"Every Child Deserves the Possibility" Summer Camp for Gipsy Children who Do Well at School program"
Founder: International Visegrad Fund
Kráľovské údolie 8, 811 02 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
http://www.visegradfund.org
Participating Partners:
Dorcas Segélyszervezet - Magyarország Közhasznú Alapítvány (Dorcas Aid - Hungary Foundation)
Address: Erdospuszta, Dorcas Camping, Debrecen, 4002 (HU)
Statutory representative: Paul Visky
www.dorcas.hu
office@hungary.dorcas.org
Diakonie Ceskobratrské cirkve evangelické Stredisko Vsetín (Diaconia Vsetín)
Address: Strmá 34/2, Vsetín, 755 01, CZ
Statutory representative: Ing. Dan Zársky
www.diakonievsetin.cz
vsetin@diakoniecce.cz
Centrum komunitného organizovani (Center for Community Organizing)
Address: Kapitulská 13, Banska Bystrica, 974 01, SK
Statutory representative: Chuck Hirt
www.cko.sk
chuck@cko.sk
Stowarzyszenie "Zdolna Dolna" (Association "Talented Dolna")
Address: Kolejowa 22, Szklarska Poreba, 58-580, PL
Statutory representative: Zbigniew Zurowski
zbigniewmops@interia.pl
Description of the project
2011 is the 3rd year we organize summer camp. We host twice 60 children and some parents for a week. Our goal is to foster Roma integration, to let them forget their miserable home circumstances, and enjoy common programs, let them speak out their ideas, fears on discussions, help them understand the world and find their right place in it. 3-3 foreign artists and musicians from each Visegrad country will be at their help, since this group of children is very open for arts especially for music.
Target groups
Our target group are children in need of physical and psychical aid.
The chosen children are much worth for help, because they are really ambitious. Staying among artists can wake up their talent, their will to learn languages, and may change their whole life.
Benefiting people consist of all the 120 members of the target group and their community where they return. Not only friends, class mates, neighbours, but teachers who will experience better diligence, conduct and behaviour. They are at least 500 people.
The 18 artists from the Visegrad countries are psychically benefiting much too.
There are volunteers who help with the program, students of Debrecen Univerisity. Some of them intend to deal specifically with Roma integration in the future - they are benefiting too.
Obejctives
Our goals are
to let them understand each other by conducted discussions in the mornings and after dinner in the evenings (the evening discussions are held for small groups)to let them experience - through the conversations with Czech, Slovak and Polish artists - that the world is very colourful, interesting, and all the people with different background, all different nations are very precious in it (The communication language will be English, that is learnt is schools, but for the perfect communication there will be local interpreters.)
to let them discuss topics that simply are not detailed in their everyday life; participants have no partners at home to discuss with
to let them enjoy and try arts and explore and experience their talent that may change their life
to let artists present different ways of thinking, different cultures, different traditions, different values
to let them realize the joy and power of speaking languages
let them enjoy different team sports, quiz-programs and games
The way of thinking of Czech, Slovak and Polish artists will teach children that the world is even more colourful, than they have experienced, and that there is a good place for everybody in it.
This generation of children considers strange adults more authentic than their family members or teachers.
This will be the first time these children go to Zoo etc
Phases of the program
06/2011-07/2011 Organizing period, invitations for participants and finding proper artists by the help of V4
partners.Fixing program elements.
07/2011-07/2011 Implementation of "Every Child Deserves the Possibility" summer camp for Gipsy Children
who Do Well at School program - 1st group.
09/2011-09/2011 Implementation of "Every Child Deserves the Possibility" summer camp for Gipsy
Children who Do Well at School program - 2nd group.
09/2011-11/2011 Financial and adminitrative closing of the program.
Events of the program
1. Visegrad morning sessions Debrecen HU 27.6.2011-29.6.2011
2. Arrival, opening ceremony Debrecen HU 25.7.2011-25.7.2011
3. Visegrad artists evening performance Debrecen HU 25.7.2011-26.7.2011
4. Morning sessions/discussions Debrecen HU 26.7.2011 30.7.2011
5. Afternoon cultural and sport programs Debrecen HU 26.7.2011-30.7.2011
6. Common evening performaces Debrecen HU 27.7.2011-30.7.2011
7. Visegrad morning sessions Debrecen HU 27.7.2011-29.7.2011
8. Closing ceremony Debrecen HU 31.7.2011-31.7.2011
9. Evaluating meeting for leaders, organizers and volunteers Debrecen HU 31.7.2011-31.7.2011
10. Arrival, opening ceremony Debrecen HU 14.08.2011-14.08.2011
11. Visegrad artists evening performance Debrecen HU 14.08.2011-15.08.2011
12. Morning sessions/discussions Debrecen HU 15.08.2011-18.08.2011
13. Afternoon cultural and sport programs Debrecen HU 15.08.2011-18.08.2011
14. Common evening performaces Debrecen HU 16.08.2011-18.08.2011
15. Closing ceremony Debrecen HU 19.08.2011-19.08.2011
16. Evaluating meeting for leaders, organizers and and volunteers Debrecen HU 19.08.2011-19.082011
Implementation of the program
The first group of participants organized by KUL Foundation spent a week in Dorcas Kemping between 25-31 July. These young people are in a very impulsive and open period of their life (14-17). They were 65 young guests, 4 Visegrad guests (1 Czech, 1 Slovakian, 2 Polish) and 5 hosts (employees and volunteers) - as constant participants.
The second group spent 2 weeks in Dorcas Camping. The second week 14-19th Aug was called the Visegrad week. The Visegrad week opening ceremony was on 14th Aug. There were 62 participants from the Magyar Református Gyermekvédelmi Szolgálat - Nevelőszülői Hálózat (Foster parents' System of Hungarian Calvinist Child-protection Service). These children are of age 12-16. For most of them it was the first time to go for a holiday. There were 7 Visegrad guests (1 Czech, 4 Slovakian, 2 Polish) and 5 hosts (employees and volunteers).Opening ceremony: information was given on planned programs and practical things.
Visegrad morning sessions: In these conducted discussions the IVF and its aims were introduced to participants by our hosts. The daily topics covered the fields of culture, history, traditions, cooperation, and synergy. Visegrad guest artists were involved. Participants were encouraged to discuss topics that simply are not detailed in their everyday life; they have no partners at home to discuss with.
Evening performances were given by Visegrad artists and participants separately and together. Afternoon cultural and sport programs: included quiz-programs, games. Winners received programs which they enjoyed together (Debrecen Thermal Bath tickets, excursions) or toys, which they could use during their stay.Closing ceremony: was a formal way to say good bye to all different participants of the week.
Evaluating meeting for leaders, organizers and volunteers: discussion about possible changes for the future.Participants met the word "Visegrad countries" probably the first time in their life in this program. They were informed that the program was supported by the IVF in the opening ceremony and in the Visegrad morning sessions. They were introduced the aims, activities and importance of the Fund during the sessions.
The morning sessions were conducted the way that participants felt it spontaneous that they spoke about culture, history, traditions, cooperation. Visegrad guests helped to keep the topic on the planned focus. All the morning sessions and evening discussions served the goal of learning in an easy, "summer" way. In each camp three morning sessions were dedicated directly to the Visegrad principles. Then they discussed the topic chosen for that session (culture, history, traditions, cooperation, synergy etc.)The artists were successful in representing different culture.
The international communication delivered a new experience to participants.Guest artists gave their own performances and there were some common performances as well.
Outputs
- The summer camp enables 120 people (Hungarian orphans and very poor Hungarian Roma families) plus 18 artists from the Visegrad countries to spent a careless week in a pleasant summer camp.
- During the programs participants got to know each other, they understood the different cultures; they did many steps on the way of integration.
- Participants met the Visegrad Fund and its activity, and will took its reputation to their home.
- Participants experienced how to make a performance with professional artists.
- New common, sometimes multi-lingual performances were created by the participants with life-long memories, photos for the participants to remember them.
- Participants experienced the joy of friendship, work connection between very different people, among the Central European countries and values
Our special experiences:
All guests really enjoyed the week, though the weather was a bit rainy and sometimes cold during the first camp. By the help of constant programs they could mostly forget their "home" circumstances; they enjoyed good food, programs which they could win on different games. They were very open for art, especially music.
Meeting Visegrad guests was a good new experience for them. They were sometimes even more sensitive than we expected.
All hosts agreed during the evaluation meeting that they should have stayed at least one more week. These young Roma people need more time to open than we expected.
All the good experience the participants gained in the camp mean a step on the long way of Roma integration. Summer camps for children who do well at school give reason for participants for learning. Learning sports made the roma children more successful in their school class. Children who never see different family lives and rarely experience hospitality - they took home a very precious pattern with them.
Visegrad guests gave them a never seen experience. The world opened for them. We gathered the feedback received from the children directly and from their teachers, foster parents. They all justify the concept and the usefulness of our summer camp.
Continuation of the project, future plans
"Every Child Deserves the Possibility" summer camp for Gipsy Children who Do Well at School program is planned to go on in the future years too. Up to our financial possibilities we try to extend the number of participants and the program elements too. We are sure the week spent with foreign artists will add much to participants' life. We plan to keep the connection with our Visegrad country partners and artists as a "tradition" after this first pilot year.
Roma integration being a very serious question is a featured part in our activity. We encourage our volunteers to use all the knowledge and experience they gain in the field to foster this long lasting process.
