Project idea
The project is designed to assist adolescents aged 14 to 17 who are encountering challenges in their lives, enhancing their future opportunities through innovative mentoring techniques.
The project's goal is to provide adolescents with the necessary skills and knowledge for personal growth and social adaptation. This includes developing "soft" skills such as communication, self-awareness, self-control, goal orientation, and the ability to avoid health risks.
To accomplish these objectives, the FOCUS-MEDIA Foundation will facilitate training programs for young professionals, including teachers, psychologists, and social workers. The training includes two five-day sessions where mentors will receive theoretical and practical knowledge, which they will then apply in working with adolescents.
The trained mentors will work in pairs with groups of 12-15 people and individually. The program also includes joint events with participants and their families. Plans are in place to develop and implement socially oriented initiatives and activities that will enable teenagers to utilize the skills they have acquired.
It is envisioned that the parents of the adolescents will be involved in the project through a series of meetings where they will be informed about the program's goals and provide consent for their children's participation. They will also receive material support from another project partner — the "Kolibri" Charity Foundation. The parents and adolescents will provide feedback by participating in interviews, focus groups, and surveys before and after the program.
Consequently, at least 15 mentors will conduct over 60 hours of sessions with 40 adolescents, who in turn will implement at least 10 social mini-projects. This will allow adolescents to acquire practical skills in interaction and self-awareness.
This approach helps create a sustainable support system for adolescents that will foster their social integration and personal development. The collaborative work of specialists, mentors, volunteers, parents, and the adolescents themselves creates a comprehensive environment for achieving set goals and improving the life prospects of youth.
Relevance
Statistics and research indicate that the Leningrad region, including the city of Tikhvin, is experiencing an increase in undesirable behaviors among adolescents, including deviant and risky activities. This can lead to various negative consequences, such as crime, drug addiction, alcoholism, and early pregnancy.
The project offers a comprehensive mentoring program that covers various aspects of adolescents' lives, including health, conflict resolution, leadership, and employment. This approach helps adolescents develop the skills necessary for successful adaptation in society and avoid undesirable developmental scenarios.
The project significantly benefits from the involvement of young mentors who are of a similar age to the target audience. This fosters trust and allows adolescents to discuss their problems more easily and receive support.
Supporting this project is important for certain individuals and families in Tikhvin, as it provides tangible solutions to enhance their living conditions and future opportunities. Implementing this program will help prevent social and economic inequality, strengthen the social structure of society, and make it more resilient to various challenges and threats.
Social effect
Enhancing the future opportunities for adolescents in difficult life situations living in Tikhvin through innovative mentoring approaches.
KPI
KPI
Project Results
The staff of the "Svetlyachok" Center and Tikhvin Boarding School mastered a new effective tool for working with "difficult" adolescents—peer mentoring—and learned how to interact and motivate them to change their lives.
The "Kolibri" Charity Foundation strengthened cooperation with the "Svetlyachok" Center, established collaboration with Tikhvin Boarding School, and acquired skills in working with the new mentoring program;
The adolescents acquired skills for constructive interaction with peers and adults, learned to better understand and control themselves and their emotions, gained knowledge and skills to avoid serious risks, learned how to interact with potential employers and write a successful CV, and experienced interaction with mentors and experts who became role models for them.
The parents of the adolescents received psychological support and financial assistance and learned to understand their children better. Parents enhanced their knowledge, acquired valuable information for their families, strengthened their relationships with their children, and can now understand them better.
The program developed by the Foundation helps develop life skills in adolescents and shape a conscious behavior model aimed at looking after their health and making responsible life choices.
The adolescents became more socially adapted, acquired knowledge about different aspects of modern social life, developed emotional intelligence, created conditions for developing a communicative, socially successful personality, and increased their responsible attitude towards their health.
The program's most remarkable outcome was the near doubling of individuals who started to contemplate their personal ambitions and strategies, participate in debates and discussions, and confidently express their emotions. This indicates growth in self-control, a more mature attitude towards oneself, and self-assessment. The FOCUS-MEDIA Foundation has garnered experience in executing the project in collaboration with social institutions. It has assessed the project's impact through comprehensive research and, informed by the collected data and requests from mentors, has pursued the development of an additional program module aimed at preventing suicide among adolescents.
Project progress after CSS funding
The project will continue its development after the current funding is completed through active search for new funding sources. The foundation is actively working on raising funds, including such means as applying for various grants, requesting subsidies from the state budget, participating in local support programs for non-profit organizations, as well as collaborating with private foundations and representatives of the business community.
Additionally, the foundation is proactively seeking contributions from individuals. The Foundation's partners receive support from regional youth centers, local authorities, and businesses through contributions of volunteer efforts and material resources. The "Svetlyachok" Center of the Tikhvin Comprehensive Social Services Center receives state funding, allowing it to continue providing services to its wards using innovative methods and approaches.
