The independence and self-sufficiency system preparing fostered children for adult life remains the weakest social policy link. The quality of intangible assistance and the way independence mentors perform their duties remain questionable (PBS report, 2012). The shortage of well-trained staff is the main obstacle to change.
The purpose of the project was to promote a model of working with fostered children aged 14-17 in local communities, said model involving a simultaneous process of working on a future adult’s independence and co-operating with his/her family and social environment.
Forty-five persons were trained as independence mentors. Each participant began working with one foster child, their co-operation including a needs, problems, and potential diagram, as well as an independence roadmap programme.
Furthermore, teams representing 12 non-governmental organisations implementing the independence model analysed all encountered issues in tandem with the association’s specialists, allowing for a better understanding of children’s needs and potential forms of assistance.
Future assistants (3 groups, total: 45 persons) were trained in a series of workshops in the following areas: educational skills, problem diagnostics, assistance programme design (3 x 6 days, 180 hours in total). Twenty-two consultation meetings (120 hours, teams of 3-12, 59 participants in total) were held for 12 organisations already in the process of implementing the independence model.
Direct project beneficiaries included 93 persons working with young people from dysfunctional families and 45 foster children who began developing their independence projects in co-operation with trained assistants. Future beneficiaries will include young people supported by assistants representing 26 organisations from throughout Poland. Working with the partner organisation, the project team was exposed to solutions and procedures applied in the Norwegian social welfare, health protection, and education system.