The project of this Protected workshop arose as a result of the needs identified through the project “YOU ARE NOT ALONE”, financed by the Dutch Foundations and implemented by the St. Dimitrie Foundation for home services provided to children and teenagers with locomotor disabilities. Many cases of young people who could carry out simple manual activities, in a protective environment, granting them independence, a working place and integration into society were identified through this project.
The selling success of the objects manufactured in the Creativity workshop of the centre, recorded during some fund raising events encouraged us to start an economic activity having a double purpose – the integration into society of some young people with disabilities and the possibility of self financing for the foundation.
We discovered the availability of many companies to buy handmade objects out of natural materials (wood, ceramics), distinctive, authentic and neat.
The handmade object is also invested with an emotional load – any artistic creation is alive, beautiful, therapeutic and brings benefits to the one who makes it, but also to the one who receives it, and the feeling that the object is a product of a young man who tries to be independent, integrated into society, can determine the option of a company to bend towards this object.
The St. Dimitrie Foundation concluded on April 2nd, 2007 the Collaboration convention with the General Directorate of Welfare and Child Protection – 3rd district for the establishment of a protected Workshop for young people with disabilities, by means of which the directorate undertakes to provide:
- the space
- the utilities
- the oven for burning the clay
The Foundation evaluates young people and employs them on the basis of an individual labor agreement, ensures the skills formation and personnel training, the wages, the raw materials and the distribution of products. The profit obtained will be used for the payment of wages, for the assurance of raw materials, investments and for the carrying on of other foundation’s social programs.
Ornamental objects made of clay and greetings cards for various occasions – Christmas, Easter, 1st and 8th March or other are made within the protected workshop. All operations are performed manually.
We also have in view the performance of advertising objects for companies, also handmade and personalized.
The workshop is composed of:
1. One hall of approximately 80 sm, endowed with tables, chairs, storage and exhibition shelves. The hall disposes of large windows ensuring daylight.
2. One bathroom of approximately 25 sm, with shower, toilets, all equipped with special devices for people with disabilities, having enough space for moving the wheelchair
3. One room for the storage of dishes, tools for preparing tee or coffee, aprox. 16 sm.
4. One office for the supervision and management personnel (instructor, social worker, director). Outside this space, thus concentrated as to make the personnel moves easy, is the space reserved to the electrical furnace.
The space is situated within the Centre of Occupational Therapy and Recovery of the General Directorate for Welfare and Child Protection – 3rd District (DGASPC), 4 Codrii Neamtului street, and has been put at the foundation’s disposal through the Collaboration Agreement no. 21761 / 2nd April 2007 concluded between the two parties.
The personnel is composed of young men with disabilities, recommended by the Complex Evaluation Centre of DGASPC – 3rd District, assessed by the foundation, one artistic instructor, one workshop responsible, one social worker
Raw materials: clay, fabrics, various applications, acrylic colors, colors for icings, paper, cardboard recovered from the local market and from Germany.
The project’s advantages:
• capitalizes the experience in making ornamental objects gained within the Creativity workshop
• ensures working places in a securing and protected environment to young people with disabilities, who would be otherwise the indefinite term clients of welfare
• offers the opportunity to the foundation to increase its independence degree
• increases the foundation’s performance
• makes a good impression to financiers and to partners
• is a source of income for the foundation, which can be invested in other social projects
Financied by:
The company ENEL
The Foundation Princess Margareta of Romania
The Solacolu Family – Germany
