Characteristic of program CIRCUS
The programme provides services in an outpatient (a low threshold club) and an outreach form (outreach social work in a housing estate) for the youth living in a housing estate in Nitra. It gives young people an opportunity to learn about new possibilities of using their free time, different values, safer ways of communication and conflict resolution. Workers reach out to the target group especially by means of free time activities. Through positive experiences, encouraging and rewarding, clients are led to autonomy, responsibility and self-confidence.
The CIRCUS programme provides clients with information and assistance, helps them solve crisis and difficult situations, increases their participation and enhances social skills and also involves the community and social environment in preventive programmes.
Goals and tasks
- To work with children and youth based on low threshold principles and the philosophy of harm/risk reduction.
- To provide high-quality social services for the given target group.
- To minimize both passive and active risk behaviour related to the target group and thus to increase the safety in town (reduce experimenting with drugs, school absenteeism, petty crimes, vandalism, sexual violence, etc.)
- To carry out preventive activities primarily aimed at using various drugs.
- To assist clients during crisis and difficult situations, increase their participation and help enhance their social skills.
- To bring together the community and take part in creating a social network of the Klokočina housing estate in Nitra and involve the community, parents, other organizations and social environment in preventive programmes of various nature.
- To carry on with the cooperation with the Association of Low Threshold Programmes for Children and Youth and other important institutions active in this area.
- To educate and further educate the programme workers in topical areas and provide regular supervision.
- To take steps towards activities that can help publicise and popularise low threshold services for children and youth.
Provided services
- social counseling for children and youth and their relatives
- contact work
- free time activities
- crisis intervention
- situational intervention
- information service
- distribution of clients to other helping institutions
- social assistance in dealing with social and other services needed for stabilising and/or improving the current situation of a client (employment agencies, offices of labour, social affairs and family, courts, etc.)
- organisation of discussions, lectures, community events, interactive workshops, etc.
Target groups
- individuals and groups of children and youth aged between 11 and 22 years who face various unfavourable social situations and often grow up in a rather dull environment with lack of opportunities
- relatives of children and youth
- expert and lay public
- community
