On November 11, 2022, project partners successfully finished training activities and study visit for specialists and volunteers.

In order to ensure efficiency of social services 26 Latvian and Lithuanian specialists improved their qualification by participating in 4 joint  seminars. The first day of the seminars was dedicated for theory, and the second – visiting local social service providers in Šiauliai, Utena, Klaipėda, Telšiai regions, Vecumnieki, Ogre, and experience changes with Utena District Municipality who was one of partners in the project LLI-341 „Social Inclusion of Elderly People“ (Aging in Comfort).

During the seminars specialists learned how to evaluate and create psychological security, attract volunteers to the social work, also learned about positive communication, intergenerational conflicts and ways to cope with it.

Specialists, working in social sphere, visited institutions:

• in Klaipėda, Telšiai regions (Juknaičiai home for independant living in Juknaičiai village, Šilutė district; Public Institution “Gabrielius” rehabilitation center in Vyžių village, Šilutė district; Public Institution Soneima in Telšiai);
• in Bauska municipality (Vecumnieki multifunctional center, Day Care Center for people with mental disabilities and children with disabilities, Vecumnieki Division of the Social Service of Bauska Municipality in Vecumnieki);
• in Utena, Kaunas, Šiauliai regions (Public Institution „Angelų pieva“ in Utena, Kėdainiai Family Support Centre in Kėdainiai, Linkuva Social Services Centre Care Home “Atokvėpis” in Linkuva);
• in Ogre (Ogre Social Service Department, Ogre Social Service, Day Centre “Saime”).

Joint trainings and visits to different institutions created perfect conditions for experience sharing and learning and fostered synergy between partners on both sides of the border.

The main idea of the project was to empower people of different generations to help each other on voluntary basis. People in need – elder and disabled who can’t look after themselves and are alone need care and communication, children from families of social risk need to appreciate, cared for, spend time meaningfully and see a good example. People caregivers – elders who are still active and capable need feeling of being needed, possibility to realize their potential, also schoolchildren and students of social faculties from regional universities, who need to collect hours of social work, however are not always informed about the possibility to volunteer in social care centres or, in most cases, lack skills and knowledge to offer their assistance. The idea of the project met the need of all participating, connecting the different generations for social inclusion: during the project implementation 49 volunteers from Lithuania and Latvia (21 elder, 28 youth) participated in joint trainings and study visits to social services providers and NGO’s having volunteers.

Volunteers (elders) shared experience with Klaipėda City Care Home, including information about their implemented project LLI-1 “Joint Competence Center for Smart Elderly Care Social Services Development”, visited Klaipėda Social Services Center “Danė”, had a meeting with Kretinga seniors – volunteers in Kretinga, Klaipėda District, visited institutions in Iecava parish: State Social Care Center “Iecava”, Day centre Iecavnīca and Municipal Social Service Iecava division in Iecava.

Youth visited institutions:

• in Šiauliai, Panevėžys regions: Open Youth Centre “Jaunimo erdvė“ in Šeduva and in Radviliškis, Panevėžys Open Youth Centre in Panevėžys, Pakruojis Youth Centre in Pakruojis;
• in Iecava parish (Iecava Day centre, engineer company of the national guard, Ziemeļblāzma).

Gained knowledge was used organizing social inclusion measures together with social services providers for target group persons: lonely elders, people with disabilities, families at social risk and children being raised in those families, also new cross-border cooperation relationships were established.

 

The knowledge gained during the seminars and the visits helped specialists and volunteers to improve the accessibility and efficiency of social services. The highest impact was achieved by bringing together partners and external experts’ experience, combining theory trainings with study visits to various institutions working in social sphere and having volunteers by the purpose to see the best practices closely.

More information about the project ⇒ here.

The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Pakruojis District Municipality Administration and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Reference to Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation Programme 2014–2020 website www.latlit.eu.

Link to the official website of the European Union www.europa.eu.