Give it a rest – environmental support in foster care

The Gdańsk Foundation for Social Innovation, in partnership with the Municipality of Gdańsk/Municipal Family Assistance Centre, has received a grant from the European Union for the project ‘DAJ SPOKÓJ - environmental support in foster care’. The project will be implemented between January 2025 and 31 December 2028. The project site is fully accessible to people with special needs.

The aim of the project is to develop deinstitutionalised services for people in foster care from Gdańsk, Gdynia and the Wejherowo district. The activities are aimed at a group of 190 people: children and young people in foster care growing up outside their biological families, including those affected by exclusion from access to housing and people with disabilities, as well as independence coaches and foster families.

The project activities include: 

• The ‘Live at Home’ programme - creation of 21 rotational places in training flats in Gdańsk for foster care pupils becoming independent;
• Creation of two Community Psychotherapy Centres providing Biofeedback neurotherapy in Gdańsk and Gdynia for foster care pupils;
• Psychological and community support for foster care pupils;
• Support for foster care children becoming independent;
• Support for independence guardians;
• Support for family foster care.

Support for project participants will be based on mentoring by support specialists, motivational interviews, counselling and training. The support circle method and a person-centred approach will be used. Each participant will be provided with specialist support tailored to their needs. 

Supervision and setting strategic directions for further development of the project will be carried out by the Partnership Management Group, which will be composed of representatives of GFIS and MOPR.

The expected result of the project will be an increase in the number of places providing family support and foster care services by 47 places after the end of the project.

The following will be purchased as part of the project:

• furniture and materials necessary to equip training flats
• equipment for Community Psychotherapy Centres 
• packages for the integration of independence coaches with foster care pupils in the process of becoming independent. 

Project value: PLN 5,097,151.41

Contribution from European Funds: PLN 4,842,293.84

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