CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

IFS-EMMAUS has decided to start building a complex of the Center for Children and Youth with the aim of improving the position of children on the site and according to the team’s expert assessment for this kind of support and preparation for independence, complete resocialization and exit from public concern additional small family homes, non-institutional housing, to adequately care for these children and prevent the possibility of one of them ending up in the streets of begging, hitching, or labor exploitation that ending with human trafficking.

The aim is to help children from dysfunctional families whose development is hindered by family opportunities, neglected or disadvantaged children and children who may experience a behavioral disorder that leads to delinquency if it does not adequately respond adequately. These children need to go through the processes of re-socialization, self-restraint and preparation for getting out of public worries, to full reintegration into the local community. Consideration is given to the requirements of competent institutions in the field of social and child protection, and EU standards concerning the rights of children and young people, resulting in the need and obligation of IFS-EMMAUS for removing children from existing institutions of an institutional nature within the Acceptable Duje center in separate spatial capacities.

It is a unique project that has elaborated all the content, from the estimates, the individual plans of preparation and support in all spheres of life for independence and complete readiness for going out of public worries. Teamwork is conducted with all the necessary specialists in the field of social and child protection and in partnership with the institutions of the system, unlike similar attempts of other organizations in BIH and the environment.

The construction of the Children’s and Youth Center complex started in July 2014 and consists of three stages: the construction of the Center for Children and Youth, the construction of a house and the construction of five small family homes.

Thanks to the Dutch organization Stichting Proplan, the largest donor, the first facility for the Children and Youth Center was built and officially opened in September 2015.

The Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Return of Task Force, the Wildeganzen organization from Holland and various governmental and non-governmental organizations based in the Municipality of Bućine, Italy, participated in the project of the Center for Children and Youth.

The second part of the complex includes the construction of a house for accommodating 10 users, as well as the construction of 5 separate housing units (bungalows) for accommodating 20 users.

The construction of bungalows was financially supported by TDBB – the Union of Turkish Cities and Tavšanli Municipality from Turkey, whose representatives were present at the opening.

In small family homes, up to five people will be accommodated, depending on the expert assessment of the team, are in the process of preparation for the realization of accommodation, which represents the path to the independence of the Center for Children and Youth, where they will develop their independence, accountability, value systems through professional support to active inclusion in the life of the local community.