Public Report in support of community projects in Constanta sustained by PACT through Community Fund Pontus Euxin
In early June 2011, PACT launched Community Fund Pontus Euxin, totaling 32.600 RON, under its management. The Fund was established by selling tickets at the conference-event, held up by actor Dan Puric in Constanta, on November 20th 2010. The event was organized by a group of citizens in Constanta (constituted as an Initiative Group for Community Fund Pontus Euxin), with support from PACT Foundation, in order to attract funds to sustain local community projects.
The main purpose of the fund is to stimulate initiative groups and NGOs in Constanta to develop projects that contribute to producing positive changes in different urban communities in the city of Constanta.
Between September 15 to November 15, 2011, PACT financed through the Community Fund Pontus Euxin four community projects in Constanta, implemented by AIESEC Constanta, Assistance and Support Center for Social Inclusion, Local Groups Youth Association - Always Young Branch and Constanta Cycling Team Sport Association.
The total amount allocated so far reached at 26,050 lei, to support four projects, with the amount of 6520 lei / project. The difference of 6550 lei remained to all 32,600 lei available will be used to fund a fifth project in early 2012, the amount being given to one beneficiary.
The selection process included two stages, namely:
- submitting letters of intent valued on a first come-first-served basis, applicants receive answers to their submission as PACT, considering the eligibility criteria, the reliability of the project idea and the technical quality of the proposal
- submitting complete project proposals, based on invitation from PACT Foundation, following the decision of financing according to letters of intent received.
Summary of the 4 projects financially supported by the Community Fund Pontus Euxin in Constanta:
AIESEC Constanta, an organization of students of the University of Constanta, made the "Smile Future" project aimed to prepare youth in foster care centers for independent living. Thus, AIESEC members have shared their life experience, knowledge, skills and organized art therapy sessions to help 60 children in "Little Rotterdam" foster care center and Emergency Reception Center to be prepared for leaving foster care centers. Young members of AIESEC team have as partners in the project Psychologists and Teachers Foundation Constanta and Centras Constanta. Age similarity between project team and its beneficiaries was real success factor in the project, so that young people from foster care centers as beneficiaries have established close relations and reliance with project team members, becoming mentors and friends.
Assistance and Support Center for Social Inclusion (CASIS), an organization of young professionals with experience in social inclusion and project management, conducted the project "Youth and employment in the labor market". Through this project, CASIS prepared 35 high school senior students from disadvantaged backgrounds, to look for a job after graduating high school. Thus, within the project was organized interactive training sessions to students and with their help they created a guide and a website. So, at the end of the project, young participants are able to write a CV, a covering letter, to consider a contract offered by an employer, to open and use an account etc. With the guide prepared under the project and website more young people in Constanta or in the country will be able to prepare better to look for a job and to give a good account of oneself in front of employers.
Local Youth Groups Association (AGLT) - Always Young Constanta Branch made the "game and its importance in the development of children” project. Students from three schools in Constanta - Jean Bart, Ion Minulescu si Dr. Angelescu - have received special training sessions, after which they become socio-cultural animators and can organize and carry out activities with groups of students playing activities in their schools. Thus, based on rigorous schedule, students trained in this project organize daily activities by playing with their younger classmates and help them spend their free time constructively. Practicing group games, children develop leadership skills, feel valued, learn to relate differently to their classmates and become more sensitive and accountable to their younger colleagues. As a result of this project, three student clubs were created in the three schools, where they can develop extracurricular activities.
Sport Association „Constanta Cycling Team” (ASCCT), formed by a group of cycling enthusiasts from Constanta, made the "Cicloactiv in the community" project, to encourage cycling as a sport and relaxation and also to promote south-east of the country as a tourism area. The project trained 10 cyclo-guides who know local history and geography and made maps for 7 cyclo-tourist routes. As a result of the project implemented by ASCCT, those interested in making the cyclo-tourism in the south-east may have available a cyclo-guide, maps of routes established, and bicycles for rent. Both those interested in the project implemented by ASCCT, and cyclo-tourists can find more information on the association's blog.
PACT provided assistance and advice step by step, on demand, for the proper carrying out projects. In 14 and 15 October were organized visits for monitoring, evaluation and consulting for all four funded organizations.
Initiative of this fund belongs to a group in Constanta, with professional careers in various fields, family and parents, who believe that involvement in community affairs can create a better environment for families and children in Constanta community, and have decided to actively creating a community spirit and community transformation in a good place for all its inhabitants, especially those less favored.
Community Fund Pontus Euxin is integrated into the Community Development Foundation Program in Romania, initiated and coordinated nationally by the Association for Community Relations (ARC) and developed in partnership with the Foundation for Partnership and PACT.
