Ceder romania

Regional Centre for Sustainable Rural

DevelopmentConstantza, Romania

www.agrofarm.lx.ro

[email protected]

• 1. About us

• 2. Mentoring - our approach

• 3. Two projects

• 4. Research regarding mentoring

• 5. Womentor meeting in Constantza – main results

ConstantzaRegion

• 800,000 inhabitants• Main tourist area• Danube Delta

natural reservation• Main port infrastructure• Agriculture area• Main City: Constantza

350,000 inhabitants 2,500 years of history

Constantza City

MedgidiaCastelu

TULCEA COUNTY

CONSTANTZA COUNTYBlack Sea

Danube Delta

Bulgaria

Ukraine

Cernavoda

Constantza – the old town

The rural landscape

The Danube Delta

Trophaeum Traiani

2,500 years of history

CENTRASNGO RESOURCE CENTRE

CASTELU TEHNICAL SCHOOL FOR AGRICULTURE

INFO AGRO CONSULT

The Volunteering Department

consortium of different legal bodies

Target groups

• Young people and adults in rural communities

• Representatives in the central and local governments and their agencies

• Professionals in schools and rural businesses

Current Education Programs

• Training programs for farmers• Training program for employees in the rural

administration institutions• Training program in order to develop the entrepreneurial

behavior of the rural youth• Training program for the youth associations in order to

improve their capacity to manage the volunteer human resource

• Education program for volunteers in order to provide peer to peer mentoring programs to youngsters in the rural communities

Actual focus

• Implementing an education model for local / community development that includes mentoring as education method

• Use of mentoring for educating volunteers as reliable local / community development workers

• 95% of our volunteers are girls

OUR APPROACH ABOUT MENTORING

• Mentoring is based on the idea that young people are supported by caring, concerned adults, they are more likely to overcome difficulties and achieve their goals.

• Mentoring programmes can be a positive tool to enhance the development of young people.

• A DEFINITION OF THE MENTOR/ MENTEE RELATIONSHIP:“Mentoring is a structured, trusting and

sustained relationship between a young person and an adult, in which the adult provides the young person with support, guidance and assistance.”

A MENTOR IS SOMEONE WHO:

• Listens and attends to what Mentee is saying• Guides Mentees to examine options and consequences

(there are 4 communication skills used by us)• Supports Mentees to set goals and stick to them• Is involved in a structured helping relationship with a

mentee• Help the mentee to solve his problems

Stages of a mentoring relationship• Stage 1

The mentor and the mentee become acquainted and informally clarify their common interests, shared values, and future goals and dreams. In this stage, there may be a lack of communication, or difficulty in communicating. Mentees may be

reluctant to trust mentors, and may attempt to manipulate them.

• Stage 2

The mentor and mentee communicate initial expectations and agree upon some common procedures and expectations as a starting point. In the less likely event that the two individuals may not be compatible, the pair is able to part on a friendly basis. In stage 2, there will be more listening, sharing, and confiding in one another. Values will be compared, and personal concerns will be expressed.

• Our projects in mentoring consist in a personal development programme with a 3 parts structure:

1. Group Counselling sessions for developing self-conscience and self- confidence (important elements of auto valorisation), using modern techniques (active listening, reflection of emotions, reflection of the content from the client speech, types of questions in a good interview) and problem solving methods that will be applied in solving situations from their own lives.

2. A training regarding social/ forum theatre techniques that valorise each one’s personality in order to develop their resources, their potential. During the project each child will be helped in developing his abilities by a mentor volunteer.

3. Individual working/ “counselling” sessions between mentor volunteers and abandoned children in order to valorise their free time.

In all 3 stages we used mentors volunteers who were trained in In all 3 stages we used mentors volunteers who were trained in mentoring techniques, methods and skills, in order to support the mentoring techniques, methods and skills, in order to support the abandoned children in a personal relationship (one to one).abandoned children in a personal relationship (one to one).

• The most important questions of mentors during their mentoring relationships were:

1. Why do we respond to some messages and not others?

2. Why we are open to some people and not others?

3. Why are we comfortable in some situations and not others?

Two experiences regarding our work with girls

““Spect-actors Spect-actors for non-discrimination”for non-discrimination”

Volunteers Volunteers promote promote the women status/rights the women status/rights in the family (they fight against in the family (they fight against violence, discrimination in the violence, discrimination in the society).society).

Volunteers Volunteers promote promote the human beeing and thethe human beeing and the

women rights women rights National campaign of a NGO network from 14 National campaign of a NGO network from 14

Romanian cities and towns that promote the humanRomanian cities and towns that promote the human

rights through the forum theatrerights through the forum theatre

• Expected results:Expected results:140 schools all around Romania (14 schools in Constantza rural 140 schools all around Romania (14 schools in Constantza rural area) area)

• 3300 teenagers are aware about the need for non-discriminatory 3300 teenagers are aware about the need for non-discriminatory behaviorsbehaviors

• 700 adults (local government representatives, teachers and parents) 700 adults (local government representatives, teachers and parents) are prepared to act as a support factor for social initiativeare prepared to act as a support factor for social initiative

• ““The Oppressed Theatre”The Oppressed Theatre” developed by Augusto Boal is developed by Augusto Boal is meant at helping the oppressed people to communicate with meant at helping the oppressed people to communicate with the community. the community.

• The word “oppression” is used for describing the state of a The word “oppression” is used for describing the state of a person who has lost the right of expressing him selves.person who has lost the right of expressing him selves.

• The method allows the community (including both, The method allows the community (including both, oppressed and oppressor) to get actively involved in finding oppressed and oppressor) to get actively involved in finding (negotiating eventually) solutions to their own problems (negotiating eventually) solutions to their own problems related to discrimination and intolerance. related to discrimination and intolerance.

Forum theatre as the oppressed theatre

• Social Theatre Social Theatre is a communication environment that allowed the is a communication environment that allowed the interaction between the oppressed young girls/ women, and the interaction between the oppressed young girls/ women, and the oppressor in the family, in the comunity they liveoppressor in the family, in the comunity they live

• The method allowed the oppressed young girls/ womenthe oppressed young girls/ women to express their problems (through the volunteer actor)

• The method put the other in the public (students, teachers, parents and so on), in the position of listening first

• Having the possibility to stop the play in any moment, the forum theatre allowed the audience the opportunity to change the situation through their own solutions to the problems

• Moreover, the forum theatre is supposing the use of the common language that is very important for the effectiveness and efficiency of any consultation process

The importance of the forum theatre in the fight against discrimination

The most important conclusion and solutions proposed:The most important conclusion and solutions proposed:• 80% of the interventions from the audience proposed a change 80% of the interventions from the audience proposed a change

at a verbal level, at the conceptual level, but less changes at a verbal level, at the conceptual level, but less changes regarding behaviors or attitudesregarding behaviors or attitudes

• The general trend was to teach the oppressor what he has to do, The general trend was to teach the oppressor what he has to do, to speak a lot about ethics, without doing something themselves to speak a lot about ethics, without doing something themselves in order to make the oppressor to change. in order to make the oppressor to change.

• One of the practical solution proposed was to include in the One of the practical solution proposed was to include in the school curricula, non-formal education programs that may help school curricula, non-formal education programs that may help students to be tolerant and supportive to the other students to be tolerant and supportive to the other

• Another solution was to develop educational programs for Another solution was to develop educational programs for developing women life skills they can use against violence and developing women life skills they can use against violence and discrimination in the familydiscrimination in the family

The most important feed-back and results

What our volunteers are doing?

““I know what I can, now I I know what I can, now I can try”can try”

Volunteers trained as MENTORS help Volunteers trained as MENTORS help children and teenagers, especially the children and teenagers, especially the young girls, in orphanages in order to young girls, in orphanages in order to develop their life skills develop their life skills

Ongoing projectOngoing project supported by the National Youth supported by the National Youth Agency Agency

Our volunteers help children and Our volunteers help children and teenagers in orphanagesteenagers in orphanages

Context• Children from orphanages are affected by a severe affective privationChildren from orphanages are affected by a severe affective privation• They lack the opportunities of having extended relationships with an They lack the opportunities of having extended relationships with an

adult, relationships in which the institutionalized child may identify a adult, relationships in which the institutionalized child may identify a modelmodel

This all leads to:This all leads to:• An introvert or depressive behaviorAn introvert or depressive behavior• Abandoning the hope of getting someone’s affection or sympathyAbandoning the hope of getting someone’s affection or sympathy• They believe they are worthlessThey believe they are worthless

Our volunteers help children and Our volunteers help children and teenagers in orphanagesteenagers in orphanages

The aim of the project The aim of the project is to support 15 children, mostly is to support 15 children, mostly girls, aged 12 to 17, from 3 orphanages in order to:girls, aged 12 to 17, from 3 orphanages in order to:

• Develop their self-evaluation skillsDevelop their self-evaluation skills

• Identify their own weaknesses and strengths, and Identify their own weaknesses and strengths, and resources as wellresources as well

• Self valorization of their own life skills Self valorization of their own life skills

• Developing their self-confidence, self-image and self-Developing their self-confidence, self-image and self-esteem esteem

Activities:Activities:• GGroup Counseling sessions in order to develop self-awareness and self-roup Counseling sessions in order to develop self-awareness and self-

confidence that are important for self-valorizationconfidence that are important for self-valorization

Techniques used:Techniques used:• Active listeningActive listening• Reflection of emotionsReflection of emotions• Reflection of the contentReflection of the content• Problem solving methods that will be applied to in order to solve Problem solving methods that will be applied to in order to solve

problems they are currently facing in their day by day lifeproblems they are currently facing in their day by day life

Our volunteers help children Our volunteers help children and teenagers in orphanagesand teenagers in orphanages

Our volunteers help children Our volunteers help children and teenagers in orphanagesand teenagers in orphanages

Activities:Activities:• Training course in order to learn the SOCIAL/ FORUM THEATRE Training course in order to learn the SOCIAL/ FORUM THEATRE

as an opportunity for children to valorize their personality and as an opportunity for children to valorize their personality and resources resources

• Peer to peer program through which each child is supported by a Peer to peer program through which each child is supported by a VOLUNTEER MENTOR in order to develop his/her abilitiesVOLUNTEER MENTOR in order to develop his/her abilities

• The volunteer and the child plan and organize together free time The volunteer and the child plan and organize together free time activitiesactivities

In this project, the roles of the mentor are:In this project, the roles of the mentor are:

- teach young people how to relate well to all kinds of people - teach young people how to relate well to all kinds of people and help young people strengthen their communication skills.and help young people strengthen their communication skills. - help improve a young person's self-esteem.- help improve a young person's self-esteem. - provide support for young person trying new behaviors- provide support for young person trying new behaviors .. - help young people set goals and start taking steps to realize help young people set goals and start taking steps to realize them.them. - help the young people with homework and improve their help the young people with homework and improve their academic skills.academic skills.

“All mentors have the same goal in common: to support young people to realise their goals, to develop decision making skills and reach their full potential.”

Main problems and needs of girls and young women

64.3%

50% 50%

35.7% 35.7%

21.4%

21.4%

7.1% 7.1%

0123456789

10

No.

of o

rgan

izat

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Situation of mentoring

Organizations classificationaccording to the activity profile

7.1%

14.3%

21.4%28.6%

28.6%

28.6%

35.7%

100%

57,1%

78,6%

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

total no. oforganizations

social services w omen rightpromotion

internationalcooperation

volunteering /philantropy

economic andsocial

development

health care training /education

other publicservices

religion

No.

of o

rgan

izat

ions


Girls and young women from the total no. of the organizations' beneficiaries

75%-100%14% 10%-25%

21%

25%-50%14%

50%-75%51%

Problems and needs of the organizations providing mentoring services

7.1%14.3%

14.3%

14.3%14.3%

21.4%21.4%

21.4%

28.6%

100%

57.1%

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

No

. o

f o

rga

niz

ati

on

s


Principles and values promoted by the providing organizations

100%

71.4%

28.6% 28.6%

85.7%

64.3%

7.1%

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Methods and tools the organizations are applying to

21.4%

42.9%

64.3%50%

71.4%

92.9%92.9%100%

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Training topics for girls and young women

14.3%

7.1%21.4%21.4%

21.4%21.4%

21.4%

21.4%28.6%

35.7%

42.9%42.9%

50%50%

64.3%

100%

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Mentors in the organizations

Don't have specialized

mentors79%

Have specialized

mentors21%


How the mentors are trained?

The organization has internal

training programs (internal trainers)

for mentoring51%

The organization is contracting out

specialized training

organization 21%

The organization doesn't have

training programs for mentors at all

14%

The organization is contracting

individual trainers14%

Who is providing mentoring for girls and youn women

A very few information on this topic

Two examples:

• CEDER – The Volunteering Centre

• Vodafone company

Seminar results The mentors network

• Why do we need a mentors network?• for information dissemination• promoting mentoring and mentors• defining and promotion of the concepts• promoting standards for mentoring• to facilitate the exchange of models of good

practices• to facilitate the communication among mentors• to participate in public policies elaboration• for mentoring grants


• Methods for networking• producing publications and materials• meetings, seminars, conferences, workshops• website• researches, studies• representing mentors at Brussels• case studies• models of good practice


• Resources

• accessing grants for mentoring projects/ programs

• fees/ contributions from specialized mentors

• tariffs for some services and products

• human resources

• logistic resources for the network

Participants expectations from the mentoring network

• Accessing financing programs in order to support mentoring programs

• Developping programs in order to support integration of girls and young women

• Promoting cooperation in the mentoring field• Supporting the national mentoring programs in order to be efficient

at the national level• Providing training for mentoring• Information dissemination• Transparency• Involvement, seriousness of all the members• Improving communication among the network members• Increasing sustainability of the mentoring programs• Promoting mentoring in communities

CONCLUSIONS• The girls and young women main needs and problems in Roumania are

related to social values and beliefs, like the traditional status/ role of the women in the society and in the family- the man is the had of the family and the women has to obey the man and she has to take care of the house and of their children also, she is not capable to be a leader. The career girls or young women are not appreciated, because it doesn’t fit with the social stereotype.

• The most of the participants at the seminar don’t know the meaning of mentoring concept, the mentoring method and process, but they make confusions between mentoring and some of the instruments used in mentoring process, as councelling, training, assistance. They understand the mentoring concept as „role- model” but they don’t know how they can train specialised mentors for their organizations.

• The organizations dont’t have internal specialized mentors and they don’t have informations regarding training opportunities for mentoring. In Roumania the mentoring concept is very new and it is used as practice and service mainly in the business sector. Only a few organizations in Roumania are using mentoring services in educational and social field. The participants at the seminar consider that mentoring can be used successfully in their work with girls and young women.

Ceder romania

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