Human resources development
Human resources development
Social and labor market inclusion trough social enterprises
Training course: Basic knowledge for the NGO sector
„Confident in our future!” – Councilor for writing projects and burning them on CD
CHANCE for graduates and the unemployed youth
Facilitating the (re)entry of special population categories to labour market
Rural Areas and Social Economy in Romania is a project implemented by Soros Foundation Romania in partnership with Pestalozzi and Civitas Foundation.
The project is implemented between July 2010 and June 2012, on a 36 months period, an is financed by the European Social Fund – „Investing in people”, Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013, Contract number POSDRU/84/6.1/S/55122. The total value of the project is 9.874.142,00 lei.
The project’s objective is to develop organizations and social economy specific enterprises in the rural area, supporting disadvantaged people, together with decision makers and service providers for this social categories, and to get actively involved in the improvement of the disadvantaged groups living conditions and their communities development.
Objectives:
- Increasing the stakeholders knowledge level about the specifics and importance of social economy at a local, regional, multiregional and national level;
- Capacity building and strengthening knowledge about the social economy of target groups, by supporting the improvement of social entrepreneurship and developing a service package for the stakeholders interested in specific social economy development initiatives;
- Developing a new social economy structure in 23 communities from 4 development regions;
- Increasing the number of disadvantaged groups members actively involved in the labour market by supporting the initiation of income generating activities.
This is a multi-regional project including rural communities from Prahova, Călăraşi, Buzău, Brăila, Alba, Braşov, Botoşani and Suceava counties, covering the South Muntenia, South-East, Centre and North-East development regions identified as having a small entrepreneurial development gap comparative to the other development regions in the country.
Throughout the programme 24 social enterprises will be developed in the selected communities, while carrying promotional activities leading to mobilization of vulnerable groups within the beneficiary communities.
Estimated results:
- Creating and organizing initiative groups at the selected communities level;
- The establishment of 24 social enterprises;
- Increasing the number of disadvantaged group members actively involved in the labour market;
- A growth of the information about the social economy’s role and importance level in the communities development;
- Increasing the qualification level for the beneficiaries.
The target group consists of:
- Maternal assistants;
- Single parent families;
- Women;
- Social Workers;
- Health mediators;
- People who left school early;
- People living in isolated communities;
- People living of the guaranteed minimum income;
- Roma people;
- Families with more than 2 children.
Social and labor market inclusion trough social enterprises
The project: “Social and labor market inclusion trough social enterprises” in which the Civitas Foundation for Civil Society is partner and Alba County Council is applicant, aims to create an integrated working model of social economy and social inclusion designed to support people with disabilities and other vulnerable categories. The project aims to support and develop an integrated model and specific structures of social enterprises in the Central Region, and to support the initiation of analogous structures in North West region, Ilfov and Bucharest region, Muntenia Sud region in parallel with promoting at multiregional level the concept of social economy.
The objectives are: to transfer knowledge and promote the concepts of social economy, to establish and operate four support services in five community resource centers which will provide support for social participation of children, youth and adults and access to the labor market for youth, adults with disabilities or who are in situations of social risk, training for social services providers involved in the social system services, to involve employers in developing social enterprises and the online promotion of the concepts of social economy.
In order to achieve these objectives the activities that will take place are: the exchange of practices on the social economy new opportunities trough an international study visit, the organization of regional seminars to promote social economy and a national conference with similar purpose, the analysis of the needs of people with disabilities and the development of local adapted measures and the training of practitioners and specialists at the community centers level. Furthermore, will also be organized a series of courses for local, actual or potentially, employers encouraging the development of social economy and the establishment and operation of at least three social enterprises.
Implementation Period: 08.01.2010 to 31.07.2013
Project Coordinator: Magdalena Bene
Applicant: Alba County Council
Partners: Civitas Foundation for Civil Society, Structural Consulting Group LLC, Center for Continuing Education and Competency Assessment in Social Assistance (CFCECAS), Die Querdenker (transnational partner).
Funder: European Union trough Sectoral Operational Program Human Resources Development, Priority axe 6, Area of intervention 1, Developing Social Economy
Improving the quality of human resources and promoting entrepreneurship in non-agricultural activities.
Civitas Foundation for Civil Society along with Centre for Rural Assistance (CAR), EOS Foundation and Fundacion GeoMujer XXI are implementing in partnership the project entitled "Improving the quality of human resources and promoting entrepreneurship in non-agricultural activities."
The project aims to:
- Improve the quality of human resources in rural areas
- Ensuring long term sustainability by encouraging the establishment or development of gainful non-farm firms.
In this project will be organized free courses in the following areas:
- Be an entrepreneur
- Start a business
- The basics of accountancy,
- Fundamentals of Marketing,
- Communication in business
- Computer use
- Business plan development.
The direct beneficiaries of the project will be people from rural areas who will attend these free courses organized into 12 microregions. Students will be selected so that the project should have:
- 72 people employed in semi-subsistence agriculture,
- 36 unemployed young people interested in establishing a firm non-agricultural activity,
- 72 managers in rural areas
Through this project, the partners will provide to participants more than a classic course where they can acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge related to a particular area. By using innovative models, the participants will gain the initiative and ability to find new opportunities, to become pro-active and to meet unforeseen events.
For details visit the project's website.
Implementation period: March 2010 - February 2012
Coordinator: Carmen Ciobanu
Partners: Centre for Rural Assistance (CAR), EOS Foundation and the Foundation, GeoMujer XXI
Funder: European Union - European Social Fund through the Human Resources Development Operational Programme 2007-2013
The development of the key-skills at an individual level and the integration of such an approach in the “traditional” educational system had been approached in relevant strategies at different levels, starting with UE strategy set at Lisboan to the regional and local strategies from different countries. In all the records/documents there is a consensus about WHAT is to/have to be done, but the challenge comes from HOW it should be done.
Setting an adequate system is important as well because of the negative effect of the UE aderation, what consists in the liberalization of the markets that leads to the existence of large companies that have a bigger potential and a more stable position, which sometimes prevents the growth of the local companies and their transformation into regional development stimulus. The project intends to elaborate an integrated system for the development of the managerial abilities and key-competencies of Romanian companies’ managers, thus strengthening, in an indirect way, their competitiveness and innovation.
The general objective consists in the improvement of human resources quality, thus directly assuring the improvement of the competitiveness and innovation in the same time. The specific objective of the project consists in creating an integrate system of activities of professional development of the managerial abilities and of the key-competencies of managers from the North-West Region companies.
The project addresses to 2 target groups: top management and middle management of the companies. In the same time we have taken into consideration the equitable participation of women as part of our target groups. Direct beneficiaries will be the managers of the companies (20 persons / course) that will participate to the development of managerial abilities and key-competencies. The final beneficiaries will be the companies which will use our guides for managers (400 pieces) which will contain the support materials of our courses. In this way the companies will strength their position on the national and international level.
The major activities of the project were:
- Organization and planification of the project
- Acquisition of goods
- Initial evaluation of the qualification needs
- Promotion of the research about the qualification needs
- Planification of the training strategy
- Elaboration of the support materials in conformity with the qualification needs
- Organization of participants in groups, planification of courses
- Presentation of the courses
- Periodical and final evaluation of participants
- Elaboration of the guide for managers
- Promotion of the project
- Compiling reports and meetings of the project team
We will organize the following courses:
- Project manager (accreditated by CNFPA)
- Quality management(accreditated by CNFPA)
- Innovation in the commercial sector
- PR and communication
Thus through the promotion of life long learning programs we will continue the approaches of Civitas Foundation for Civil Society to offer courses with a high level of quality, which were appreciated by the Ministry of Labor through the accreditation of the foundation in national level in the domains of project management and communication.
This project proposes actually, the investment in the human capital in order to strengthen the competitiveness and innovation in Romanian companies. By creating a model of professional formation we will indirectly help the labor market on a long term approach due to strengthening of companies’ position and their transforming into regional development stimulus.
Period of implementation: December 2008 - November 2009
Project coordinator: Sönberger Krisztián
Partner: S.C. Consact Consulting S.R.L.
Funder: European Union - Phare 2006 Human Resource Development Program
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Training course: Basic knowledge for the NGO sector
The training course session named “Basic knowledge for the NGO sector” took place between November 21st and 30th in 2006. It offered 15 representatives of small or newly formed NGOs in Cluj the opportunity to acquire necessary knowledge to initiate and draft a financing project, to identify the funding sources necessary to implement the projects, and to use the computer in daily activities specific to the NGO sector.Civitas Foundation, through the Assistance Community Centre for NGOs - Cluj, initiated the course modules. The purpose of which, was to more fully develop NGO organizational capacity. The Assistance Community Centre for NGOs - Cluj was situated in the registered office of Civitas Foundation, with financial support from the Cluj-Napoca Local Council in 2004.
During the course sessions and in December 2006, the Assistance Community Centre for NGOs housed non-governmental organizations which did not have office infrastructure. This gave their representatives to opportunity to use a computer connected to the internet, and Civitas Foundation’s resource library to strengthen their organization.
Period of implementation: November 2006
Project coordinator: Diana Suciu
Partner: -
Funder: Local Council of Cluj-Napoca Municipality
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„Confident in our future!” – Tool for writing projects and burning them on CD
During 15 years of activity (courses, consulting, rural development programs), Civitas Foundation has faced, over and over again, the problem of insufficient knowledge and information regarding European Union funding. The purpose of this project is to create a CD (in Hungarian) which will efficiently train local authorities, non-governmental organizations or freelance consultants to successfully attract European funds. The content, structure and language of the CD is constructed so that as many persons as possible will be able to use it successfully. The presentation of the successful projects is an important part of the training that this CD contains.
The CD includes the following subjects: programs of the European Union, preparation of financing applications, project management, monitoring, public acquisitions, presentation of successful projects, etc.
The activities relating to this project started in October 2006. At that time team tasks were distributed, documentation and specialty materials were gathered, and successful models/projects were identified and documented.
The CD was completed and published in June 2007, and 2000 copies are being distributed (1000 pieces for the local public authorities, 500 pieces for nongovernmental organizations and freelance consultants). For successful distribution, we are collaborating with the county councils, the network of the local development agents, ERMACISZA Foundation, the Development Centres for freelance consultants, and with other partners of the foundation.
Period of implementation: October 2006 – July 2007
Project coordinator: Orbán Árpád
Partner: -
Funder: Apáczai Foundation – Hungary
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The training courses within this project took place between April 27th-28th and May 9th-10th. The 15 participants represented non-governmental organizations at the Romanian – Hungarian border, from Satu Mare, Bihor, Arad and Timis Counties. The purpose of the session was to increase the absorption capacity of the cross-border cooperation funds offered by programs of the European Union.
In the first part of the training, the regional policy and the assistance system of the European Union, the cross-border cooperation programs INTERREG IIIA and PHARE CBC were presented to the participants. 
The participants had the opportunity to learn about the practical details of project management, and the correct way of filling in the application forms from the European Union. In the second part of the training, the participants proposed project ideas, which they discussed with the lecturers. The project phases, the regulations, and the ways of implementing a CBC project, were presented.
In the period following the training courses, Civitas, as project assistant, offered the participants the opportunity to receive assistance in the preparation of the project ideas for the upcoming application period within the Phare CBC program.
Period of implementation: February - June 2006
Project coordinator: Diana Suciu
Partner: -
Funder: Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad, „Szülõföld” program
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CHANCE for graduates and unemployed youth
Based upon the Social Development Strategy of Odorheiu Secuiesc Municipality, prepared by the Local Social Partnership, one of the basic problems for youth is employment and the job market.
Based on studies completed by social service organizations/institutions, Civitas Foundation and partners reached the conclusion that youth are not prepared to enter (or in some cases re-enter) the labour market. They do not know how to find job openings, prepare a Curriculum Vitae, or letter of intent/introduction, how to prepare for an interview, the possible questions, how to dress, and if they get a job – now to keep it.
The youth do not have knowledge about the labour relationships (individual labour contract, employment, dismissal, unemployment, labour conditions, credits, and subventions), social security system, health insurance system, etc., and thus they experience problems that they cannot solve because they do not have basic knowledge.
Based on this challenge, the partners – Wolter Foundation, Civitas Foundation for a Civil Society, Citizen Advice Bureau, Harghita County Agency for Employment – initiated the project “SANSA pentru absolventi si tineri someri” – “CHANCE for graduates and unemployed youth” – financed by the National Authority for Youth through the National Agency for the Support of Youth Initiatives.
The most important results of the project were:
- Organization of two 72-hour trainings for 44 unemployed young people. The trainings focused on their career and the successful (re)entry to the labour market,
and starting an independent activity or a new business. The participants benefited of the labour mediation service offered at the Youth Hall and Retraining Centre “Cuib”. - Production of an information piece (2000 pieces) referring to the subjects of the project. The booklets were given to the participants of the training and to the 1100 new graduates in Odorheiu Secuiesc.
- Consolidation and development of the existing services and the achievement of a sustainable partnership to make the services connected to the labour market more efficient.
Through the activities of the project, we contributed to an increase in socio–professional integration opportunities, and built the capacity of unemployed youth and graduates in Odorheiu Secuiesc and the surrounding area. The number of the indirect beneficiaries is approximately 20.000.
Period of implementation: November – December 2006
Project coordinator: Mihály István
Partners: Wolter Foundation, Labour Agency Hargita County
Funder: National Authority for Youth and National Agency for the Support of Youth Initiatives
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Facilitating the (re)entry of special population categories to labour market
This project aims to develop an innovative job training and placement model, based on employee involvement and alternative/new training topics. We have developed new measures of employment, by creating an connection between the employer and the unemployed. These measures were prefaced, by the development of specific skills by the beneficiaries, in their present fields of activity. The package of skills they acquired will allow them to be competitive in a range of occupations and has prepared them for the dynamics of employment and the professional environment.
There are 100 beneficiaries of this project. Some are high school graduates, who have been unemployed for a short period or time, others are women who have a secondary school education, but are returning to the work force after 2 years of maternity leave. The beneficiaries come from the villages of Dej, Gherla (in Cluj), Bistrita, Beclean (in Bistrita – Nasaud), and Cristuru Secuiesc, Odorheiu Secuiesc and Vlahita (in Harghita).
These individuals benefited from the training activities and have gained advantages in the labor market. Following the training session 81 persons were selected, as part of an internship program, to be employed by the collaborating companies for a 3-month period.
In tandem with the above activities, in the Resource Centres, Civitas Foundation performed a permanent assistance / information / counselling activity for finding and keeping jobs, and counselling regarding labour legislation, etc. Following the training and continuing assistance, 21 persons from around Cluj, and 20 persons from around Odorheiu Secuiesc were employed at various companies / institutions / organizations.
Period of implementation: December 2004 - March 2006
Project coordinators: Szávics Petra, Pásztor Enikő Andrea, Csáki Rozália
Partner: -
Funder: Phare 2002 – Human Resource Development Program (2 separate projects)
