- Cluburi virtuale

RESULTS OF THE STUDY
“Radiography of Constanta-Silistra young people’s social and leisure
interests”
INTRODUCTION
This study aims to highlight social and leisure interests of young
people in Constanta and Silistra nowadays. This statistic displays the
current situation and provides feedback to act in the best manner to
direct
youth’s
future
behavior
and
activities.
It is necessary to know the actual situation as it shows us how we
can help young people to develop in a most harmonious way for them
and for the society in general.
The main instrument used in the collection of statistical data is
the questionnaire developed to determine the main social and leisure
interests of young people in Constanta and Silistra, which was applied
to the target group, namely to young people in Constanta, Romania and
youth in Silistra, Bulgaria . There have been a number of 54
questionnaires in Constanta and a number of 50 questionnaires in
Silistra, totaling a number of 104 questionnaires, for young people aged
between 15 and 34 years old.
The questionnaire contains 11 questions with closed answers - you
must choose one of the following given answers g, and open answers the respondent can indicate the answer that fits him under "other"
point if none of the above alternatives is deemed to comply with his
social or leisure interests. The questionnaire is flexible so that the
respondents can thick more than one possible answer if they consider
doing so.
The statistical data thus collected will be retrospect to the study
"Joint Report of the Council and the European Commission on the
implementation of the renewed framework for European cooperation in
the youth field", published on 10 September 2012 in Brussels, Belgium.
This study deals with three main issues resulting from data
processing of the results provided by the answers of respondents,
namely, The structure of leisure interests of youth from Constanta and
Silistra, the structure of social interests of young people in Constanta
and Silistra and Proposals of locations and organizations / institutions
to support social and leisure concerns of young people in Constanta
and Silistra. Each theme will be developed in detail in this order,
further in this study.
I. The structure of leisure interests of youth from Constanta and
Silistra
This theme aims to identify the leisure activities that young people in
Constanta and Silistra prefer to pursue and the locations they choose
for such activities; to identify how they prefer to carry out these
activities, thus establishing the level of socialization and social
inclusion.
I.1. Types of activities
General framework. The questionnaire shows a variety of ways to
answer, leaving the respondent the freedom to choose his own answer
if he does not retrieve himself in one of the existing answers for each
question. The tool touches especially topics such as sports, cultural,
outdoors activities, extracurricular activities, activities developed on
the Internet, and so on, and it covers a wide range of leisure interests.
We present you below the statistics that revealed by the answers of
young people, their main concerns on leisure.
The statistic data provided by the answers of Constanta-Silistra
youth:
Constanta
Most young people prefer to carry out sports activities (50%),
cultural activities (50%), outdoor activities such trips, excursions (93%),
to attend social events - fairs, concerts (50%), to follow through
Internet the local or national news (54%) and to get informed and / or
purchase products and services using the Internet (61%), and thus
dealing with two (42%) or more than four hours (35%) per day.
It is a moderate interest from young people to participate in
competitions, contests or exhibitions (20%), to conduct extracurricular
activities - camps, exchanges, participate in contests, applying for
national and international scholarships (34%), the activities of
entrepreneurship (22%), accessing the virtual library through the
Internet (37%) and conduct other types of activities mentioned by
respondents (15%) - Parties (4%), socialization (9%) PC games (2%).
Few of the respondents prefer using the internet “less than one
hour” (6%) and “four hours” (13%), to other fields of interest (4%).
The passions of the majority of respondents turn to arts painting, sculpture, music, drawing (35%), sport - jogging, swimming,
skiing, fencing, gymnastics, and others (57%), culture - reading, film,
theater, lyric drama, and others (31%), and less to other hobbies, the
only registered version being writing (7%).
Figure 1.1. Types of leisure activities preferred by Constanta youth
Activităţi sportive
Participare la competiţii, concursuri, expoziţii
Activităţi extracurriculare
Participare evenimente sociale
Socializare
Artă
Cultură
Ştiri locale sau naţionale
Reţele socializare
Două ore
Mai mult de patru ore
Activităţi culturale
Activităţi în aer liber
Antreprenoriat
Petreceri
Jocuri PC
Sport
Bibliotecă virtuală
Informaţii privind anumite produse şi servicii
Mai puţin de o oră
Patru ore
100
80
60
40
20
0
Preferinţă pentru
desfăşurarea activităţilor
în timpul liber
Hobby
Informaţii ce prezintă
interes în utilizarea
internetului
Timpul alocat navigării
pe internet
Silistra
Most of Silistra young people prefer to unfold activities related to
sports (60%), culture (50%), outdoor activities like trips, excursions
(60%), exctraculicular activities (44%), to participate to social events –
fairs, concerts (40%), to watch local or national news through Internet
(60%), to get informed and/or to buy products using the internet (70%),
to use the virtual library for academic information and not only (52%),
thus spending two or more than four hours per day (32%).
It has been registered a moderate interest from young people to
participate in competitions, contests or exhibitions (36%).
Few of the respondents prefer to unfold other leisure activities
(14%), business activities (10%) and to get informed about the other
areas of interest when it comes to surfing the Internet (8%), and there
are few young people who reserve "less than an hour" (12%) and "four
hour" (24%) to access the Internet.
The passions of most of the respondents turn to arts - painting,
sculpture, music, drawing (40%), sport - jogging, swimming, skiing,
fencing, gymnastics, and others (72%), and less on culture - reading,
film, theater, opera, and others (16%).
Figure 1.2 . Types of leisure activities preferred by Silistra youth
Activităţi sportive
Participare la competiţii, concursuri, expoziţii
Activităţi extracurriculare
Participare evenimente sociale
Artă
Cultură
Ştiri locale sau naţionale
Altele
Activităţi culturale
Activităţi în aer liber
Antreprenoriat
Alte interese
Sport
Bibliotecă virtuală
Informaţii privind anumite produse şi servicii
Mai puţin de o oră
100
50
0
Preferinţă pentru
desfăşurarea
activităţilor în
timpul liber
Hobby
Informaţii ce
Timpul alocat
prezintă interes în navigării pe internet
utilizarea
internetului
Data analysis. Constanta. Romania
Leisure interests reveal not only the interest for certain
categories specified in the questionnaire, but also the lack of interest
in other activities such as the entrepreneurial, extracurricular
activities, accessing the virtual library, although they spend much time
surfing the Internet; to participate in contests, competitions, in other
words, to be active in terms of education and continual professional
development.
Actions carried out in most of the spare time are travels, tours,
walks, attending social events like fairs, concerts. It concludes that,
socialization, through any form of it, whether it's meeting friends,
chatting with them via the Internet - social networks, is an important
factor in young people's lives. Their favorite activities are limited to
those which create a physical and mental comfort as great as possible,
limited to the level of relaxation.
The information that they wish to acquire are limited especially
to local or national news, social environment (social variable appears
again).
"Hobby" category highlights leisure interests of young people in
Constanta, by their misinterpreting of the existing answer possibilities:
art is understood to be listening to music or joint drawing freely; sport
was identified as running, activities carried out at fitness gyms or
movement of maintenance; culture is represented by watching a movie
at the cinema or at home.
But all information concerning Constanta youth’s leisure interests
are helpful in order to be used as an advantage for accomplishing new
opportunities for their development.
Data analysis. Silistra. Bulgaria
Young people in Silistra prefer besides recreational activities sports, cultural and outdoor activities, educational activities that help
them grow professionally, most of them preferring extracurricular
activities, to get informed from an academic and school point of view
through
the
virtual
library.
Being a tech era, the one in which they carry on their activities,
there is also an interest in using the Internet to follow local or national
news and information and / or to purchase products or services.
The time most young people allocate to browse the internet daily
is quite long, which is a relevant information to be used in developing
new projects - Chapter III will highlight in detail new proposals in this
direction.
Given that there are very few indications for other types of
leisure activities that young people get engaged in, to those already
mentioned, reveals how limited their activities are, for which Chapter
III also presents the need for new cultural and educational projects to
stimulate people and direct them to other areas to which they should
focus in the future.
According to responses recorded concerning "hobby" category,
Silistra youth are passionate about arts and sports, but less about
culture, information indicating the weak activity of those institutions
responsible for such activities - theater, or lack of these institutionsopera,
art
school
culture
home,
etc..
Comparative analysis between statistical data exposed and the
European Council and the Commission’s data on other member states
of the European Union.
Entrepreneurship. According to the report provided by the
European Council and the Commission on the implementation of the
renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field, young
people aged between 25 and 29 years old are more willing to start their
own business than young people aged between 20 and 24. In 2010, the
number of young people who were carrying out entrepreneurial
activities was much lower than in 2000. Yet, lately, the percentage of
young people engaged in entrepreneurship has increased significantly in
countries like Czech Republic, France, Netherlands, Slovakia, and in
Romania and Finland such activities cover a larger group of young
people on their age, namely from 20 years to 29 years old.
The following graphs will highlight youth entrepreneurship
indicators depending on their age and country of origin in 2000-2010.
Figure 1.3. Entrepreneurship among young people aged between 20
and 24 years old, based on the country of origin in 2000-2010
Figure 1.4. Entrepreneurship among young people aged between 25
and 29 years old, based on the country of origin in 2000-2010
Comparing these data with those provided by the feedback collected
through the questionnaires, we see that young Romanians from
Constanta support Romania to maintain the first position among the
European Union member states in the development and deployment of
business activities, however, young people also need support to grow as
much as possible in this area.
Concerning young people in Bulgaria, Silistra there are required
intervention projects for this purpose because their situation in
Entrepreneurial activities are below the average level communicated
by most countries of the European Union.
Education and training. Formal education is the most popular and
appreciated form of learning in society, but non-formal education is
recognized as increasingly important in making a contribution to the
ongoing education of the individual, since it covers a wide range of
educational programs: basic education outside of the school program
develops skills, develops their work spirit, teamwork, the work with
people in general, develops general knowledge, etc.. – all these take
the form of extracurricular activities listed in the questionnaire.
Figure 1.5. Participation in non-formal education of young
people aged 15-24 years, in relation to the country of origin, 2011
The statistical data provided by the European Commission puts
Romania and Bulgaria on the last places among European Union
member states , both registering a rate of about 1% of the population
aged between 15 and 24 who carry out extracurricular activities .
According to data from the questionnaires one can only deduct that
both Constanta and Silistra are well above the average recorded for the
country they belong to in terms of Constanta and Silistra youth taking
part in unfolding extracurricular activities.
Cultural participation. Youth involvement in cultural activities
can help them in their personal, social and professional development.
The interest in culture and creativity helps to a lot easier transition
from school to labour market , distributing the skills developed in a
non- formal way in continual education or professional development.
Moreover, the development and frequent use of new technologies - the
Internet, the advanced forms of communication can help young people
to become more creative in innovations.
Figure 1.6. Young people aged between 15 and 30 years who have
undertaken cultural activities in the last 12 months, compared to
the country of origin, in 2011
A third of young people in Europe have noted that they unfold
cultural activities in their spare time: they play a musical instrument,
write poetry, sing, dance or other activities such as creating videos or
taking photos. Germany and Austria recorded a 50% of young people
who are concerned about the amateur artistic activities, while Cyprus,
Malta and Portugal recorded a percentage of about 25 % of the
surveyed population who engage in cultural and artistic activities.
Both Romania and Bulgaria record average percentage in
comparison with other European Union member states on cultural and
artistic activities unfolded by youth, although respondents from
Constanta and Silistra said they were concerned about such activities in
a percentage of 50 % for each locality. Thus, we can deduce, again,
that the two cities listed for the present project record scores well
above the average compared to most of the population of the country
of origin , Romania , respectively, Silistra - two cities with resources
when it comes to young people in these two areas .
Health. Obesity. Need for sports activities. Overweight and
obesity are serious health risks. Overweight is usually associated with
low socioeconomic status in industrialized countries. Childhood obesity
has long-term consequences, many times over the entire life of the
individual. According to the report issued by the European Council and
Commission, the share of young obese people is higher in Malta, where
almost 9% of young people are affected. In contrast, less than 2% of
young people from Bulgaria and Romania are considered obese.
Figure 1.7. Young people suffering from obesity, in relation with the
country of origin in 2008
Obesity is a rapidly growing problem among young people in the
European Union.
The share of obese people aged 15 to 24 years has increased
almost everywhere, both for women and men.
In some countries, the proportion of young obese people has
doubled or even tripled between 2002 and 2008. For younger women,
the situation worsened most in Belgium, Estonia and Poland and among
the young people, obesity increased the most in Cyprus, Latvia, Poland
and Romania. This signals a serious problem that must be addressed
through preventive measures such as promoting healthy eating and
physical activity.
Although statistical data provided through questionnaires note
that young people in Constanta, in a proportion of 50%, for the
individuals who were surveyed, unfold sports activities in their spare
time and they are concerned about sports as a hobby at a rate of 57% place Romania compared to the other Member States of the European
Union on the last places in obesity issues, actions are needed to
maintain the population at this level, and to attract a large number of
young people to carry out physical activities to improve the quality of
life and life expectancy.
On the situation in Bulgaria, although young respondents in
Silistra note that they carry out leisure sports activities in a proportion
of 60% and that they are passionate about sports, at a rate of 72%,
they are placed below the level of obesity recorded in other EU
countries, but over the scores recorded by Romanian people. In this
case, we believe that measures are needed in order to stimulate young
people to undertake physical activities in a large number to combat
sedentary lifestyle and obesity - actions that are to be mentioned and
proposed in Chapter III of the present study.
Figure 1.8. Favorite recreational sports of Romanian youth
Youth and activities carried out through the Internet. The
development of new technologies and of the Internet exerts a strong
influence on cultural production, participation and creativity. The
benefits offered by the development of new technologies are
represented by their vast field of application for the exchange of ideas
and knowledge, and by overcoming physical and non-physical
boundaries.
The new technologies have expanded access to all cultural and
artistic activities, both in terms of an almost unlimited cultural power
and creative practices - music, video and film. The youth can get
involved in non-formal learning, which can provide useful skills for
later professional activity in cultural and artistic fields.
Approximately 80% of young people aged between 16 and 24 use
computers and the Internet daily. Denmark, Germany, Estonia, the
Netherlands, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden reported the highest
percentage, while Bulgaria, Ireland, Greece and Romania record much
lower levels. Concerning the latter, under half of those surveyed have
daily
access
to
new
technologies.
Figure 1.8. Daily computer use by young people aged between 16
and 24 years during 2006-2011
Figure 1.9. Daily computer use by young people aged between 16
and 24 years during 2006-2011
Yet, based on data from the questionnaire, young people
surveyed in Constanta use the internet daily - at a range of 100%, and
most of them spend two hours (42%) or more than four hours (35%)
achieving information activities, socialization , etc. Please note that
these statistics are reported to young people aged from 15 to 34 years,
reaching a far wider range of consumers.
In Silistra, Bulgaria, most respondents also use the Internet every
day, but the percentages for the four possible answers are roughly
balanced, they spending more than an hour (12%), two hours (32%),
four hours (24%), or more than four hours (32%).
I.2. The conduct of activities
General Background. The questionnaire aims, through one of the
questions, to find out how do young people interviewed in Constanta
and Silistra prefer to carry out leisure activities, with four standard
possible answers available: alone, within a group of friends, in formal
associations and in informal associations, and a category called "other
ways" by which we can identify the diversity of youth activities and the
functioning thereof.
Statistical data based on the responses of young people in
Constanta and Silistra are:
Constanta
Most young people prefer to spend their free time in a group of
friends in a proportion of 49% for those interviewed, in formal
association in a proportion of 13% and very few prefer to spend their
free time individually, 9% or in informal associations, 6%. There are no
answers for the category "other ways".
Figure 1.10. Leisure preference of youth in Constanta
Singur
În grupul de prieteni
În asociaţii informale
Alte modalităţi
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
În asociaţii formale
Preferinţă pentru petrecerea timpului liber
Silistra
Silistra youth prefer spending their spare time in a group of
friends-90%, individually in a proportion of 10%, but also in formal
associations (20%) and in informal associations (12%), see Fig.1.11
Figure 1.11. Leisure preference of youth in Silistra
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Singur
În grupul de prieteni
În asociaţii informale
Alte modalităţi
În asociaţii formale
Preferinţă pentru petrecerea timpului liber
Data analysis. Constanta. Romania. Young people prefer to spend
their time in the group of friends wishing to socialize as much as
possible and keep a very high level of comfort and privacy. In contrast,
leisure activities that can be conducted only on individual basis are not
an option considered by many of them - here we refer to leisure
activities concerning the individual study, reading, writing, personal
information for personal development by itself not by comparison with
others, etc.
The desire of belonging to a formal or informal group is achieved
at a very low level among youth which contradicts the desire for
socialization, or more accurately, young people want socializing to a
certain extent, less global and complex.
Data analysis. Silistra. Bulgaria. The desire to be close to a group
of friends, to small groups, is also visible and notable in the case of
young people in Silistra. Activities carried out individually in their free
time are found at a very low level, which means that they neglect the
development of such actions. Instead, the desire to belong and to
activate within formal or informal associations records a higher
percentage, but not high enough.
I.3. Places frequented by youth for leisure
General background. Having identified the preferences that Constanta
and Silistra youth have in terms of their spare time, we intend to
identify also the places frequented by them for such activities. The
problem is approached in two stages: the places they prefer, in
particular, to develop leisure activities in general, and the favorite
places in their city, thus making the difference between preferences
and the existence or the inefficiency of certain institutions’ activity in
each of the two cities.
The following are the statistics for the two stages according to
the city of belonging for each group of respondents.
Constanta
Concerning the category of favorite places to conduct leisure
activities, most young respondents chose non -formal locations in
proportion of 82% and private clubs in a proportion of 26%. Young
people in Constanta are less concerned with activities undertaken
within organizations and institutions (17 % ) , very little preoccupied
with other locations where they may carry out leisure activities (2% ) ,
and not interested in school clubs . Please note that these results
confirm the preferences of interviewed Constanta youth and not of all
young
people
in
the
city
of
Constanta.
The youth’s preferred places from their city of residence,
respectively Constanta, are mostly represented by the sports club (
57%) and NGO, collaboration with other organizations and institutions (
39%). Few choose to spend their free time in the school of Arts (20 % ) ,
at the library ( 15 % ) and very few opt to work in the center of
excellence for pupils (4% ) or in the center of excellence for students
(9% ) .
Figure 1.12. Places frequented by young people in Constanta for
leisure
Cluburi şcolare
Locaţii non-formale
Alte
Şcoală populară de arte
Bibliotecă
Centru de excelenţă pentru studenţi
Cluburi private
Activităţi desfăşurate în cadrul unor instituţii
Club sportiv
ONG, colaborare cu alte organizaţii
Centru de excelenţă pentru elevi
100
80
60
40
20
0
Locuri preferate în vederea desfăşurării
activităţilor de timp liber
Locuri preferate în vederea desfăşurării
activităţilor de timp liber în Constanţa
Silistra
Young people in Silistra particularly prefer informal locations
(70%) and private clubs (40%). Few are those who choose to pursue
their leisure activities by collaborating with other organizations and
institutions (24%), school clubs (14%) or elsewhere (16%) - they were
not described by the respondents to be identified, but only denoted in
this
category.
Concerning their preferences in the
place of residence,
respectively Silistra, most chose sports club (64%) and the use of library
as academic information support (32%). Few were those who chose
NGO, the collaboration with other organizations and institutions
(24%),the folk arts school (20%) or the center of excellence for
students (20%) and very few replies to the class center of excellence
for pupils (6%).
Figure 1.12. Places frequented by young people in Silistra for
leisure
80
Cluburi şcolare
Locaţii non-formale
Alte
Şcoală populară de arte
Bibliotecă
Cluburi private
Activităţi desfăşurate în cadrul unor instituţii
Club sportiv
ONG, colaborare cu alte organizaţii
Centru de excelenţă pentru elevi
60
40
20
0
Locuri preferate în vederea desfăşurării
activităţilor de timp liber
Locuri preferate în vederea desfăşurării
activităţilor de timp liber în Silistra
Data Analysis. Constanta . Romania . Youth preferences analysis
reveals and strengthens the analysis of their concerns: most of them
chose private clubs and informal locations in order to develop social
desire undisturbed within the group of friends, in an intimate,
colloquial atmosphere. Few of them use their spare time to develop
themselves within organization or institution, which explains the
limited number of young people who succeed to reach an average or
above average potential of what society wants from them. Moreover,
the desire to develop the artistic and creative side is low - formal
education and participation in various trainings at the present time is
insufficient when it comes to the development of young people of a
state. And to stay in this area , formal education - access to academic
data and information (15 % ) , the center of excellence for students and
pupils is not a concern of Constanta youth in its majority, but only a
small part of them.
Data analysis. Silistra. Bulgaria. For young people in Silistra, the
differences are very small compared to those already analyzed for
youth in Constanta. Most of them prefer private clubs, sports and nonformal locations. Concerning the formal education, there is a higher
interest for the activities developed in the centers of excellence for
students, in school clubs and documentation through the library. They
want and conduct cooperation with other organizations, institutions or
NGOs, but there are few who turn their attention towards artistic and
creative
development
through
folk
arts
school.
Comparative analysis between the statistical data exposed and
those of The European Council and Commission on other member
states of the European Union.
There is a constancy concerning the tendency of young people to
be interested and concerned with the three cultural categories attendance at cultural events and cultural locations, activities at
amateur level, sports and recreational activities or activation within
cultural organizations . Some countries remain at a high level of
participation - Germany , Estonia , Ireland , Luxembourg , Austria ,
Slovenia , Finland and Sweden , while others remain constantly at a low
level in terms of percentages - Bulgaria , Greece , Cyprus Hungary ,
Malta
,
Portugal
and
Romania
.
The study shows that the barriers towards cultural access can be
overcome by investing in digitization of cultural production. Creativity
and innovation are related to the life and future of young people and
they are strongly associated with new technologies, creative use of the
Internet, and how young people can collect, analyze and share
information and knowledge.
Figura1.14 . Young people aged between 15 and 30 who are active
in a sports club, student club or cultural organization, at least once
in the previous 12 months in 2011
European countries can be classified into two main geographic
areas: the Northern and Scandinavian regions where it seems to be
developed the educational and training systems that enhance students'
creativity in a greater extent than those from southern and eastern
Europe.
Figure 1.15. Measuring creativity in education, in relation to the
country of origin, 2009
The statistics from the European Council and Commission’s report
also confirm the low interest of young people from Romania and
Bulgaria for the activities unfolded within student clubs and
organizations. The indices registered for each locality in terms of
formal education are low, just like the creativity in education
established by the European Commission report. This indicates a low
involvement and a low interest of the educational institutions and of
those engaged in teaching and learning. When those who train the
young people do not provide feedback at a level above average, the
results cannot be expected in such a manner either.
I.4. Conclusions
Both Constanta youth and those from Silistra have low
participation in extracurricular activities, of non -formal education and
of those within the student clubs. With every generation the way of
thinking of youth is changing, and this fact is seen through the actions
that they undertake. For education level and interest in such activities
to increase, especially to prevent school dropout of young people which registers an increasingly higher level, it is necessary to adopt a
teaching and learning strategy that equally combines the theory,
practice
and
creativity.
Another situation that draws attention in particular is the
entrepreneurial activities developed and carried out by young people.
The factors that make an important contribution to the development of
entrepreneurial activities are those related to the financial
contribution that each young person dispose of, to motivation – many
young people believe they have the skills needed to carry out such an
activity, but it becomes in time too risky or complicated. Thus,
incentive, information and supporting programs for young people will
be needed in order to undertake such activities, given the precarious
financial situation of the present moment.
Both Constanta youth and those from Silistra prefer to socialize in
groups of friends, small groups, which can be used for the benefit of
developing future projects to encourage young people, and to draw
their
attention
towards
arts
and
culture.
But one of the problems that the Romanian and Bulgaria youth
are facing, respectively EU youth, is the fact that unemployment is at a
very high level among them which is why many of these educational,
social, cultural activities faces the financial barrier to be developed.
In order to stimulate young people and achieve a closer link
between young Romanian and Bulgarian, we propose joint solutions for
leisure,
as
follows:
1. Conducting biannual fairs or competitions on cultural
development projects with public presentation: creations, inventions,
events, and so on, so that every young person be able to assert oneself
in this manner if he wants so, public demonstrations being an optimal
opportunity to promote oneself and to socially interact with other
young people concerned about creativity, culture, education.
2.Conducting public local sports competitions: cycling, athletics,
nautical skiing, etc where young people can enroll in order to
participate in these competitions.
3. Conducting public contests of scavenger hunt type, in schools,
high schools, university centers. The adventure of such competition
automatically implies youth work, it motivates them and supports them
in the implementation of public and social activities at a much larger
scale,
replenishing
the
social
cohesion.
4. Creating a financial and fiscal information center for young
entrepreneurs. All young people should have access to information,
advice, and direction on economic and entrepreneurial activities, to
facilitate access to them and most importantly, the implementation
and development of these projects.
5. Supporting and developing the centers of excellence for both
pupils and students, through their promotion, attracting new talented
people, recruiting gifted young people and supporting them to develop
from an educational, professional and personal point of view.
6. Creating a virtual library with public access which has an
updated database to fit the present demands of the educational
curriculum and beyond. Given the fact that young people in Constanta
and Silistra prefer to be informed in terms of education, academic,
culture, through the Internet, there should be established a virtual
library with public access in order to facilitate an increase in interest
for information and education. An advantage of this virtual library is
the lack of a running program; young people can be informed at any
time of day or night.
II. The structure of social concerns of young people in
Constanta and Silistra
The second issue addressed by the present study aims to analyze
and identify in terms of the typology of activities carried out in relation
to youth’s social concerns and to how they prefer to pursue these
activities.
II.1. Types of activities
General background. On this subject, there are discussed points
like volunteering actions undertaken by young people in Constanta and
Silistra, the involvement they have on their social involvement, and
other
activities
that
were
previously
addressed.
The statistics represented by the responses of young people in
Constanta and Silistra who were interviewed are:
Constanta:
According to the statistically processed data , most young people
involve very little (32%) or moderately (26%) in activities such as
volunteering, few are those who reserve a part of their free time to
carry out such activities on a regular basis and greater involvement the percentage of those who engage much or very much in voluntary
activity is 4%. Less than half of respondents involve a little (18%) or not
at
all
(17%)
in
such
activities.
Most young people surveyed, more than 50% of them mentioned
that they involve a little (28%) or moderately (37%) in activities
involving social responsibility, and a small percentage chooses the
answer “much” (6%) for this entry. To be taken into account is the 30%
percentage which accumulates the answers "not at all" (13%) and very
little (17%).
Figure 2.1. The involvement of young people in Constanta in
volunteering and social responsibility activities
Deloc
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Foarte puţin
Puţin
Implicarea tinerilor din
Constanţa în activităţi de
voluntariat
Moderat
Mult
Foarte mult
Implicarea tinerilor din
Constanţa în activităţi privind
responsabilitatea socială
Figure 2.2. The level of participation of young people in Constanta on
certain activities of social interest
60
Participare evenimente sociale
Informare prin intermediul internetului privind ştirile locale sau naţionale
Colaborare cu ONG-uri sau alte tipuri de organizaţii/instituţii
50
40
30
20
10
0
Gradul de participare al tinerilor din Constanţa privind preocupările lor
sociale
Silistra
Most young people interviewed in Silistra, it is higher than 70%,
are little (34%), very little (20%) and not at all (20%) interested in
volunteering practice. Only a percentage of approximately 30%, grants
time and involvement for such activities at a higher level: they get
involved moderately (16%), much (8%) and very much (2%).
Regarding the involvement in activities carrying social
responsibility the responses are approximately balanced in the first
part thereof, as follows, not at all (12%), very little (32%), a little (24%)
and moderately (20%) . It remains a small percentage of those who
choose to engage in volunteer activities in a large or very large extent
(6%).
Figure 2.3. The involvement of young people in Silistra in
volunteering and social responsibility activities
Deloc
Foarte puţin
Puţin
Moderat
Mult
Foarte mult
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Implicarea tinerilor din Silistra în activităţi Implicarea tinerilor din Silistra în activităţi
de voluntariat
privind responsabilitatea socială
Young people in Silistra are very active concerning their
participation in social events (40%) and information via the Internet on
local or national news (60%) and less active when it comes to
collaboration with NGOs or other organizations and institutions (24%).
Figure 2.4. The level of participation of young people in Silistra on
certain activities of social interest
Participare evenimente sociale
Informare prin intermediul internetului privind ştirile locale sau naţionale
Colaborare cu ONG-uri sau alte tipuri de organizaţii/instituţii
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Gradul de participare al tinerilor din Silistra privind preocupările lor sociale
Data analysis. Constanta. Romania. The involvement of young people in
Constanta to undertake voluntary actions to low or medium level
reflects the social feedback in which they operate. Even if there were
various opportunities to undertake such actions, there will always be
young people who will choose not to choose them when it comes to
their leisure or to concerns about the social environment in which they
live, or to their professional and educational development. But, given
that more than 50% of the respondents chose to mention their
involvement in volunteer activities, the low level registered by this
category gives us information, such as the limited existing of
organizations to develop and support volunteering in complex and
varied areas so that every young person to be able to acquire
professional and personal experience in the field he prefers.
In general, Constanta youth involvement in activities with social
responsibility is low or medium, and the result indicates the need to
promote NGOs and organizations that support and make young people
responsible on the social environment in which they live. They should
be involved in various social project , and not only, rising this way the
level of communion satisfaction and the level of utility for the society
among the youth.
In particular, Constanta youth record a high level of social
involvement regarding participation in social events, information on
local or national news through the Internet and collaboration with
NGOs or other organizations and institutions. As mentioned, this
information can be used as advantages for the developing and
attracting young people to engage in activities supposing social
responsibility to a higher level and in a large number.
Data analysis. Silistra. Bulgaria. Young people in Silistra involve
little and very little in volunteering just because this type of activities
are not very popular in Bulgaria. Youth NGOs have poor logistics
resource, most organizations do not have offices, technological
materials needed to carry out activities or the quality of the internet
connection is poor. Internal problems within these organizations often
determine the assignment of a secondary place to youth issues.
In general, young people in Silistra involve very little and little
social responsibility activities precisely because the NGOs and
organizations which should attract this population are very few and
young people do not feel needed for the society. Instead, particularly,
young people are interested in the events that happen in their city or
in their country of origin; the fewer are those who participate in social
events or working with NGOs or other organizations and institutions.
Statistical comparison between exposed data and data of The
European Council and Commission on other member states of the
European Union.
Volunteering . Youth participation in volunteering is a great
contribution to promoting social and economic cohesion. In addition to
valuable service for society, young volunteers can receive benefits
from such activities. Through involvement in projects addressing
current social issues, young volunteers become key factors of social
reform and it helps them develop a sense of belonging and ownership
to their community. This is of particular importance when young
people living in situations at risk of exclusion become active as
volunteers: through their commitment, they find opportunities to
integrate in social and economic networks, and to improve their
participation as active citizens. In addition, volunteering is a form of
non-formal learning . Personal and professional skills acquired through
volunteering are important resources for strengthening one's education
and for employment.
Figure 2.5. Participation of young people in the EU, aged
between 15 and 30 years, to voluntary activities
Participation in voluntary activities varies by country. While the
proportion of young respondents who served in a voluntary project is
more than a third in Denmark , Ireland , the Netherlands and Slovenia ,
in the case of Greece , Italy , Hungary , Poland and Sweden the
answers record a percentage indicating less than the fifth . Such a
variation also affects the national trends in recent years. The share of
young people who take part in voluntary projects has increased in most
countries, except Greece, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia and Finland. The
increase was particularly significant (about 20 %) in Bulgaria, Ireland,
Latvia and Romania .
Young Europeans have become increasingly mobile; we refer to
those living in other European countries during their studies and
internships. Some of them serve in volunteer activities across borders,
but it does not seem to be a major reason to leave their country of
origin: only about 2% of young respondents to the Eurobarometer
survey „Youth on the move " reported that they spent a period abroad
for this purpose.
Figure 2.6. Young people aged between 15 and 30 years who
leave their country for a period in order to carry out voluntary
activities across the border – 2011
In general, the data show that participation in voluntary activities
still refers only to a minority of young Europeans, especially when it
comes to cross-border volunteering. The potential of non-formal
learning related to volunteering experiences seems to be only partially
appreciated and run by younger generations. There are initiatives at
local, national and European level aimed at encouraging young people
to engage in such activities. However, legal and social barriers prevent
wider access to voluntary projects, which often reduces the motivation
of young people to participate.
Figure 2.7. Formal recognition of volunteering in the Member States
of the European Union in 2011
In comparison with other European Union Member States,
although there was an increase in the number of young people who
apply and develop volunteering in Bulgaria and Romania, the statistics
indicate that the situation in these two countries on this activity is
below the average registered by all the states. As already mentioned,
volunteering is perhaps the main way that young people can avoid
reaching the stage of social exclusion, getting integrated within
organizational activities, managing to socialize - something most
preferred by them, to participate in various projects developing their
educational, professional and personal skills , so as to provide
themselves bigger opportunities in finding a job and maintaining it.
Moreover, volunteering involves unpaid work and financial
burdens arising from the contribution to voluntary activities can be a
powerful deterrent. This is even more important when considering
volunteering abroad, which implies how the young person has to face
personal expenses which are higher due to living in a foreign country
without receiving a scholarship or being hired. Moreover, leaving their
own country often means the loss of social benefits such as
unemployment benefits, and insurance, which easily leads to
discouraging young people to develop volunteering abroad.
The fact that in Romania and Bulgaria , most forms of
volunteering are not officially recognized (see Fig . 2.7. ) , can only
discourage young people to participate in such actions , legal and social
barriers representing another necessary point to be addressed to in the
future , so as to facilitate attracting a large number of young people
for voluntary activities.
Social responsibility. In order to assist them during the transition
from youth to adulthood, all European countries have established
„education for citizenship" or „civic education " as a subject in the
curriculum. Schools also usually ensures that pupils and students take
part in the management of school activities ; There are national and
local information centers for youth in most European countries to help
the circulation of information on political and social issues among
young people. Like any other group in society, young people decide to
get involved in politics when they believe that their actions will have
an impact, they must have real stakes in political decision making
before they take part in it.
The Eurobarometer "Youth on the move" confirms the preference
of young people to be active in non-governmental and local
associations, rather than in political parties. Twice as many
respondents than those who were active in a political party, said they
were involved in the work of an NGO or a local organization which aims
at improving the local community or the environment.
Figure 2.8. EU Youth aged between 15 to 30 years who participated
in activities unfolded within different organizations, based on
country of origin, in 2011
The proportion of young people participating in the activities of
local organizations is particularly high in Ireland (almost 25 %). Italy ,
Malta , Sweden and the United Kingdom are the countries with the
highest level of NGO participation (over 10%). Bulgaria, Spain and
Slovakia indicate a lower score for the three categories of organizations
identified in Fig . 2.8. Moreover, the level of participation of young
people in other forms of social involvement are similar to the
corresponding proportions among other age groups: at European level,
on the same percentages of young people and people aged over 30 ( 15
% and 15.5 % respectively ) said they were involved in the activities of
civil society organizations. These results correspond to recent studies,
arguing that young people are increasingly disillusioned about
traditional political structures because they are perceived as
unresponsive to the interests of young people. They consider that often
getting involved in community activities and micro -enterprises is much
easier and more efficient.
Figure 2.9. EU Young people aged between 16 and 24 years who
used the Internet in the last three months for information or to
discuss political or social responsibility issues through websites
New media can be used in a variety of ways: to become familiar
with
the
exchange of ideas on social and political themes, to expose violations
of political and social rights that would otherwise be unreported, to
initiate and organize protests and demonstrations on common goals and
to establish contacts and exchanges with public authorities. Young
people who are already active can take advantage of the new
information media to expand their participation - for example, by
joining transnational networks.
Figure 2.10. Participation of young people from EU aged between 15
and 30 years, in NGOs that have their field of activity in global
climate change or global warming, human rights or global
development, participation in the last 12 months, compared to
country of origin, in 2011
It turns out that only 3.2% of young Europeans have participated
in active NGOs in the field of climate change, while 5.2% have
committed to participate in the NGOs concerned with the field of
human rights or global development. However, the variation between
countries is substantial. When it comes to human rights and global
development, youth participation is of 11.1% in Denmark to 1.3% in
Hungary. Regarding climate change, youth participation is between
5.6% (Ireland) and 1.3% (Poland). Participation of young people in both
areas tends to be higher in Western Europe than in Eastern Europe,
although not without exceptions.
Figure 2.11. Participation of young people in the EU aged between
15 to 30 years to activities or projects designed to encourage
cooperation with young people from the other continents in the past
12 months in 2011
The figures for youth participation in activities that involve
working with young people from other continents are equally small. As
shown in Fig. 2.11., only about 4% of young Europeans have reported
such participation. Again, the differences between countries are quite
significant: while 7.6% of young Germans and Austrians commit to
working with young people from other continents, Bulgaria, Poland and
Romania, hardly exceeding the percentage of 1%.
All data given above were needed to achieve a comprehensive
analysis of the countries where Constanta and Silistra come from.
Young people in Constanta, Romania, develop collaborative
activities with NGOs and other organizations and institutions to a
greater extent than young people in Silistra, Bulgaria. Most young
people, according to the report, prefer to be more informed on issues
related to the local and social environment they live in than on those
related to political problems of their country of origin. This is due to
poor information on each state's political history in primary and
secondary education institutions, to the lack of political information
centers and political structure of the country to which each young
person belongs to, to social stereotypes pressure on political party
affiliation.
Both in Romania and in Bulgaria the youth tend to apply for NGOs
whose principal activity is the information and their involvement in
human rights and international development.
Even if young people spend much of their free time surfing the
Internet - social networks, specialized websites etc., their involvement
and motivation to participate in discussions of social responsibility is
low both in Bulgaria, and in Romania .
If volunteering carried out abroad is a problem both for the youth
of Romania and of Bulgaria due to the financial barriers they encounter
, although they mention that most of the time they prefer to socialize
and interact with the social environment by participating in such
events , they seem to be interested only in a very small number to
work with young people in countries on other continents . This is
because young people are not trained and don’t speak well enough a
foreign language , especially English; young people in Bulgaria are
experiencing this barrier to a greater extent than young people in
Romania .
II.2. The conduct of activities
Background. This chapter aims to identify the preferences of
Constanta and Silistra youth when it comes to their social concerns:
social responsibility, volunteering, information, etc., categorized by
organizational, non-formal structures or individually.
Statistical data on how young people in Constanta and Silistra
responded, are:
Constanta
The percentages are balanced concerning young people in
Constanta and the preferences of performing the work of social
concerns, as follows: within associations (32%), within non-formal
structures (56%), in collaboration with other organizations (30%) and
individually (24%), a very small percentage was recorded for "other
ways" (2%), which are not specified in detail.
2.12. Constanta youth interests on how to conduct their social
concerns
În mod individual
În asociaţii
În structuri non-formale
Cooperare cu alte organizaţii
Alte modalităţi
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Preferinţele tinerilor din Constanţa privind modul de
defăşurare a preocupărilor lor sociale
Silistra
Most young people in Silistra prefer to carry out social concerns
activities in associations (26%) and non-formal structures (68%), and
less individually (20%), in cooperation with other organizations (14%).
Very few people have scored "other ways" (2%) and it was not specified
in detail by the respondents.
2.13. Silistra youth preferences for the conduct of their social
concerns
În mod individual
În asociaţii
În structuri non-formale
Cooperare cu alte organizaţii
Alte modalităţi
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Preferinţele tinerilor din Silistra privind modul de
defăşurare a preocupărilor lor sociale
Data analysis. Constanta. Romania. Young people prefer to
conduct social concern activities in a familiar, informal manner, even
acting individually , but also calling on the support of certain
associations and organizations. The civic spirit of youth do not employ
a very high level because they meet both political and social barriers ,
and sometimes educational ones from those whom they addresse to,
considering that their implication is not as useful and doesn’t have a
too big echo compared to that of adults . They become discouraged
very quickly and many of them become slightly indifferent.
Data Analysis. Silistra . Bulgaria. Much more young people from
Silistra, compared to those in Constanta prefer to act through non formal structures when it comes to social concerns than to seek
cooperation with other organizations or associations, and few are those
who wish to do so individually , thus , it is emphasised the socialization
and the need of confirmation and implementation of social actions at
group level.
II.3 Conclusions
On the structure of social concerns of young people, between
Constanta and Silistra there are no notable differences, both of them
record low interest in undertaking voluntary activities and a low level
(or medium for Constanta youth) for actions on social responsibility.
Below, we propose solutions that apply to each city individually
and then we propose joint solutions through which each city will grow
and this will create a much closer connection between the two areas
and between the two countries, Bulgaria and Romania.
For Constanta, regarding voluntary action and the social
responsibility, we propose:
1. Promoting NGOs and organizations to carry out voluntary activities.
These organizations should include a broad and varied range of fields
and jobs for young people to apply, so that each person can find the
desired opportunity to develop leisure activities, to develop from a
personal, professional, education point of view in the way he believes
that it will be useful in the future.
2. Promoting, supporting and developing social responsibility of youth
both within the community framework and nationally and
internationally.
For Silistra, on volunteering and the social responsibility of young
people, we propose the following:
1. Promoting and populating the voluntary activity as a form of nonformal education needed for young people, especially for those who
want to acquire new professional and personal skills.
2. Promoting sustainable youth NGOs: conformable logistics,
orientation towards youth’s problems, involvement in their problems
and their solution.
3. Promoting social responsibility activities that show the need of
young people’s action for this purpose.
We propose the following development opportunities for joint
Romanian-Bulgarian projects concerning youth, to strengthen the
relations between them and value their interests:
1. Creating a center for linguistic development specialized in English
language to assist young people to facilitate their understanding and
knowledge to undertake international voluntary, educational activities
by accessing scholarships, professional activities - to facilitate applying
for various jobs in other European Union countries, obtaining requisite
interviews and employment positions that they have applied for, for
youth involvement in social responsibility worldwide.
2. Promotion of Euopene Union projects that support young people
through scholarships or other forms of reward to conduct voluntary
activities within EU countries or countries on other continents so that
the financial situation is no longer a barrier to undertaking these
activities, but just a goal, another alternative to develop skills and
passions to achieve beneficial and desirable actions for society, and not
only.
3. Proposing volunteering recognition by an official form, so this
activity held mostly by young people, to promote volunteering as a
form of non-formal specialization.
4. Emphasizing the importance of civic education in secondary school
curriculum in order to increase social responsibility for young people to
increase social cohesion and coexistence.
Promoting NGOs and youth organizations are required to develop
social concerns of young people and it is wanted not only to make them
feel and be useful to society in the present and in the future, but also
because they can reach to acquire and develop their skills to a higher
level about the society they live in and which they can support when
they reach adulthood. We speak of an upward and smooth evolution of
Constanta and Silistra youth, namely, young people from Romania and
Bulgaria
III. Proposed locations and organizations / institutions to support
social and leisure interests of Constanta and Silistra youth
III.1.Constanta
Short history of the town. Constanta is the second most important
city of Romania, it is a port city and tourist city. Constanta Municipality
is situated in the extreme south- eastern Romania , at Black Sea
seashore. In the seventh century, the Greeks founded here Tomis
borough. Tomis was founded in a broad process of Greek colonization
on the shores of Pontus Euxin , acquiring the attributes of a city
starting from the fourth century BC. Tomis importance has increased
considerably under the Emperor Constantine the Great - whose name
gave the actual name of the town. A real city development is achieved
after the Romanian War of Independence in 1878. A second stage of the
development of Constanta is represented by the interwar period.
Hereafter, we propose locations and organizations or institutions
that support social and leisure concerns of youth in Constanta
Locations for carrying out sports and cultural activities.
Locations for sports activities.
1. "Tomis" Sports Complex.
It has gyms, boxing, gymnastics and dance rooms. It includes gym,
study and technical meetings rooms, accommodation areas for 70
people. One also can perform workouts for basketball and volleyball.
2. "Pontic" Sports Club
One can perform sports activities such as martial arts: Ju Jutsu,
Judo, Kobudo - defence techniques against weapons, self-defence
techniques. The club aims to encourage and promote physical activity,
the development of sport for everybody, as well as sport for
performance, the selection, training and participation of sportsmen in
internal and international competitions. It addresses all ages.
3. Farul Constanta Football Club
It currently has 50 young people activating within the club. Gheorghe
Hagi is one of the best known Romanian in the world, who performed
and worked in training and competitions of this football club. Farul
Constanta Sports Club was founded in 1958 and keeps activating since
then.
4. Aquamarine Sports Club Association
This sports club has as field of activity swimming and it addresses
both youth and young and very young children.
5. Sports Hall
It has a versatile hall with a capacity of 2,000 seats, volleyball
net, basketball hoops, playing surface for handball, electronic table for
scoring display, lockers, conference rooms, TV and radio broadcast
facilities.
6. Municipal Constanta Handball Club
It is a prestigious sports club, with participation in the Romanian
Championship,in Champions League and good results. It operates
preparing young people to practice handball at a professional level.
7. Farul Constanta Stadium
It was given in operation by Farul Constanta FC, it has a football
field, locker rooms, synthetic athletics track with six lanes, lighting
system, recovery room, gym.
8. Future Constanta FC
It is a professional football club founded in 2009 by Gheorghe
Hagi. The main purpose of the club is to recruit young talented people
as it has the necessary opportunities to develop skills in youth sports. It
is ranked as one of the most famous sports clubs in the country.
9. Phoenix Sports Club
It undertakes sports training and coordination in basketball.
Young people of all ages can apply.
10. CVM Timis Constanta
It is a sports club dedicated to professional volleyball. Young
people of all ages can apply to acquire sports skills in volleyball. It
participates in national and international competitions with official
recognition of results.
11. HDI Tennis Club
It is a private club for sporting activities in tennis field. It has six
tennis courts with cinder surface, a central field with grandstand
disposing of 1,700 seats, covered room with fast playing surface, a
tennis court for children. Moreover, it has gym, aerobics, maintenance
gymnastics, remedial gymnastics.
12 . Gravity Park
Gravity Park in Constanta is the largest outdoor complex in
Romania dedicated to extreme sports . The park has a total area of
8500 square meters and it is divided into areas of testing, dirt jumping
, climbing, bouldering and obviously skates and rollers . Besides the
tracks, Gravity Park offers its visitors : a Skateshop , internet cafe ,
changing rooms, showers , equipment rental centre and first aid centre
, and in the future a pizzeria and a gardens. Gravity Park is the place
that holds some of the most important competitions in extreme sports
in the country.
13. Nautical base within Constanta Maritime UNIVERSITY
The centre has : three classrooms , a multipurpose laboratory , a
Hydrobiology, Biodiversity and Ecotoxicology laboratory , two seminar
rooms , two sailing boats Ypton type 22 , four universal boats , rowing
boats, 2 assisting boats, 5 boats canoe type10 +1, a boat with a
capacity of 260CP , a lifeboat with a capacity of 37 people , a rescue
boat trolley type, a springboard water craft , two decks and a PSI
polygon.
14. Nicolae Rotaru Sports High School
It is a complex unit that includes both high school , middle school
and primary school and sports education on valuable groups, sports
club type school; the system educates over 1,000 young people aged 7
to 18. For Constanta , "Nicolae Rotaru " SHS offers children the chance
to harness their sports talent and skills in 11 sports branches athletics, canoeing, sports dance, weightlifting , judo, kayak canoe ,
wrestling , rugby, tennis, table tennis, allowing them to represent with
dignity Constanta , both at home and abroad through their sports
value.
15 . Middle schools and high schools of all profiles
All educational institutions in Constanta have a sports base to
conduct physical education and sport, which are included in the
mandatory curriculum.
Locations for cultural activities.
1. Constanta House of Culture
It has 3 rooms which can be hired to conduct various cultural
activities. It conducts induction courses on modern dance and sport
dance but also classes for playing the mandolin. Countless arts and
cultural programs such as performances are also being carried out
within the institution.
2. Constanta State Theatre
The theatre has an artistic, technical and administrative staff of
60 employees. The State Theatre of Constanta has as main objective to
promote national cultural values, traditional and contemporary values
both nationally and internationally. The Theatre has rooms that can be
hired to conduct artistic and cultural activities on certain events, other
than those already existing within the program of the institution.
3. National Opera and Ballet Theatre "Oleg Danovski"
Consisting of Opera and Symphony Company and Ballet Company, the
National Theatre of Opera and Ballet "Oleg Danovski" has proposed
synchronization and direct cooperation of the two companies in great
performances held both in Constanta and in county’s cities. The artistic
activity of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre "Oleg Danovski"
certainly contributes to enhance the reputation of Constanta in
Romania and of the country in the great family of the European Union.
4. Constanta Museum of National History and Archaeology
The museum has a variety of very significant exhibits, nationally
and internationally. It has its own library, it undertakes research in the
field and it records many numbers of "Pontic Review ', which is its own
publication.
5. Arts Museum
Constanta Museum has an important collection of sculptures
which bear the signature of famous names such as Demetrius Paciurea,
Gheorghe Anghel , Oscar Han , Ion Jalea, etc. . The highlight of the
exhibition of sculpture is the beautiful piece of work of Dimitrie
Paciurea entitled " Water Chimera " , located in the middle of the main
hall of the museum. It has four locations in which the largest part of
the museum heritage is stored and which are designed to works’
conservation.
6. Maritime Museum
The basis of the museum's exhibits is very large and it is
organized chronologically , presenting the history of Romania Military
and Commercial Navy, the development of navigation and of
navigational aids in the Carpatho -Danubian- Pontic area . The
collection of boat models helds an important place among Romanian
Navy Museum exhibits, covering 150 models of military and civilian
ships that made up the fleet of Romania during history. The Museum
also includes an important collection of naval uniforms. First official
uniform of Romanian sailors dates from 1850, the year when the
uniform was introduced.
7. Roman Mosaic Edifice
It is located right next to the Museum of National History and
Archeology and it was discovered in 1959 , during some public utility
works carried out in Ovidiu Square . Further research attests that the
monument was built in the fourth century and gradually spread until
around the sixth century , when it stopped working . In its glory times
the building represented the largest building of its kind in the entire
Roman Empire and it served as a liaison between the port and the
ancient city, being the place where trade and commodity storage
activities were conducted.
8. Casino
Constanta Casino was one of the first buildings designed for
socializing and entertainment. Almost immediately after the city was
taken over by the Romanian government, prefect Opreanu Remus
considered that for what the city was to become it was needed such a
building. The history of the Casino began around 1880. The Casino
features an impressive architecture both for the beginning of the
twentieth century and today.
9. Constanta water theme park
The Aquarium in Constanta, located at beachfront on Casino cliff,
in its immediate vicinity, is the first public aquarium in Romania and it
was inaugurated on 1 May 1958. The building that hosts it, built in the
early XX century, had to be completely rearranged . The exhibition
area is dedicated to the presentation of the permanent exhibition of
aquatic fauna and flora in 57 pools, and also to temporary exhibitions
on topics of aquatic biology and ecology.
10. Planetarium
The planetarium has a dome whose diameter is of 8 meters and a
capacity of 80 seats; it is a place where demonstrations are held. In
these demonstrations, visitors can watch a starry sky projection on an
artificial arch. At the entrance to the Observatory, one can visit an
exhibition that shows the structure of the universe, from Meta-galaxy
to the structure of Solar System, showing pictures of planets, with their
characteristics. Also, within the Astronomical Observatory one can find
the dome for astronomical observations.
Locations concerning educational activities.
1. Constanta County Centre for Resources and Educational Assistance
2. Monachus Research and Environmental Education Group
3. Constanta Centre of Economic Education Resources
The Centre comprises various educational courses that support
the city's economic improvement and the people who want to help to
this end; among the main courses, we find: Efficient Economic and
Entrepreneurship Education, political economy and elements of
entrepreneurship education. The organization provides competitions on
various educational and economic issues both locally and nationally.
4. Constanta County Library "Ioan N. Roman"
Constanta County Library’s collections, created, organized and
developed systematically and consistently in more than 80 years of
existence, have an encyclopaedic character; they comprise various
documents in all fields of knowledge, mostly on traditional support but
also on modern ones, growing constantly; it addresses all community
members, regardless of gender, age, social or economic status,
religion, ethnicity. The library currently holds 674 448 u.b. with
encyclopaedic profile.
5. AIESEC Organization
It facilitates intercultural exchange programs, it offers young
people the opportunity to affirm and to gain experience in their
educational, cultural and professional development, but also personal
experience through projects of international student practice.
6. Ovidius University of Constanta
With a wide range of specializations, "Ovidius" University of
Constanta has one of the most extensive study offers at a regional and
also national level and it is empowered to issue diplomas for all
programs and forms of education organized in accordance with the law.
"Ovidius" University of Constanta awards the title of Doctor of Science;
it also awards the title of Doctor Honoris Causa, Honorary Professor,
Honorary Member of the Senate, to people within the country and
foreign personalities who have contributed greatly to scientific and
cultural life of the contemporary world. In addition to the wide range
of available faculties, the university has a campus for students’
accommodation, a central university library of its own, an educational
and vocational counselling centre and an university press.
7. "Mircea cel Batran" Naval Academy
It is a military institution of higher specialized education. The
main task is to prepare young people for activities specific to Romanian
Navy, but also to socio -economic activities. It has two faculties, the
Military Marine and the Civil Navy, each faculty with specific
specializations.
8. Constanta Maritime University
Constanta Maritime University, through its educational offer,
through scientific research conducted and through international audits,
is a university specialized in the maritime education which acts on the
purpose of validating the quality of teaching by increasing the capacity
and opportunities for graduates in the international maritime market in
relation to its high standards. The University has faculties such as the
Faculty of Navigation, Naval Electro mechanics Faculty, IMO
Department.
9. Spiru Haret University
It is a private university specialized in the higher education and it
has two faculties available for young learners in Constanta: Law and
Public Administration and Financial Accounting Management.
10. Andrei Saguna University
It is a higher education institution that provides educational
services such as the Department of Foreign Languages, Publishing
House "Andrei Saguna", the library of the university, bookstore,
Computing and Communications Centre, European Information Centre,
University Sports Association, Graduates club, issuing department for
European license in computer, hostel for accommodation.
11. Schools and colleges
In Constanta there are a wide variety of schools and colleges that
include all types of education located in this educational category.
There are high schools that include grades V-VIII for a favourable
integration within the next stage of schooling. Educational institutions
are from secondary schools to vocational, arts, sports, high schools,
etc. to include a wide range of profiles of young people and their
concerns for the future.
Locations for conducting social concerns.
1. Centras Constanta
The Volunteering Centre addresses both legal entities (NGOs ,
institutions ) and individuals. NGOs can use the centre’s services to
recruit and train volunteers , and for information related to the
management and development of their own system of working with
volunteers . Volunteers can call on the centre for training, for finding
projects and organizations. For all segments of society, The
Volunteering Centre can be the starting point for getting involved in
community affairs .
2. Romanian Red Cross, Constanta branch
Constanta branch’s priority is the training program for disaster
intervention and first aid. The Branch pays special attention to the
fulfilment of the provisions of this program because it was the reason
for which Red Cross was created, but also because Constanta County is
a high-risk area , flood -prone in general . Actually, training starts at an
early age by organizing the first aid competition "little health officers "
at kindergartens and "skilful health officers " involving students from
secondary schools and high schools.
3. Constanta County Youth Foundation
The objectives of the Foundation are to promote information for
youth and to develop the systems that convey it and to support and
encourage effective participation of youth in society .
III.2. Silistra
Short history of the town. Silistra is a city located in the extreme
north-eastern side of Bulgaria , situated near the Danube , at the
border with Romania. To the south and south -east there are the
remains of the old fortifications. The Romans established a fortified
camp at Durostorum at the beginning of the II-nd century AC. The
medieval town that sprang from it, is known as Drastar. The Turks
conquered the city in the fifteenth century , and it became a
commercial centre and Turkish city of great importance. Following the
Russo-Turkish War from 1877-1878, it was taken by Bulgaria in 1878.
After the Second Balkan War from 1913, it became part of Romania ,
but it returned to Bulgaria in 1940 during the War world .
Hereinafter we propose locations and organizations or institutions
that support social and leisure interests of young people in Silistra.
Locations for sports and cultural activities.
Locations for sports activities. Silistra municipality has 11sports
clubs which have as domain the educational and sport development of
youth, the main activity being the sports tournament. They are
primarily aimed at developing physical education and sport, with
emphasis on children and adolescents, providing appropriate
opportunities and conditions for the citizens of Silistra to practice sport
for health and longevity.
1. “Dorostol 1902” Football Sports Club
Here young men can participate in games and training in
professional football, in the division of team FC "Dorostol 1902" being
guided and coordinated by the president and coach Ivan Narlev.
2. "Durustorum" Athletic Sports Club
Youth of all ages can sign up for athletic training with the
opportunity to participate in regional tournaments, the club featuring
gym and courts to facilitate and support the achievement of better
results of youth in athletics. They are trained and coordinated by the
president and coach Tefic Nasafov. We enumerate the regional
champions who attended training in “Durustorum” athletic sports club:
Dimitar Bozhkov, Kaloyan Vassilev, Nataliya Velikova.
3. “Spirala” Swimming Sports Club - "Loui Aier" Stadium
Youth of all ages can apply to carry out swimming trainings. The
club has a capacity of over 200 young people. They are guided and
trained by President Nikola Kirchev and trainers Hristo Bonchev and
Pencho Velikov. The youth participate in local and regional
tournaments.
4. "Bagain" Competitive Combat Sports Club
Young people can enrol for taking classes of judo, sumo, martial
arts and they can participate in local and regional competitions, being
guided by the president and coach Nedelcho Tsvetkov. The club has
over160 young people registered. There is no age limit, even children
enrolled in kindergarten may opt for such courses. Exceptional results
were achieved by Ivelina Zlateva Tsvetkova who won two titles at the
World Championships in sumo.
5. "Sniper 92" Target Shooting Sports Club
Young people can take part in training and regional and areal
competitions, in national championships for small and pneumatic arms.
The club also organizes entries in the republican tournament "Olympic
Hopes" and in the Balkan Championship. Currently there are enrolled a
total of 58 people participating in such competitions. Young people are
guided and trained by President Dr. Nedko Belev and coach Ivanka
Ivanova.
6. "Dorostol" Basketball Sports Club
Young people can sign up and be coordinated under the direction
of President Iliya Todorov and trainers Svetlana Todorova and
Atanasova Rositsa. The total participation number of young people is of
200 people.
7. "Dynamics" Archery Sports Club
Young people can conduct training and participate in regional and
national championships, outdoors or in specially equipped rooms,
concerning sports activities of archery. Youth of all ages are
coordinated and directed by the president Yordan Kolev and coach
Moradzhiev.
8. Wrestling sports club "Dobrudzhanski Yunak-96"
Young people can participate in regional, areal and republican
championships. The club now has a total of over 80 young people
enrolled in courses, and they are trained and guided by Chairman
Plamen Sarafov and coach Zdravko Zdravkov.
9. Judo sports club "Dorostol"
Young people and children of all ages can participate in trainings
and in regional and republican tournaments. They are guided and
trained by President Emil Goychev and coach Petar Tsvetkov. The club
now has a total of 110 students.
10. Chess sports club "Silistra"
Young passionate about chess, but even those who want to learn
this sport, may enter into the chess club Silistra. It disposes of 50
registered; they participate in regional and republican tournaments.
Silistra chess club’s president is Alexander Vasilev.
11. "Olymp 97" Athletics Sports Club
Young people can participate in regional and republican
competitions. "Olymp 97"
Athletics club president is Alexandar
Maximov and the coordinating coach is Iliya Nedkov. Currently there
were registered 58 people participating in competitions.
12. Silistra Tennis Club
Locations for cultural activities.
1. Ballet School Aksel Silistra
2. Artistic Ensembles
"Dobrudzhanche" Ensemble. A total of 350 young people aged
between 5 and 15 years perform cultural activities of dance, singing,
music and art.
« Silistra » National Song and Dance Ensemble. It was founded in
1966 by a group of enthusiastic amateurs of representative folklore for
Dobrogea area. It performs folk dance, and folk theater specific to
weddings within festivals.
"Dobrogea" Dance Ensemble. It is represented by a number of
120 dancers concerned with authentic folklore of Dobrogea.
"Grebentsi" Ensemble. Assembly of young people aged between 10
and 20 years, performing Bulgarian national dances and music.
3. Museum of Archaeology
The museum has dozens of unique cultural masterpieces of
Roman and medieval origin. The exhibits have an important national
and global significance.
4. Museum of Ethnography
It represents the material of spiritual culture in Southern
Dobrogea in ХІХth and ХVІІІth centuries. It has two departments,
Drama Theatre - Sava Dobroplodni Drama Theatre specializing in
dramatic theatre, puppet theatre, Museum of Nature for Srebarna
village.
5. Silistra Art Gallery building
It was built for the heritage of the city between 1890-1891. The
architectural style is "late secession." Today the building houses the art
gallery.
6. Durostorum Ancient Monument
The monument is famous both at home and abroad and it is
represented by a tomb with frescoes with performances of a Roman
general, and it dates from the middle of the fourth century. It has been
opened to visitors since 1942 and it is considered to be the emblematic
creation of late ancient civilization. In 2005 "Late Antiquity of
Durostorum tomb of Silistra" was published in English and Bulgarian, the
author being G. Atanasov.
7. Medjidi Tabia
It represents an Ottoman fortress dating from 1847. The building
presents high walls and underground tunnels that reach key locations of
the city.
8. "Srebarna" Nature reservation
"Srebarna" Reservation dating from 1977 has the status of a
reservation of world importance. UNESCO International Coordination
Office classified the biosphere of the reservation in category A, only 17
places in the world have been labelled as such. It is located 10 km
away from Silistra. It’s area is of 7000 hectares.
9. Architectural and archaeological park "Durostorum - Drastar Silistra"
The park includes more than two-thirds of the contemporary city;
it includes unique monuments restored from Roman age and medieval
Bulgarian age.
10. Danube Park
Danube’s Garden within the park was established 150 years ago
by the locals. It has a variety of species of trees and ruins of ancient
castles.
Locations for carrying out educational activities.
1. "Partenii Pavlovich" Library
Established in 1959. It has a collection of 298 347 of books,
journals and studies.
2. Schools and colleges
Silistra has four secondary schools schedule for grades I-VIII, two
high schools for grades IX-XII, and two schools with common program
that meets schooling for grades I-XII.
Locations for carrying out activities of social concerns.
1. Silistra Youth Information Centre
The building is built in 1978, has an area of 58000 square meters
and it has 213 retail areas, a large cinema room, an independent club
and five dry run rooms. Veselin Georgiev Nikov is the manager. Address
for correspondence: 135 "Simeon Veliki" Str, tel. 2-72-47
Until 2000 it worked as culture house for youth carrying
recreation and leisure activities - social, cultural, information, advice
and entertainment activities.
Currently, the centre deals with the development and
implementation of educational programs, advertising and information
services, preparing young people for small family business and
environmental activities.
There are developed and carried out various national youth
projects such as festivals, programs in cooperation with the State
Agency for youth - Youth Information Services Consultant on youth
employment.
2. Welfare
institutions
centre
for
young
people
leaving
specialized
The social centre helps young people acquire social and personal
skills to achieve an independent lifestyle, offering them social support
and protection, providing the opportunity for reintegration; it helps
them individually approach activities specific to young people. The
centre has specialized staff: social workers, therapists, medical
personnel.
3. Temporary Accommodation Centre
The centre offers a set of social services that create conditions of
full service to customers in order to meet daily needs concerning
health, education and leisure activities, time management and
maintenance of personal and social contacts. They feature the
following amenities: meal, social games - backgammon, cards,
accommodation.
CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the situation of young people in Constanta
and Silistra on social and leisure concerns, on the interests that they
have in their development process and how these concerns relate to
the interests of the other young people of the other Member States of
European Union, for leisure and social activities.
The need for this study is represented by the need to support
young people in Constanta and Silistra on their educational, cultural,
professional, social and personal development at both individually and
at society level - the city they live in, the country of origin and the
world in general.
Moreover, the study sees the need to strengthen the link between
Romania and Bulgaria through social cohesion and cooperation among
young people for the benefit of development of both countries.
Through this project it is supported the development of social and
cultural events with the participation of young people in Constanta and
Silistra, social and civic responsibility issues are being debated establishing joint clubs: civic education club, educational club, cultural
club based on Romania-Bulgaria border link.
Also , this study is required to support joint development of
instruments to mitigate the negative impact of external factors on the
development of young people and on their behaviour and to stimulate
them to take the first steps to change or improve the lifestyle and
conditions development - overcoming the barrier of communication
through a common language of international circulation, through the
way of thinking , overcoming age barriers and stereotypes through art –
mime theatre, music , fashion design , sports, and through encouraging
contact and dialogue within common social and cultural events .
The organizations and NGOs in particular, have an important role
in supporting social evolution. They are receptive and assimilate
experiences from the social environment and produce resonant events
that launch new ideas, offer services and transfer of skills to all of its
members. NGOs work through self-organization, through their structure
and communication networks available so that the messages they send
and the actions they run to be as consistent as possible and to have an
expected outcome or impact.
Every young person who is a member of such an organization and
who participates in its activities not only he gets to feel important by
the feeling of belonging to a particular group – in this case organization
, but the organization in its turn provides support and understanding of
the issues of young people through their action in such a way. The
status of the organization allows it through the title it has to
collaborate, act and solve problems with other organizations or
institutions. Thus, young people facing similar situations can act as a
group in the organization, formally, correctly and in a civilized manner.
Youth NGOs aim to support the interests of young people in
general, and in particular, helping them to develop socially,
professionally, culturally, educationally, personally in order to train
young person for admission to labour market and so that he brings a
desirable intake to the society through actions he performs. Every
young person counts and every action brings a contribution to social
and global development.
Below we list the youth organizations carried out with the support
of the European Union and sources that students can call on for their
development:
1. European Youth Portal (http://europa.eu/youth/ro)
It provides information and opportunities for young people in
Europe on social inclusion, volunteering, education and training,
employment and entrepreneurship, creativity and culture, youth and
world, health and wellbeing. Moreover, the source provides the
opportunity for young people to express their views on topics of youth
issues.
2.
Youth
in
Action
project
(http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/programme/about_youth_en.php)
"Youth in Action" is a program conducted by the European Union
on youth activities. It aims to inspire a sense of active European
citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to
involve them in shaping the future of the European Union. It promotes
mobility within and beyond the EU borders, non-formal learning,
intercultural dialogue, and it encourages the inclusion of all young
people, regardless of their educational, social and
environment: "Youth in Action" is a program for everyone.
cultural
3. European Youth Foundation
(http://www.eurodesk.ro/program.php?id=RO0010000069&categ=Orga
nizatii%20de%20tineret) .
European Youth Foundation (EYF ) is a foundation established by
the Council of Europe to provide financial support for European youth
activities . It aims to encourage cooperation between young people in
Europe by providing financial support for youth activities which serve
the promotion of peace, understanding and cooperation in the spirit of
respect for human rights, democracy, tolerance and solidarity.
4. Erasmus Mundus Project
((http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/index_en.php) .
Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation program aimed at developing
the quality of European higher education and its promotion worldwide.
Based on the success of Erasmus Program ( best known through mobility
scholarships for students ), Erasmus Mundus encourages collaboration
between higher education institutions, teachers, students and
researchers from the European Union and beyond.
5. Tempus program (http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/).
Tempus is an EU-funded program which supports the
modernization of higher education in the partner countries in Eastern
Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean
region, mainly through university cooperation projects. The program
also aims to promote voluntary convergence of higher education
systems in partner countries with community developments in higher
education. In addition to promoting cooperation between institutions,
Tempus Program also promotes interpersonal approach. It provides
support for consortia of institutions composed mainly of universities or
university associations. Also, partners outside the academic field can
be part of the consortium.
6.
Erasmus
for
young
entrepreneurs
(http://www.eurodesk.ro/program.php?id=RO0010000270)
This program allows young European entrepreneurs to spend up to
six months to work alongside an experienced entrepreneur in another
EU country to learn how to develop and improve their own business.
7.
The
Project
"Rural
(http://www.ruralantreprenor.ro/despre-proiect).
Entrepreneur"
The project aims to develop entrepreneurial culture and grow the
expertise to improve skills, knowledge and management behaviour for
current and future entrepreneurs, especially young people from rural
areas.
8.
European
Voluntary
(http://www.voluntareuropean.ro/sev.php).
Service
It is a European Commission program, funded through "Youth in
Action" program which supports transnational voluntary service of
young people. EVS allows young people aged between 18 and 30 years
to carry out voluntary service for periods from a few weeks to 12
months in organizations in a country other than their country of
residence, typically countries in the EU, but also other partner
countries in the program.
9. Cross Border Cooperation Programme (http://www.enpiinfo.eu/maineast.php?id=322&id_type=10).
CBC program aims to promote economic and social development
in the border areas. It strives to meet common challenges, to ensure
efficient and secure borders and to promote "from people to people"
cooperation.
Even though there is a fairly large variety of opportunities and
projects where young people can get involved by applying for them,
the first steps are required to be taken from the place of residence. It
is necessary to involve and support young people by municipalities to
develop their socially, educationally, and especially professionally
through financial support for young entrepreneurs who want to make a
contribution to the development of the city to which they belong.
Even though there are many ongoing or future projects,
campaigns, programs to come to their help, the fact that they are not
promoted in an aggressive manner so as to be heard by most people
who are interested to be helped and supported, they have a little echo
and a suitable result. It is very important to make known any project,
any program, any action that comes to the benefit of young people.
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