerman Suitcase competition
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Preparations for the second annual festival started likewise in April. Four of our colleagues worked on
the preparations (only three participated in the festival itself), together with twenty clients, and, again,
colleagues from different programmes, as well as our supporters and friends.
This time, the budget was 5.000,-. The funds came from sponsorship contributions by local small business owners and companies whom we had addressed. We could not draw any funds from the organisation or club, as the EU funds had not been re-distributed.
Again, we relied on posters, leaflets, word of moth and website, and this time also on the Kotelna Facebook profile to promote the event.
Seven regional bands had agreed to participate; in the end, only five of them performed – one broke up
a day before the festival, another one did not show up and called us only a week later.
All bands played for the travel allowance (CZK 3,-/km).
A food stand was provided by our colleague’s friends, working on their own account (reasonably priced
food for carnivores as well as vegetarians).
Venue – Palassit – free of charge.
The sound engineer brought his own equipment – 3.000,On the day of the Kotelnafest it rained heavily from the morning until the late afternoon.
We could not get hold of the property owner in the morning, in the end he was more than an hour late and
hence everyone who had come to work or assist had to wait for him, which means that all the preparations had to move back.
The clients took up the following tasks:
• assistance during the preparations of the theatre workshop – executed as agreed
• preparations and execution of the “invitation tour” through the town – executed as agreed
• organizing duties (serving at the entrance, during the stage construction and dismantling works, cleaning
up of the premisses, assisting at the workshops, “being at hand” – executed as agreed)
• photo exhibition – cancelled -the client lost his interest
• juggling workshop – the client who had promised to organise it was hospitalized at the time of the event
• photo documentation of the event – executed as agreed
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performance of a client hip-hop duet – did not take place – the clients felled unprepared (were afraid of
being booed out)
How did it Really Go, What Issues We Encountered, What Should We Watch Out for
in the Future
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The QuatroSpeqtive sound system was provided and operated by a fellow “boiler-man,” his friends, and
clients-organizers (the equipment was partially club owned, partially colleague’s own)
• the theatre workshop was prepared and performed by a club employee (with the assistance from some
clients during the preparatory stage, as well as from several colleagues from a different programme in
the stage of last adjustments)
• the clients were providing assistance throughout the festival; they had also prepared a theatre piece –
however did not perform it – supposedly due to shyness
• the fight on the log did not take place – it was slippery due to the rain
• the juggling workshop did not take place – the client who had promised to organize, a skilful juggler, it
had hurt his knee
• a colleague form a different programme was in charge of the game of Kubb (Viking chess)
• our fellow “boiler-man” (who was assisted by the clients-organizers) was in charge of all communication
with the bands, with the Palassit manager, between the stages, disbursing of the travel allowances, etc.
• photo documentation was performed by the contracted client-organizer
• pétanque, fussball, frisbee, drums – did not take place – rain
• photo exhibition agreed upon with one of the clients – did not take place – did not deliver
The Boiler-man Suitcase competition was prepared and moderated by colleague from our organization
(with the assistance of “boiler-men” - during both preparatory and execution stages; during the competition
itself, the clients-organisers also assisted.)
Comparison of Both Years
Because I joined the boiler-men team only in November 2009, I cannot offer my own relevant comparison of both years. When it comes to evaluating the first year, I have to rely on the opinion and judgment of
my colleagues who participated during the preparation and execution of the event.
According to them, the first year was markedly and undoubtably more successful.
The number of paying guests testifies to a greater success of the first year.
The funds available for the first annual festival were also incomparably more generous, contributing to
the greater success and higher standard of the first festival – especially programme-wise.
An important condition for a successful execution of such an event is obviously weather, and the first
year is a winner even in this respect.
On the day of the second annual Kotelnafest it rained cats and dogs and hence the attendance was
much lower than expected. We had very limited resources, the clients-organisers were between 14 and
16 years of age (at that time they had been using our services for three to six months) and we desperately
missed the fourth colleague in our team. The organisation stumbled a bit due to the Palassit manager’s
late arrival (some of the festival participants took a very negative view of this affair). The practice room was
out of order for a long time – first because of frequent floods (broken sewer system), later due to ongoing
reconstruction of the building.
In spite of all of this, my personal view of the second annual festival is still positive. The participation
rate among the clients was pretty high, it was only necessary to keep motivating them, maintaing a daring
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/ Alena Mirgová
atmosphere so that they would not feel shy taking part in games and activities together with the older clients
and visitors of Kotelnafest – this is where we missed the fourth colleague most.
The entire event had an intimate atmosphere, which was probably better for novice clients than a large
event would have been. The entire festival had a homy feeling of safety, tranquility, joyfulness, playfulness
and friendship.
The ideal vision of Kotelnafest obviously involves a beautiful sunny day, rather generous funds (CZK
20.000,- seems to be enough), full number of team members and strict division of their roles during the
preparations and the event itself, reliability of clients, bands as well as the public.
Šťastná, M.: Třináctý YANDEROV představí 20 kapel. [Thirteenth YANDEROV to present 20 bands], o. s.
Šance. www.chance.chrudim.cz/aktualita.php?cislo=46, 23. 11. 2010
Oral communication:
Dlabola, M.: First year of Kotelnafest. Zruč nad Sázavou, December 2010 through March 2011
Horyna, D.: First year of Kotelnafest. Zruč nad Sázavou, December 2010 through March 2011
Svoboda, J.: First year of Kotelnafest. Zruč nad Sázavou, December 2010 through March 2011
Evaluation and Recommendations
•
One can recommend year-round long-term work with the clients, motivating them to various form of
cooperation on festival (creation of posters, documenting the event – a newspaper article, photo documentation, own performance, game techniques or workshop preparation), earlier start of preparations
and fund-raising (already at the beginning of the year.) The start-up club bands should get an opportunity
to “taste” at least a small stage.
• The festival should be organized rather with older and longterm clients, who will be able to take over
more responsibilities. Such clients may become more experienced partners of the new young clients.
• According to the public opinion we should perhaps study old weather lores or consult the meteorologists.
• One can also recommend to reflect well about the cooperation with the venue owner (try to find someone
who would provide a venue for free or for a low price but who would be more reliable.)
• Next time, we will have to have better plans for a rainy version of the festival.
• It also appears that we have available reserve organizers and it can be recommended that we address
them and prepare more techniques and kinds of entertainment apart from music. For that we would need
one staff member in charge of coordinating the organisers.
• To consider whether we should not engage an MC.
• To start with the preparations already at the beginning of the year.
• We need to bear in mind the need to ensure sufficient seating capacity even in the case of bad weather.
• Not to underestimate PR (posters, newspapers, radios.)
• Address more bands, repair and paint the stage, look for better food (the food stand ran out of meet very
quickly and the attempt to feed the rest of the festival by soy and tofu was not successful.)
Bibliography
Online resources:
Horyna, D.: Vývoj a výsledky [Development and Results]. Kolín, o. s. Prostor 2011.
www.os-prostor.cz/cz/nizkoprahovy-klub-zruc-vysledky, 15. 2. 2011
Horyna, D.: První Kotelna fest zaznamenal úspěch. [First “Kotelna fest” met with success] Kolín, o. s.
Prostor, 2009. www.os-prostor.cz/cz/pageId86, 7. 1. 2011
Horyna, D.: Závěrečná zpráva o realizaci projektu Nízkoprahové zařízení pro děti a mládež ve Zruči nad
Sázavou. [Final Report on the Execution of the “Drop-in Centre in Zruč nad Sázavou” Project.] Zruč nad
Sázavou, Kotelna 2010. http://www.os-prostor.cz/cz/vyrocni-zpravy, 23. 11. 2010
Horyna, D.: Kotelna 2: Výroční zpráva 2010. [Kotelna 2: 2010 Annual Report] Kolín, o. s. Prostor 2011
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Bc. Lenka Čiháčková
Proxima Sociale, o. s.
Facility Description
Non-profit organisation Proxima Sociale was founded in December 1993 as a community centre. In
1995, our civic association opened low-threshold club Krok and at the same time launched field work programme in the Prague district of Modřany and opened an asylum apartment. Currently, Proxima Sociale
is operating a total of five clubs in Prague and one club in Mladá Boleslav. It has also completed a merge
with the civic association Nezdi – Proxima Sociale in the town of Dobříš. Moreover, it runs seven field programmes in Prague districts (three of them use trailers as a base for the street-workers, one is connected
with Garáž Club.) In the area of youth-oriented prevention work, it is running prevention programmes at
elementary schools in Prague Districts 2, 4, 11, 12, 13 (at 12 schools). Moreover, the association operates
a Civic Counselling Centre in Modřany, which provides its services also in Dobříš, an asylum apartment for
mothers with children and both non-resident and resident based crisis assistance programme. A probation
programme was finally reopened in 2010, after being closed for two years due to lack of clients. Proxima
Sociale is a member of Czech Streetwork Association, Civic Counselling Centres Association, and is engaged in various international projects.
History of Facebook in Drop-In Centre Work at Proxima Sociale
The first service [Facebook] profile was created in early 2009 on the initiative of the staff of Garáž lowthreshold club. This example was gradually followed by other Proxima Sociale clubs and field programmes.
The aim was to enhance communication with the clients and to promote the clubs and their events using
a medium popular among young people. A methodological meeting of all low-threshold services employees
of our organisation was held in early 2010 with the intention to unify the club and field-programme profiles at
the most popular social network in our country. The meeting was triggered by several incentives.
First of these was a lecture of the Norwegian representative at the Drop-In Centres Conference organised by the Czech Streetwork association in January 2010. The lecture concerned the use of the Internet
in social services and establishment of the position of a so called e-field-worker. Another incentive came
from the growing number of various sympathisers of the organisation on Facebook who were interested in
staying in touch with individual clubs or the whole organisation. Therefore an official organisation profile was
established to keep the public informed about the news and changes in Proxima Sociale. The profile serves
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Facebook and its Use in a Drop-In Centre / Bc. Lenka Čiháčková
as a hub for the Facebook “friends” such as youth curators, representatives of district town halls, colleagues
from other organisations, etc. Currently, each club within our organisation maintains its own profile or other
kind of Facebook presence. Besides that, there is still the common profile of the organisation, which is used
to communicate with the organisation’s sympathisers and is not intended for the clients to safeguard their
anonymity, which we guarantee not only in the clubs, but now also in the virtual space.
event promotion but also a tool of prevention. Last year, we introduced Internet and social networks as one
of the blocks covered by our annual out-of-town re-socialisation client workshop.
Survey Outputs
I have selected two target groups for my questionnaire survey. The first one consisted of Proxima Sociale
employees responsible for administering various types of Facebook profiles. The other one consisted of the
clients of four low-threshold clubs operated by the organisation in Prague and one in Mladá Boleslav. The
group included five randomly selected clients form each club who maintain a Facebook profile. A total of 25
clients and 5 employees participated in the survey. The employees were responding to 12 basic questions,
while the clients were given 7 questions.
The survey revealed that from the employees’ perspective, administering of the Facebook profile or
group involves entering of news, event invitations and uploading of photos. Some clubs also use Facebook
to communicate with the clients (e.g. when they are out of town or sick) and for self-presentation (by uploading photos from the events, creating Facebook events to promote club events, or commenting on the clients’
statuses in order to influence them preventively.) On average, the employees spend about 20 minutes each
workday working with Facebook. Uploading photos may require more time.
Having the Club Facebook among one’s “friends” is considered an advantage by 17 out of 25 polled clients. Most of them have stated that the main reasons [for having the Club Facebook among one’s “fiends”]
consist of staying informed about the club programme and events, staying in touch with the staff, and having access to the photos from the events. Five of the polled clients have stated that the main disadvantage
is that the staff can see on their profiles such comments that they would not have otherwise shared (e.g.
information related to drugs, alcohol, etc.) Despite that, 22 of the polled clients added the Club Facebook
among their “friends” and 9 of them communicate with the club regularly.
Questions about Future Developments
When it comes to future developments, we have to ask whether it will suffice to use only one social network for our communication with the clients. We have to take into account the growing dependence of the
children and youth on the Internet. On the other hand, it often represents the only possible way of communicating with the clients who are – due to objective reasons – incapable of attending the club or contacting
the field-worker for an extended period of time.
One should reflect about the forms of prevention in the virtual world and social networks. As described
above, young people spend a considerable amount of time on the Internet. It would hence be appropriate
to focus on various preventive activities even on this platform. From my own experience I know that the
clients react positively to group invitations. Nonetheless, it remains a question whether they are aware of
the contents and whether the information communicated in this way will be used. This is related to certain
laxity of the virtual space. “All sorts of interest groups advocating various interests may arise here. It is only
a question of time before extremist and radical groups start using Facebook and many other social networks
as instruments of their mobilization.”10
Recommendations
At the beginning, it is certainly important to consider what will be the main use of the Internet presentation. Based on this consideration, the club or filed-programme will decide whether to establish a Facebook
profile, page or group. Each of these possibilities have different options of chatting, promotion, possibility
of mass messaging and viewing of messages, etc. It is also advisable to define a common approach to the
use of Facebook within the organisation or team due to a number of risks such as for example merging the
official friends of organisation and its clients, a duty to report [a crime], etc.
Situation Description
Conclusion
In her paper “Children and the Internet” published in the volume Children and their Problems7 Barbora
Krčmářová describes the attractiveness of the virtual world for teenagers. The Internet makes it easier to
communicate about tabooed or otherwise sensitive topics due to lowered inhibitions. “On-line friendship (or
love) can thus be frequently even stronger than real friendship.”8
“Study of the Internet as a new method of communication leads to novel perspectives and definitions of
representation of the self, interpersonal relationships, social groups, society and culture as such. The opportunity to play out the roles of one’s alternative selfs, as we know it from the psychodrama, is represented
on the Internet by the chats (interactive environment for communication among several users), the MUDs
(interactive environment of virtual fantasy worlds), and other technologies.” 9
As revealed by the survey, the clubs’ Facebook profiles are received positively not just by the staff but
also by the clients who perceive primarily their positive aspects. Following the staff intervention, many clients have already secured their personal profiles and stopped informing a broad range of people about their
plans and posting abusable information. Facebook has thus become not just a tool for communication and
7/ Děti a jejich problémy III. Sborník studií. [Children and Their Problems III. Collection of Studies.]. Praha: Sdružení Linka bezpečí, 2010.
ISBN 978–80–254–6840–1, p. 24
8/ Ibid.
9/ Šmahel, D. Dospívající v prostředí internetu: identita, vztahy a komunikace. [Teenagers in the Internet Environment: Identity, Relationships
and Communication] Master’s Thesis. Brno: 2002. p. 24
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In conclusion, I would like to add that in spite of all the risks and drawbacks associated with Facebook
and other social networks, I believe that it represents one of novel forms of work with the children and youth
target group we will have to use in the future.
Bibliography
Děti a jejich problémy III. Sborník studií. [Children and Their Problems III. Collection of Studies.] Praha:
Sdružení Linka bezpečí, 2010. ISBN 978–80–254–6840–1
NOVÁKOVÁ, Martina. Nová média - případová studie Facebook [New Media – Case Study Facebook]
(online). E-polis.cz, 3. červen 2009. [Accessed on: 2011-2-6]. Accessible at: <http://www.e-polis.cz/nezarazene-clanky/380-nova-media-pripadova-studie-facebook.html>. ISSN 1801-1438.
10/ NOVÁKOVÁ, Martina. Nová média - případová studie Facebook [New Media: Case Study Facebook](online). E-polis.cz, 3. červen 2009.
[Accessed on: 2011-2-6]. Accessible at: <http://www.e-polis.cz/nezarazene-clanky/380-nova-media-pripadova-studie-facebook.html>.
ISSN 1801-1438.
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Šmahel, D. Dospívající v prostředí internetu: identita, vztahy a komunikace. [Teenagers in the Internet
Environment: Identity, Relationships and Communication] Master’s Thesis. Brno: 2002.
http://cs.wikipedia.org
www.proximasociale.cz
www.facebook.com
Other sources of Information:
České děti a internet, výzkum společnosti TNS AISA pro Nadaci Naše dítě [Czech Children and the
Internet, TNS AISA Poll for Our Child Foundation] [Accessed on: 2011-1-27]. Accessible at: <http://www.
tns-aisa.cz/NewsDet-n25.aspx>
Děti a jejich problémy II. Sborník studií. [Children and Their Problems II. Collection of Studies.] Praha:
Sdružení Linka bezpečí, 2007. ISBN 978–80–254–1372–2
Lovasová, L., Hanušová, J. a Hellebrandová, K. Děti a jejich problémy. [Children and Their Problems.]
Praha: Sdružení Linka bezpečí, 2005. ISBN 80–239–4482–7
It Ma y Start with a Camp
Bc. Jana Jarošová, DiS.
Klub Čas, Tišnov
Short Introduction of the Organisation
Drop-in centre Čas Tišnov [Time Tišnov] Club was established in 2008 as one of the services offered
by the Tišnov Regional Charity.
Our mission consists of assisting the Tišnov youth between 11 and 26 years of age who are faced
by a conflictual social situation, challenging life event or restrictive living conditions, providing them with
professional assistance, support and a base, assisting them in their personal development and in their
search for a place in society.
The club clientele has its peculiarities. There is a rich offering of free-time activities for youth and
children in the town of Tišnov. Nonetheless, unless some elements of social work and social pedagogy
methods were used, this offer could not fully meet the specific requirements of our target group. First of
all, the number of clients and the attendance rates are relatively high compared to the size of the town of
Tišnov. An important segment of our clientele consists of children in institutional care living in the Children’s Home of Tišnov and Primary School and Children’s Home in Předklášteří. The club is attended by
both Roma and non-Roma children. Only few conflicts arise among these two groups, as the Roma are
well adapted or even assimilated into the local community.
“It May Start with a Camp” Project
Origins of the Project
During 2008, the municipalities of Tišnov and Rosice started cooperating on youth re-socialization
programme “Dubové dny” [“April Days”] with the intention to extend this programme to cover the Tišnov
region. The project sought funding from the Czech Ministry of Interior criminality prevention programme.
Unfortunately, the project was not endorsed by the South-Moravian Regional Authority. In response to
this situation, the Tišnov Municipal Authority established cooperation with Čas Tišnov Club. The cooperation resulted in the preparation of “It May Start with a Camp” Project and subsequent “zero annual” camp
held in 2009. The project was aimed at discovering a systematic, targeted and at the same time attractive
method of engaging the target group in free time activities in Tišnov.
Project Benefi ts
The project has has a number of positive impacts on the work with at-risk children and youth:
• in contrast to traditional summer camps, the cooperation with children is continuous
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It May Start with a Camp / Bc. Jana Jarošová, DiS.
•
Solution Description
•
•
•
•
it strongly enhances mutual cooperation of local institutions – municipal authority (social affairs department – hereinafter SAD), primary schools, local children’s homes, and last but not least providers
of free-time activities and the regional charity
it is well integrated into local social policy (pursuant to the Community Social Services Plan of the
Town of Tišnov Administrative District for Years 2010-2012)
it constitutes a regular secondary level social prevention project
it has attributes of a full-fledged sustainable community re-socialisation programme
it conforms to the priorities and target groups defined in the official documents of South-Moravian
Regional Authority.
Goals of the Project
The project aims at engaging the group of at-risk children and youth endangered by higher probability
of substance abuse, bullying, violence, commercial sex behaviour, as well as higher probability of becoming crime perpetrators or victims.
Partial goals and contents of the project
Using social pedagogy methods (free time animation) to involve the highest possible number of children from the target group in regular free time activities available in the town of Tišnov based on the
children’s interest and the providers’ possibilities.
Providing practical, systematic, controlled, non-directive assistance to families whose children are disadvantaged compared to others from a material, educational or free time point of view and thus practically
speaking excluded from participating in traditional free time activities. This assistance should consist of
a professionally guaranteed scholarship programme.
Creating a communication and cooperation platform, to be used within the framework of the programme by the Tišnov municipal authority’s SAD, Regional Charity Tišnov – Club Čas Tišnov, Children’s
and Youth Home (hereinafter CYH), schools and educational facilities, and providers of free time activities, in order to primarily impact the target group’s free time activities.
Decreasing the probability of occurrence of risky behaviour and victimization within the target group,
minimizing the severity of any occurring social pathology or postponing its onset as far as possible.
The Target Group
The primary target group of the project consists of children and youth who
• are between 9 – 15 years of age,
• do not have clearly defined identity or interests and are not organised,
• are not capable of structuring their free time and have access to a limited range of free time activities,
• are endangered by socio-pathogenic influences
• exhibit tendencies to risk-prone behaviour,
• come from socially weak and disadvantaged families,
• experience educational and communicational problems
• are growing up in a family environment by a lack of educational stimuli.
The secondary target group consists of the children’s parents. The objective is to motivate them to
care about their children’s free time activities in spite of objectively existing challenges (social disadvantages, unemployment, aversion to engage in free time activities).
The tertiary target group consists of the involved institutions, whereas the objective consists of providing effective assistance in the area of free time activities.
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Project History
Preparatory Stage
Apart from regular administrative activities, this stage involves the selection of suitable participants of the
project conducted by the following entities:
• The Social Distress Department of Tišnov Municipal Authority
• Club Čas Tišnov
• Local primary school (prevention specialists, form masters)
• Children’s Home Tišnov and Primary School and Children’s Home Předklášteří (prevention specialists, child-care workers, form masters)
Each of these institutions has prepared its own questionnaire or assessment form for selecting [a total]
of 20 children. The participants (including a sufficient number of substitutes) get selected and ranked according to neediness at a work-group meeting.
Selection of Children by Čas Tišnov Club
The club’s employees assess the following areas based on an interview with the child as well as
observation:
• Child’s personality – communication skills level, ability to adhere to the rules, relationships with others
in the club, participation in activities, attitude towards authorities.
• School – truancy, academic results, conflicts, disciplinary issues.
• Free time – impact of troubled groups, free time activities, participation in club activities, summer
camps,…
• Family environment – relationships with parents, siblings, child’s presentation of the family, deprivation, sings of violence, standard of living.
• Material aspects – housing, clothing, cleanliness,...
Implementation Stage
This stage consists primarily of the residential segment and attendance of the free time activities. The
week-long residential camp with a highly varied programme and activities aims at discovering the child’s
specific interests, talents and abilities and selecting ideally 2-3 activities that the child is willing to pursue
in the subsequent period. It is important to prepare the list of clubs and activities the children may engage
in prior to the departure for the camp and to ensure that the [camp] squad leaders are familiar with it.
At a subsequent weekend event, the project participants are reminded about the camp activities and
asked to make the final choice of the “club” or activity they want to attend. It is important to provide the
children with specific information about the time and location of club meetings, decide whether the child
will attend the first meeting unattended, etc.
After the start of of free-time activities, it is important to communicate – with the child, the parents,
the instructors – and not to resist any possible changes in the selected activities, to resolve any arising
issues. The person charged with supervising the attendance of free-time activities also keeps the project
partners informed about the children’s involvement in the free-time activities. The success of the project
is assessed by the number of children attending the free-rime activities (whereas 50% is considered as
a success), based on the list of children’s absences as reported by the curator, assessment of children’s
behaviour at school by the prevention specialists, as well as by the number of children who have started
newly attending Čas Tišnov Club.
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When to Hold the Residential Segment
Questionnaire Survey Results
During the preparation of the project it was necessary to agree on the scheduling – in particular of the
camp. We have considered three options: summer vacations term, which was ruled out because it is the
period of family holidays, addressing the children would become more complicated, and children from the
children’s homes leave for family visits during that time. The beginning of the school year was also ruled
out – during this period, children are getting adapted to school duties and most clubs are starting their program. The best option seems to be the last week of the school year – the grading has been complicated, it
is possible to communicate with the schools without any problems and the camping grounds are usually not
occupied. Moreover, the fact that the participation in the programme may be used as an apology for missed
school attendance serves as an important motivational element.
The camp is one week long. With respect to group dynamics, we would opt for a 10 day programme if
the majority of participants were younger children (8-11 years) or children who do not know each other or
the club staff.
The camp participants, i.e. the children, were surveyed. The surveys were held always at the end of the
camp. Both open questions and unfinished sentences were used. Participation in the survey was voluntary.
Due to the age of some of the participants, the staff assisted with filling in of the questionnaires. During the
first two years of the project, 32 questionnaires were evaluated, revealing some highly valuable information.
Staffing
Participation of at least two staff members (from the club) is required for the entire duration of the project. First, there is the project manager who collaborates with the social affairs departments, attends the
work-group meetings, is responsible for keeping the project partners informed, etc. Second, there is the
coordinator of the free time activities, who is primarily responsible for selecting the children in the club,
distributing the application forms, creating the free-time activities catalogue, communicates with the club
leaders, Children’s Homes, families, coordinating changes in clubs and chaperoning the children to the
clubs, as well as keeping the municipal authority of Tišnov informed about the course of the project. For the
residential camp, a suitable number of staff members is 10-12 per 20 children. While this number may seem
relatively high, it has proved to be justified, if the children for whom the project is intended are selected with
care. The breakdown of the staff is described bellow:
• Camp leader (+ paramedic role)
• Programme leader
• 4 Educational workers – squad leaders
• 1-2 Educational assistants – night-time supervision, midday rest period
• 1-2 Technical support staff members – supplies procurement, preparation of games – ropes, orienteering games,….
• 1 Cook, 1 Cook’s help
The team (sans the technical support staff members and cooks) should meet at least twice prior to
the start of the camp in order to device the programme and learn about the project and possible free time
activities...
Costs
Specifying an exact amount could be misleading as there are substantial regional differences in the
costs of individual items. The total sum is influenced mostly by staff rewards, fees for the participant’s free
time activities, food and the camping ground rental. The average total cost per one project participant (total
budget/number of participants) comes to CZK 6.600-10.000.
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None of the interviewed children ruled out participation in the next year’s camp (it is possible to participate
three times.)
Children were capable of critical self-reflection
In my own opinion, in what I excelled most at the camp, what I was successful at?
Holding back (my anger) just a little bit.
I would never again want to…
Be mean.
The children have discovered that their camp-instructors are willing to listen to them and assist them with
the issues that trouble them. They also appreciate their friendly approach.
What I liked most about the camp?
How politely J. treated us.
I would like to thank you for...
Good games and honesty.
Participants have received many suggestions on spending free time.
I would also like to tell you...
Thank you for getting the opportunity to be here with you, you have shown us nice things – what we can
do in the Children’s Home – we liked it very much here.
It is important to ensure that the parents pack up at least the essentials for the children or be ready for the
possibility that children may miss something.
What I missed most at the camp?
Socks.
The children are not used to walking longer distances. 6 out of 17 children evaluated the hike to Lysice as
the least liked activity. Critique of the hike appeared also elsewhere.
What I did not like about the camp?
The hike – we walked too far, my feet hurt.
The walk to Lysice.
The programme should be as varied as possible. Most popular are sport activities followed by simple, traditional games – e.g. hide-and-seek (!)
What I missed at the camp?
We did not play dodge-ball./Path of courage.
I had most fun when...
We played ping-pong.
The punishments proved to be effective. :) Especially squatting.
I would never again want to...
Swear.
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I will never forget....
My 1000 squats.
•
It is necessary to pay round-o-clock attention to the children
I was most bored when…
We had the mid-day rest period.
I was supposed to go to bed.
Evaluation and Recommendations
What aspects of the project were successful?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Providing children with experiences and skills, which they could not gain in their own environment (family, children’s home) due to material or educational conditions.
Influencing the free time activities of children in the region, discussing the offer of free time activities,
revealing its shortcomings.
The selection of children: Our priority does not consist in filling up the capacity at any cost, we prefere
that only the really needy children participate in the camp.
Building up and sustaining mutual trust between the camp participants and staff. Children greet us, they
attend the club and inquire about the staff members.
Maintaining individual approach to children, primarily thanks to sufficient staffing.
Harmonizing the camp programme with the children’s demands. From out point of view it was important
to realize that the children do not demand fancy complex games; they can have fun even with hide and
seek.
Providing enough qualified workers for the camp willing to work for minimal renumeration.
Keeping the children in the clubs. We consider the programme successful if at least 50% of children attend some clubs.
Which aspects were not so successful – need to be improved
•
•
•
•
Project promotion, cooperation with teachers – the school employees are afraid recommending children
so that they do not offend their parents
Communication with the parents. Unfortunately, some parents refuse to send their child to a camp with
Roma children or children form children’s home.
Improve cooperation and communication with instructors, club leaders, sports club coaches.
Stay in regular contact with children via Tišnov Club throughout the entire duration of the project. Due
to the club’s target group specification – the minimum age requirement of 11 years – there is a group of
children who may not attend the club and we cannot see them.
free-time activities until 18 years of age so that a child never has to stop participating in free time activities due to lack of finances.
To provide free time activities even for those who may not be included on the primary prevention level;
obtain instructors and possibly instructors’ assistance for “more troubled children.”
What is good to know, what to beware of
It is very important to be aware of the child’s state of health – any restrictions in sports, allergies, psychiatric diagnoses, whether the child takes any medications. Parents sometimes forget to mention some
restrictions (food allergies...)
During the past years we have discovered that one has to watch the children’s eating habits. We have
encountered two extremes – children who were overfeeding and consequently had digestion problems as
well as those who did not eat almost at all.
Some of the children have never been to a camp, are not used to sleep in a tent, do not have the required
equipment (sleeping bag, camping mat), do not have enough clothes. Therefore we send a recommended
list of equipment and offer to lend some equipment.
Try to make the rules simple and clear – both in case of the games and of the camp. The daily schedule
should be observed as much as possible.
One should not be trying to re-educate the children but rather to appraise them and motivate them.
Punishments should be imposed only after after explaining the problem; otherwise children perform the
punishment in an entirely mechanical way.
Talk as much as possible with the children. They are not very used to anyone listening to them.
Bibliography
KUDLÁČEK, M., DOSPÍŠIL, J.: Resocializační program pro děti v Tišnově [Re-socialisation Programme
for Children in Tišnov], Tišnov, 2009
KUDLÁČEK, M., DOSPÍŠIL, J.: Resocializační program pro děti v Tišnově, [Re-socialisation Programme for Children in Tišnov] Tišnov, 2010
HOFBAUER, B.: Děti, mládež a volný čas [Children, Youth and Free Time]. 1st edition., Praha, Portál
2004. 173 s., ISBN 80-7178-927-5.
PÁVKOVÁ, J. a kol: Pedagogika volného času [Free Time Pedagogy] 3rd edition., .Praha: Portál, 2002.
231 str., ISBN 80-7178-711-6
PELÁNEK, R.: Příručka instruktora zážitkových akcí. [Experiential Events Instructor’s Handbook] 1st
edition. Praha, Portál, 2008. 208 s. ISBN 978-80-7367-353-6
Further development of the project
•
•
Providing continuous social and educational services for children who had participated in the project
even after the weekend event organised by Club – in the form of counselling as well as providing assistance and practical aid in joining free time activities
Provided we have sufficient funds and there is demand on part of the children, to keep paying fees for
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/ 55
E vent Organizing b y Clients
- Method s and Techniq ue s
Bc. Zuzana Bartoníčková
Šance pro Tebe, o.s., Chrudim
Organization, Facility
The mission statement of the civic association Šance pro Tebe [Chance for Your] reads: “Support of active self-fulfilment of individuals and groups for the development of an open and creative local community.”
Out organisation provides low-threshold, i.e. easily accessible social services to children, youth and young
adults. It operates Futur, Kopretiona, Agora and Skate areál low threshold facilities in the town of Chrudim,
as well as field work programmes in the towns of Chrudim and Prachovice. It provides opportunities for
those interested in volunteer activities. It operates the Agora House as a “meeting place” and, through the
Agora House Production Centre, it offers a base for cultural, social and hobby activities.
Agora drop-in centre works with the target group of young people between 13–26 years of age who are
experiencing the uneasy life-stage of growing up and searching for one’s place in society, which may lead
to various problems (at school, at work, with authorities, in relationships, they do not have where to meet,
they have limited possibilities of spending their free time meaningfully, they lack conditions for the exercise
and development of their skills,...)
It offers to them:
• safe space and equipment for free time activities
• support in executing ideas and activities
• assistance, advice and support in solving of their problems
Through these activities it contributes to addressing their social situation.
The Agora Production Centre provides material and technical support of free-time and hobby activities
of Šance pro Tebe clients, providing equipment and technology that the clients need to develop their talent
and skills but may not otherwise have access to. The Production centre offers to the clients an opportunity
to hold events on the Agora House premisses and to borrow technical and other equipment.
Brief Topic Description
The “Event Organizing by Clients – Methods and Techniques” describes the process of planning of
the events together with the clients, focussing on the client’s competences, i.e. what do we put him/her in
charge of. I focus primarily on the process of organising public music events, which have been most typical
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Event Organizing by Clients – Methods and Techniques / Bc. Zuzana Bartoníčková
of our club while being rather demanding from the organisational point of view. Nonetheless a dance party,
a public screening or a tournament could also be organised in a similar fashion.
Event Organizing by Clients – Methods and Techniques
Why this Topic
The topic of event organizing and related techniques and methods is the most fitting example of a good
practice employed by the facility where I work as it operates across individual departments and both the
workers and the clients have a longstanding experience with it. My choice of topic has been also influenced by the fact that I started working at a different position in our organisation during the course, as
I moved to a different programme. I hence looked for a good practice example common to my previous
and current position.
History of the Topic
The history of event organizing is related primarily to the Agora House premisses. In the late 1990s,
there were attempts to create a self-governing youth club based on the German model. The social services operated under the auspices of district authority, which managed to obtain the premisses and open
the club. The activists joined forces to repair the House, turning it into the base of the Mach association,
which used it for its self-help activities (cultural events, free-time activities.) Apart from this, a field social worker was based there and gradually the district authority employees were being moved to Agora
premisses. The operation of social services was taken over by civic association Šance pro Tebe [Chance
for You], which also merged with the Mach association, taking over the cultural activities as well. During
subsequent years, social programmes and Agora music club where cultural events were organized with
the assistance from volunteers, existed side by side. Gradually, the organisation was getting focussed
rather on social work and the clients of social services were becoming involved also in the cultural activities. The Agora drop-in centre emerged when the rock club was transformed into a low-threshold activation service. Organising of events by the club’s clients serves as the principal vehicle of such transition.
Current Situation and Future Developments
Currently, the Agora House is used by both the drop-in centre and the filed programmes for organizing
events through the Production Centre. Moreover, individual facilities organize events in their clubs, tour
events or outdoor events.
Insofar as Agora drop-in centre is concerned, the clients use primarily the possibility to organize music
events (concerts, public band rehearsals, etc.) in the Agora House hall.
In the future, the Production centre should get more independent on Agora drop in-centre and work
as an independent unit. As is the case today, the clients would plan the events with contact workers of
individual facilities, however a Production Centre employee would be in charge of technical support of
the event.
We would also like to focus more on events in other areas than music. We will offer more options to
out clients, motivating them to plan tour events, tournaments (possibly even inter-club ones), in-club
screenings, etc. At the same time, we as the employees want to focus on events with preventive contents
– debates, screenings with discussions …. as well as various workshops for the clients.
/ 58
The individual facilities have their own guidelines for event organizing by clients. The main principle of
event organising is improvement of the clients’ competencies and the development of their skills.
Why the Events
Why do we actually do events with our clients?
Organizing of events may be a new experience for the clients. They will for instance experience the feeling of responsibility, communicating with other people and increasing their competences. They experience
the feeling of success or failure. Participation in an event or its organisation positively fulfils their free time.
While working on event organisation, they may develop their skills, they can for example learn working with
technology, filling-in various questionnaires, dealing with the authorities, etc. Moreover, the events mediate
contacts with their social environment.
While organising an event, the client spends a lot of time with the social worker, they get to know each
other better, their mutual relationship gets deeper and the client learns he/she can rely on the social worker.
Types of Events
The events could be classified according to various criteria. From our perspective, the most important
distinction is based on who is the event organiser and for whom is the event intended.
According to the event organiser:
• A social worker organised event
• A client event
According to the target group:
• Public events: concerts, outdoor events....
• Club events – open to clients only: overnight events, screenings, excursions, discussions....
• Tour events: excursions, swimming….
• Club events open to the public: dance parties, public rehearsals, workshops....
Pretty much any kind of event the clients can think about may be organized in the club, provided it is in
compliance with the club rules. Most frequent events organized in Agora drop-in centre are public events
organised by the clients. Primarily, these are music events – concerts and public rehearsals. A typical client
engaged in event organisation is a 16-22 years old male, who is active in some start-up Chrudim band that
practices in Agora drop-in centre or elsewhere.
Client Motivation Tools
The basic client motivation tool consists of ordinary conversations between the social workers and the
clients focussed on their favourite activities and interests, on what they would like to do in their free time.
Event organisation is included in the club’s basic offer, the description of which is posted on the notice
boards, printed on the business cards for the clients and in other materials. This offer is also described on
the leaflet titled “If you Want to Organise a Concert in Agora.”
A good tool for motivating the clients to organise an event consists of their experience from the past
/ 59
events and boredom. When clients come to us asking: “When will there be another event? The last event
was good. It is terribly boring now, nothing is going on,” it is an ideal opportunity to tell them that if they
want some event to happen in the club, they should try to organise it independently or in collaboration with
a social worker.
If the client is already motivated, the social workers tries to support his/her plan, providing long-term
motivation and at the same time explaining the necessity to plan ahead and arrange the individual steps.
During the client’s next visit to the club – as soon as possible after the event – we ask him/her to sit
down for a few moments to evaluate the event. This provides an opportunity to both the client and the social
worker to express their opinions about the event and its execution. The social worker asks the client whether
he/she is satisfied, what would he/she improve in the future, whether the event has met his/her expectations. The social worker also provides feedback to the client – both negative and positive – what went well
during the event, what needs to be improved, etc.
Event Planning with the Clients – Regular Practice Description
Social-Worker’s and Client’s Competencies
Client motivation? Client request? Rules of the event – noticeboard, leaflet? Agreement on social services provision? Planning form (individual plan)? Event preparation? Event execution? Joined evaluation of
the event.
If the clients arrives with a request to organise an event, it is required that he/she has concluded the
Agreement on Cooperation (Agreement on Social Services Provision.) The point is that the social workers
should have a better knowledge of the client and that the client should know all of his/her rights, rules of the
club, etc. If the event is not too demanding from an organisational perspective, we fill the standard Planning
Form (individual plan) with the client in which we agree on individual steps. In case of a larger event open to
public, which requires longer planning, we fill a special event Planning Form with the client.
If the client has not already concluded the Agreement with the club, the social worker explains this
requirement to him/her and if the client agrees, concludes the agreement with him/her. Subsequently, the
social worker hands over the leaflet on the conditions for organising of events in Agora. Only after that the
social worker, together with the client, start filling in the Event Planning Form. In the Planning Form, the
client and the social worker agree on all matters that need to be arranged. The social worker first makes
inquires about what event the client actually intends to organise, as well as about the client’s motivation for
organising the events and his/her expectations. After that, they discuss the individual steps from the event
name and date, through technical support of the event, to cleaning up after the event. Public events of this
type are scheduled for Friday evenings with the condition that the music performance must finish by midnight. The social worker also advises the client that in case of a serious breach of the event conditions by
the client, the social worker may immediately cancel the event in any stage of its planning or execution. (If
for instance, the client does not submit the Public Event Report form, the event does not take place.)
Afterwards, the event preparations proceed with the client and the social worker working on fulfilling all
the items agreed upon in the Planning Form. The client makes and distributes the leaflets, the social worker
promotes the event in the club, on the web pages and possibly also on the pages of cultural monthlies.
The social worker together with the client fill in the Public Event Report form and the client gets the form
endorsed at the municipal authority. The social worker is in charge of purchasing of the merchandise for the
event, providing the technical support, sending the playlist to OSA (Society for the Protection of the Rights
of Music Authors and Publishers),....
If the social worker and the client meet all the conditions of event organisation, they may proceed with
the actual execution of the event. During the event, the social worker takes a role of a passive observer
(photographer, bartender) and resolves issues only if the organiser neglects something or requires assistance. The organiser communicates with the invited musicians, introducing them to the club, its rules
and premisses. Moreover, he/she oversees the observance of the club rules during the event (ideally, the
clients should write the rules down and post them inside the club beforehand; this makes it easier to defend
the rules as the client has internalised them better.) The client and the social worker agree upon the event
rules – whether alcohol will be served, what will be the designated smoking area, etc. If the police or the
neighbours arrive during the event, it is again up to the event organiser to deal with the issue. After the event
(at the latest by midnight) the organiser who may be assisted by his/her assistants cleans up the premisses
so he/she can hand them over in the same condition they were before the event.
Since the client acts as the principle event organizer, most competencies belong to him/her. The social worker assists the client, providing guidance and is primarily in charge of the technical support of the
event. Nonetheless, one must always take into consideration the client’s age and abilities. Some clients,
for instance, may require assistance even with the production of the leaflet, while others may be capable of
handling the OSA paperwork or promotion in cultural monthlies. The social worker and the client divide their
mutual competencies when they are filling the Planning Form (individual plan), where they indicate who is
in charge of what; everything is subject to mutual agreement. Nonetheless, the competencies are usually
divided in the following way:
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The event organiser (client) in in charge of:
• Event dramaturgy (inviting the bands or obtaining recorded music)
• Event promotion
• Reporting the event to the municipal authority
• Putting together playlists of the performing bands
• Preparation of the premisses before the event
• Communication with the performers
• Supervision of the event in the club and eventual solution of any problems (e.g. with the police)
• Financial aspect of the event + collection of the admission fees + visitor statistics
• Cleaning up after the event
The social worker is in charge of:
• Providing the organiser with all [relevant] information
• Plans the event together with the client, fills in the Planning Form
• Schedules the event in conjunction with other employees, is in charge of staffing of the event
• Prepares the required technology, provides training for the organisers as needed
• Is in charge of dealing with the sound engineer
• Provides promotion support, distributes event announcement to the cultural monthlies, promotes the
event on the organisation website and in the club.
• Sends the playlist of the performing bands to OSA (Society for the Protection of the Rights of Music
Authors and Publishers)
• Purchases the merchandise for the event
• During the event serves as a bartender, washes up the glassware... (it is possible to engage the clients
as well)
• Takes photographs, oversees the actual execution of the event, oversees any eventual problems in conjunction with the organisers
Most frequently encountered problems in event execution:
• Unmotivated clients or clients who are motivated but do not have the perseverance (the planning process
is too demanding for them).
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veloping their skills. Moreover, organising events with the clients leads to more time spent together with the
clients, increased mutual understanding and deepening of the mutual relationships.
Problems in event organisation are most frequently caused by insufficient motivation of the clients or
their lack of perseverance when they would like to reach their goal immediately and cannot cope with extended planning. I would therefore recommend to start with planning simpler club-based events, such as
fussball tournaments, public rehearsals, etc., which do not require too complex or prolonged organisation.
At the same time it is important to clarify what extent of competencies is to be delegated to the clients and
to individually assess how much responsibility can be born by a given client. The established conditions and
rules then have to be observed; the clients will get used to them and pass them down to others.
Besides that, one has to stay aware of the social workers’ capacity so that the events do not turn being
more tiresome than useful.
The clients do not observe the agreed-upon deadlines.
The clients do not meet the conditions – do not show up at an appointment, do not deliver the permit.
The club-rules get breached during the event and the clients do not care about it at all.
Noise issues – police, neighbours...
The clients do not feel like cleaning up the premisses or they do not clean up sufficiently.
What do the clients think about it
The survey on client organised events in Agora drop-in centre was aimed at discovering whether the
clients are aware of the fact that they may organise an event in Agora, whether they know the conditions, whether they are thinking about organising an event in the future, eventually what event they want
to organise, and also whether they have any suggestions pertaining to the procedures employed by the
facility’s employees.
The survey was designed not to be excessively long, to include both closed and open answer questions, and to be interesting and palatable for the clients.
Some 30 clients who have showed up during the last two weeks in the club were asked to participate in
the survey. The survey forms were filled in by 11 respondents – 9 males aged 16-23 and 2 females aged
19 and 25. The ratio of respondents corresponds to the ratio of males and females who attend the club.
While the number of the survey participants is not very large, it is sufficient for the purposes of gaining
a basic overview of the situation pertaining to the events in Agora.
The survey evaluation confirmed that the clients do have a relatively high awareness of the possibility
to organise events in Agora but at the same time are interested exclusively in organising music events
(this applies especially to the male clients). This is caused by the fact that most of our current clients use
the practice room in Agora, have their own band and playing music in the band constitutes one of their
principal interests. Nonetheless, some of the clients stated they would be interested in something else as
well, although in most cases they were not sure what would it be.
Most of the clients are also aware of the conditions of holding the events and an overwhelming majority
have indicated an intention to organise an event in the club in the immediate future.
Despite the fact that the survey has demonstrated that the clients are relatively well informed, we intend to improve the notice board materials pertaining to the events and possibilities of event organisation
to make them focused more on other than music-oriented events and ensure that the information can be
accessed by all our clients – including the new ones.
Interestingly enough, the clients who are aware of the conditions of event organising think that event
organising is fun. Others believe it is a combination of fun and work or fun and a possibility to learn
something new. The clients have not voiced many suggestions (e.g. Saturday events) but we will certainly
consider the suggestions that were voiced.
Casuistic
Víťa, 18 years old, secondary school student interested in music, attends concerts, clubs, festivals. He
makes money as a bartender at various events. He drinks a lot and smokes marijuana. He has founded
a band together with his friends, practices in the Agora practice room, does not talk too much with the club
employees.
He shows up with a request to organise a concert, to which he would invite bands from the area and
where his own band would perform for the first time. He starts planning the event with a social worker,
discovering that is not so much fun, that the event has to be reported at the municipal authority, that he will
have to clean up after the event, etc.
When the police arrive to the club during the event, it is up to him to resolve the issue of noise outside of
the club with them; nonetheless, he can rely on the social worker’s support.
Eventually, the event runs its course without any other major problems. Víťa and the other [organisers]
clean the place up perfectly and are very graceful for the opportunity to organise the concert and perform in
the public. While planning and executing the event, Víťa also forged relationships with the club’s employees,
he could see that they stood behind him during the confrontation with the police without solving the issues
for him. At the same time, he got to know know the employees better; after the concert, he started spending more time in the club, talking with the employees about himself, his relationships, drinking issues, etc.
Currently, Víťa no longer attends the club but whenever he meets the club employees, he talks to them
about how he is doing. He knows that if he needs to, he can come to the club.
Víťa is currently rather successful in organising events at various venues in and around Chrudim. In the
meanwhile, his band obtained its own practice room and performs a lot.
Evaluation, Recommendations
Event organisation has become a good practice in our facilities and most of our facilities currently
do have standing guidelines on event organisation. They differ from the point of view of client competences as well as the target group capabilities, whereas each target group is interested in different events.
Currently, music oriented events prevail in Agora drop-in centre, nonetheless we assume that changes
in the target group (younger clients) may lead to changes in the nature of the events and development of
new methods and techniques.
When organising the events, we are most concerned with increasing the clients’ competencies and de-
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