ESC: EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CORPS IN ROMANIA

Asociatia Lumea lui Pinocchio (LLP) is a non-profit organization founded in Panciu, Vrancea County, Romania, in 2001.
LLP began its activity in Panciu (8.802 inhabitants), in order to support a sustainable local development, paying a particular attention to minors and families in situation of needs. It started helping and supporting Roma children and families living in degraded areas at the edge of the town where the difficult housing conditions, the heavy discrimination they are subject to, the phenomena of widespread illiteracy, alcoholism, domestic violence, early school leaving, unemployment, early marriages and general poor access to information, prevent Roma people to maintain the minimum standards of a healthy and serene life. The association founded and is managing the Socio-Educational Daily Centre “Pinocchio”, in order to work on social integration of children starting from an early age.
As indicated by the Article 5 of its Statute, the LLP’s main purposes are:
- development of the idea of national and international volunteering as an expression of social solidarity and for supporting the formation of youth in general;
- promoting non-formal education among young people in order to acquire key European competences of active citizenship;
- promoting and carrying out activities in the social, educational, welfare, cultural and health fields, of international cooperation, in the environmental field and of training;
- contributing to individual development on all levels;
- supporting the people in difficulty, especially the support of children who are in situations of material or psychological difficulty;
- supporting organizations that carry out humanitarian activities to support people in difficulty;
- training, educating and raising public awareness regarding situations of marginalized people;
- training human resources, especially those working in the social, cultural, sanitary and environmental protection field, as well as in their related fields;
- contributing to the fight against discrimination of any kind, respecting and enhancing the individuality of each one.
- promoting the development of minorities especially Roma;
- providing social services;
LLP's regular activities are targeted to children belonging to the most disadvantaged brackets of the local population, in particular to the Roma minorities. The educational activities regard: alphabetization, after-school, education to hygiene, respect for the environment, non formal education (workshops on recycling; music, theatre, painting, clownerie, jonglerie, games, etc.).
The association is accredited as social services provider, given its commitment in building positive relations with the families of the Roma children; school mediation activities in order to foster dialogue and mutual understanding between children parents and teachers; individual and group counselling activities; providing children with a proper nutrition; prevention of scholastic dropout and juvenile delinquency.
LLP is also strongly committed to promote volunteering in Romania, in particular in the Vrancea County. Since 2003 the association is accredited for the hosting, sending and coordination of international volunteers. LLP also has a multi-year experience in managing youth exchanges projects. Moreover, LLP has implemented an Operating Grant within Erasmus+/KA3 Civil Society Cooperation/Youth as Applicant (2016-0730), as well as a project withing KA2/Capacity Building/Youth as Partner (2017-3189/001-001).
Since 2016, thanks to a project financed by Fondul ONG in Romania (EEA Grants), LLP deepened its operational capacities in the field of volunteers’ management and promotion at regional level and strengthened its relationship with local institutions and associations.
LLP cooperates with several local institutions in Panciu regarding activities jointly developed together with the human resources of the Daily Centre Pinocchio. The association has agreements with the High School and young students of Panciu are involved in non formal activities with the children of the Daily Centre Pinocchio; an agreement with the Municipality, the Police and the schools in Panciu on prevention of children at risk; an agreement with the “Elena Doamna Centre” in Focsani for activities with young volunteers and children with special needs; with the Kindergarten nr. 1 aiming to ensure equal opportunities for education for all children including Roma kids. LLP is cooperating with some local institutions in Panciu (Kindergarten nr. 1, the Social Residential Centre for elderly people “Sf Ioan”, the Family Modules for orphans minors and the "Ioan Slavici" Theoretical High School) for the implementation of a ESC project (2018-1-RO01-ESC11-061253) .
Besides this, LLP promotes the participation of youngsters from Romania, especially from Vrancea County, to local and international volunteering programs as an opportunity of personal and professional growth.