Opportunitie for Teenagers

As of August 1, 2014, Close to You Foundation has implemented in Iasi and Constanta the “Opportunities for Teenagers” model, with the technical and financial support of UNICEF’s representation in Romania. The model has established two Resource Centres for Teenagers, one in every city, aimed at providing specialised services in view of the optimal development and social integration of teenagers, aged between 10 and 18.

The need for such a model appeared due to the alarming increase in the number of teenagers who consume drugs, to the fact that teenagers are starting their sex life at an younger age, to an increase in the dropout rate, to the proliferation of violence cases, as it is shown by national statistics, but also due to the lack of specialised services, addressed especially to them.

The activity of Constanta Resource Centre for Teenagers ended on July 31, 2016, but Iasi Resource Centre for Teenagers is currently continuing its activity with two working points: one on Close to You Foundation’s premises at str. Bazinelor, no. 5, Uricani village, Miroslava locality, Iasi county and the other one on the premises of County Resource and Educational Assistance Centre of Iasi (CJRAE), at Socola Av. no. 110, Iasi.

The Resource Centre for Teenagers is a place where teenagers meet and participate in group activities and discussions on various subjects, thus developing their critical thinking and improving their communication, networking and socialisation skills. Due to the activities carried out at the centre, teenagers learn how to know and accept themselves as they are, they meet new people they befriend and understand that life is complex and has to be understood with its good and bad parts. The subjects tackled include the following:

• growth of self-esteem (identification of strong points, acceptance of one’s own self, self-assurance);
• assertive communication (how to communicate with the others so that we would not hurt them, offend them, but express what is bothering us or the things we are not pleased with);
• sexual education (body knowledge, sexually transmitted diseases, contraception);
• prevention of risk behaviours: alcohol, tobacco, drug consumption;
• identification and prevention of different forms of abuse (physical, verbal, emotional, sexual abuse etc);
• public speaking (how to overcome the fear of speaking in public, how to write a speech etc);
• coping with emotions (how to deal with stress, how to deal with rage, constructive emotions, destructive emotions);
• couple relationships;
• relationship with parents;
• entourage (how to choose friends, how entourage influences the decisions we take);
• bullying (how to prevent violence in schools, what to do when we are the victims, aggressors or witnesses of bullying);
• mass-media influence (how our life is influenced by mass-media);

All of these activities contribute to the teenagers’ personal growth and provides them with a useful alternative for spending their leisure time.

The “Opportunities for teenagers” model is carried out in partnership with the County School Inspectorate of Iasi, Iasi Child Protection and Social Assistance General Direction, Iasi Community Assistance Direction and Iasi County Resource and Educational Assistance Centre and the services provided within its framework are free of charge.