FEMINA RY (Finland)
Femina is an NGO that provides legal, social and humanitarian assistance to womens living in Finland. We aim to achieve more sustainable and fair society by assistance to the people in need and advancing intercultural dialogue and education to all. Hundreds of women turn to us for help, who in difficult divorce proceedings have to defend their rights and the rights of their children. The most difficult thing is when a mother with children or pregnant women, for example, has problems with documents, often the problem is delayed to a critical situation. And then these people need not only legal assistance but also social. We have repeatedly opened fees for clothing, personal hygiene products, and products for people in difficult situations.
We also help solve housing problems, because due to ignorance of the law, some immigrants come to Finland to work and remain literally on the street. We have volunteers helping such people, giving them temporary housing until we resolve all issues with documents and find our own housing for this category of people. The problems that we deal with are extremely numerous and mainly these problems arise due to the legal illiteracy of people. We help such people.
We run a workshops, trainings, seminars and information days, teaching people practical skills, and important aspects of socialization and integration in society, human rights and legal system in Finland, accounting matters and providing information to assist them in setting up their life’s (in case of refugees, migrants and minorities) and own business.
We organize vocational education four kids and youth, like drama and music lessons, youth camps and debates.
We have created a website to inform women about changes in the legal field of Finland. We provide relevant information through articles and newsletters. At the same time, the main task in organizing the work of the site is to complete, comprehensive and high-quality consideration of applications and preserve anonymity.
PEACE CHILD ESTONIA
Peace Child Estonia is a youth- led non-governmental organisation, what was established in February 2009, and works in the public interest. The purpose of the Organisation is to include and empower the children and young people, developing child welfare and youth initiatives, taking part in designing and implementing youth policy and standing for the joint rights of the Organisation’s members.
Mission: to empower young people and promote sustainable development.
Vision: young people as a solution, not a problem.
Peace Child Estonia is also an official representative of UK organisation Peacechild International and operates on the international level as well as on the local level. PCE works in cooperation with governmental institutions, other private or public institutions, takes part in joint projects and programs with them and organises seminars, training-courses and informative events on topics varying from intercultural dialogue, non-formal education, and project management to gender empowerment.
Peace Child Estonia’ recent work has been focused on developing projects regarding the topic of human and children rights (trainings for young people and experts in human & children rights). and active citizenship and youth participation in decision making processs (Active Citizens, Co-management programm, Youth Forums), gender equality & empowerment (Gender Equality and Women Empowerment programm), an intercultural dialogue, integration and tolerance (International cooperation withing Europe and EuroMed region and Estonian minorities integration into society), inclusion and support of youth people with special need (summer schools and trainings for YPFOs) and creativity and culture (developing creative skills and knowledge and cultural cooperation) etc.
Peace Child Estonia is a growing organisation with a developing program and many national and international supportive members. The organisation’s leaders are motivated and active in regional development, state-led initiatives as well as working in conjunction with other organisations in developing projects on the international level.
FOLKEVIRKE (Denmark)
Folkevirke is dealing with activities regarding social, cultural and political issiues. Folkevirke has been known to bring what you would call "early warnings". Time and again a subject has been thoroughly treated in our different meetings, when the government sets up a campaign over the country dealing with just that issue! Right from the start our major principle has been to keep our activities cross-political, i.e. not representing any of the political parties. Also time is always set aside for discussions with the participants and lecturers, to help promoting genuine democracy. It is important to democracy in Denmark, that everybody is heard - and that it is the argument that counts. "The word and not the sword". Folkevirke has since 1999 been involved in internation projects – several times as co-ordinator. Folkevirke deals with adult education and activities involving many generations – elderly and young people and children. Folkervirke has an experience and previous activities in engagement of children and young people in any type of activities including international EU projects – KA2 and Nordic Council programms where arrangements and activities where two generations participate.
ÖGAT (Sweden)
ÖGAT located in the multicultural suburb of Gamlestaden in the northeast of Gothenburg, is to create together across cultural boundaries, we work slowly perhaps not having a common language at first and finally being able to play a song together as a band or compose a textile work of art.
Here you can find each other for cross-border projects, new study circles or inspiring workshops. We believe in collaboration and the strength of doing things together. Today, we work mainly with the mediation of artists to cultural actors, anchor new partners and be part of various project applications that will create a lasting foundation for our association to develop. The form of association is non-profit and you who are members can get involved at different levels. In addition to the association's work to produce open cultural events, a curious investigation is conducted of other actors' activities, musicians, artists, organizers in other associations and knowledge in the area.
We visit associations, integrate musicians, look for artists and together create open and easily accessible evenings. ÖGAT has an aspiration to work for a life where we and others can feel that everything and everyone in some way belongs together despite differences. Simply described: an atmosphere in which everyone can feel seen and accepted, which makes people relax and feel community so that creativity has room to multiply beyond all boundaries and performance requirements. Feel warmly welcome to jump in! We are a hub in East Gothenburg's cultural life where all collaborations are possible between art forms and cultures.
BURGÅRDENS GYMNASIUM (Sweden)
Burgårdens Gymnasium it’s a upper secondary school in Göteborg with mainly vocational training for young people, aged 16-19, with around 1000 students. Students can choose between for instance programs that educate nursery attendants, security, fashion design, hairdressers, make-up artists or animal keepers. We have an introduction program for young immigrants where they can work with the aim of entering a vocational training program within 2 years´ time. There is also the option of combining theoretical studies with internship two days every week as an apprentice. About 60% of the students have an immigrant background. Some have arrived in Sweden with their parents as refugees, others were born in Sweden. Many students have special difficulties in learning (anxiety disorder, attention deficit, autism, dyslexia or dyscalculia). The teachers therefore work in teams where they develop new training methods that better fit this group of students than traditional education.