The Family

1. Formal preparations have been undertaken by the government for the International Year of the Family. The fear is that the "year" will become a campaign without a long-term impact. In practical terms, ministries have been wrapping up routine activities in a "Year of the Family" package. The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family has been giving grants to commemorate the year.

2. The Family Crisis Center (Stefan Matula) is run by the Children's Fund of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with AK Press (a private firm: Anton Safarik), Congregation of Daughters of Godly Love, Don Bosco Silesians, and Petrzalka and Ruzinov (boroughs of Bratislava).

The program aims to build facilities for children who have been taken from their families (abused children or children otherwise at risk), mothers with children threatened by an aggressive partner, and whole families in crisis (divorce prevention). In the second stage of the project, crisis centers are to be set up in each district.

3. Legal counseling in family law: UNICEF and the Children's Fund of the Slovak Republic (Mariana Arnoldova).

4. The International Center for Family Studies (Peter Guran) was inaugurated in March 1993. It is to carry out empirical research, capture data, provide information for high-quality decision-making and awareness-building activities, organize events fostering the idea of the family as a global phenomenon, and overcome stereotypes in the perceptions of families. The center is to focus on Central and Eastern European countries.

5. The Center for the Family and Child (Matijek-Gabura-Krýšlova) exists only on paper, the founders having thus far not been able to raise funds. The project aims at establishing a database, phone lines for parents and parent groups. The center is not being created only to spread information; it should also focus on gaining experience and becoming involved with training. It is to work with and counsel entire families. Courses are to be held to instill positive attitudes toward life.

6. The projects of Slovak Hope for the Child, which is located in Nitra, include the following:

• The opening of the Children's S.O.S. Center, a crisis center for abused, tortured and neglected children that provides temporary, alternative "family-type" education and care, is expected in September 1995.
• Established in October 1994, the Examination and Protection of Endangered Children program has a database of endangered children, carries out regional surveys and develops recommendations for improving the situation of children.
• Pomoc-Help-Hilfe is a mass media campaign (under preparation) against the abuse, torture and neglect of children.
• Relax offers readjustment and recreation camps for children at risk and children from poor families.

Health

1. Healthy lifestyle: The Healthy School project (Miroslav Bronis, Jan Hudec) is run jointly by the World Health Organization, the Council of Europe, and the Commission of the European Communities. Slovakia has been involved in the project since 1992. The project deals with ten schools which are part of a Pan-European network of schools promoting good health. In Slovakia, there are another 45 schools, making up a total of 55 schools in the national network.

The project goals are long-term and revolve around introducing minor but meaningful changes in behavior, values and attitudes toward health in a broader, not purely medical sense. The core of the project is an intervention program which is designed to prevent stress, be it mental or physical, among school-age children. Interventions target behavioral changes, with special focus on the human factor in stress prevention, that is, they emphasize interpersonal relationships among teachers and pupils, teachers and parents, the socio-psychological climate in schools, the development of positive attitudes toward personal health and the health of others, and the establishment of dialogue with the neighborhoods in which schools are located. These are the principal criteria with which participating schools are expected to comply.

The project is based on the initiatives of the schools and their willingness to become involved in the development of procedures and model activities leading to the participation and active cooperation of pupils, teachers, parents and school staff in favoring those attitudes and values which society appears to have abandoned.

CINDI is an international intervention program focusing on biological risk factors, such as hypertension. Young people are not the only target group. Under the project umbrella are counseling centers for healthy nutrition and health promotion centers subsidized by the Government. Some of these centers have been able to find other sponsors to help procure technical equipment. Unlike the Healthy School project, CINDI is distinctly oriented toward the field of medicine.

2. Nicotine, alcohol, drugs and gambling: The initial stage of the Schools without Alcohol, Nicotine and Drugs project is to evolve in three steps. First, the establishment of familiarity with the target population and the preparation of care providers. Second, the development of a dialogue with pupils and students; the design and preparation of programs for young people and parents; assistance for children at risk through two- and three-day trips in the countryside with health care workers and parents; the organization of health-related two- and three-week trips for selected groups, including teachers, parents and health care workers; and the creation of an anonymous peer-group counseling hotline. Third, the spread of project activities throughout Slovakia (Ivan Novotny, head of the Center for the Treatment of Drug Addictions, Alojz Nociar, the National Center for Health Promotion).

Other projects include Smoking Prevention in Kindergartens (Anna Tvarozkova), a project in cooperation with the U.S.; Bibiana (Sasa Petrovicka, Anna Tvarozkova), an anti-smoking project utilizing creative art by children; Nadacia PCO (Alojz Nociar), a project aimed at the prevention of "civilization-related diseases;" Nadacia Den pred... (Jan Varmuza), "The Day Before... Foundation;" Nadacia Hope (Komarno), "Foundation Hope", in cooperation with Hungary, applies alternative treatments for addictions; Nadacia Filia (Nove Zamky), "Foundation Filia," in cooperation with Belgium, offers treatment and the prevention of drug addiction with a focus on children; Alternativa (Jan Gabura), a project, in cooperation with the Netherlands, against gambling and involving the training of trainers; PHARE includes a drugs-related database project with the Netherlands and a drug prevention project with Spain; Clubs of Teetotaling Alcoholics, the first of the very few self-help organizations active during the period of "real socialism," is still in operation, bringing together people irrespective of age.

3. AIDS. Slovak AIDS Help, an association which is active in the distribution of information and education and whose principal sponsor is the Open Society Fund, publishes AIDS dnes (AIDS Today); Anti-AIDS League in Slovakia offers care for victims of AIDS; Fighting AIDS Foundation mainly promotes AIDS concerts; Stop AIDS Slovakia Foundation supports social, cultural, and sporting events, publicity campaigns and assistance; Ganymedes, a gay-lesbian movement, promotes safe sex; Multi-Media AIDS Education, in cooperation with the Swiss government and the Czechoslovak-Swiss Health Association, is a campaign against the spread of the disease, especially among young people, that is scheduled to run in 1994-95.

4. Individuals involved in health issues include Ludmila Sevcikova (physician, Bratislava), Miroslav Bronis (physician, Bratislava, Healthy School project), Jan Hudec (Bratislava, Ministry of Education and Science, Healthy School project), Alojz Nociar (psychiatrist, Bratislava, psychiatric clinic, Pezinok, Center for the Treatment of Drug Addictions), Anna Tvarozkova (physician, National Cancer Institute, anti-smoking projects), Koll, Engerova (physicians, Bratislava, the CINDI program), Zakova (physician, Bratislava, National Health Promotion Program), Iva Kucekova (sociologist, Predna Hora, therapeutic facility), Jozef Kredatus (psychologist, Humenne, counseling and confidence hotline), Chaban (physician, ilina, expert in the treatment of drug addictions), Jan Gabura (psychologist, pedagogical faculty, Comenius University, foundations, Alternativa project), Ivan Novotny (psychiatrist, Bratislava, director of the Center for the Treatment of Drug Addictions), Blazej Slaby (chairman of the Slovak Humanitarian Council).

Education and Training

1. Schola Ludus (Katarína Teplanova) is fostering the spread of technical knowledge among over-3-year-olds and is a specialist in the development of unconventional teaching aids and interactive exhibitions. The project aims to surpass traditional, outdated teaching methods and instill a passion for the pursuit of knowledge as if the pursuit were an adventure. Project collaborators are enthusiasts from the Comenius University Faculty of Mathematics and Physics. The project has generated interest abroad on several occasions, but, despite UNESCO sponsorship, is struggling with a shortage of funds.

A large number of enthusiasts is involved with this NGO. Activities focus on children and young people. Successful programs have been implemented against heavy odds, thanks to the tremendous ardor and energy of participants. Schola Ludus enjoys considerable prestige in Slovakia for the interactive exhibitions it has organized. Project collaborators are highly skilled, have travelled widely in developed countries and possess clear ideas on the significance of the third sector in Slovakia. Strong contacts abroad assure that these ideas gain an audience.

2. Foundation IFO (Jozef Sabo) develops projects to promote children's creativity and to enable children to improve their position in society. The aim is to introduce young people to information-market relationships by "playing life." Thus, young managers are trained by offering them the opportunity to perform real managerial functions in participating firms (also see later).

3. Charter 77 Foundation (Zuzana Szatmary) supports projects to promote education and human rights and campaign against nationalism, anti-Semitism and intolerance. Specific projects targeting young people include study-abroad programs open also to secondary school students, health care education at primary schools, human rights courses at teacher colleges, social adjustment programs for the children of refugees, programs for the integration of Gypsy children, and other activities.

4. The Human Rights in School project of the Milan Simecka Foundation (Tereza Grellova) involves workshops for primary and secondary school teachers, the publication and distribution of study materials and teaching aids, summer education programs for young people (in cooperation with the Summer-vacation School in Lipnice), the promotion of political culture among young people, and sponsorship for training abroad.

5. Tree of Life (Oto Makys) offers environmental education for children and young people through direct exposure to nature as part of general education, schools in the wilderness, Eco-centers and Tree of Life clubs. It is active throughout Slovakia. The projects "Blue from the Sky" and "Living Water" are designed to interest children in monitoring the environment through readily available methods. Tree of Life also runs Environmental Education Centers.

6. Movement "Human" (Peter Marianek) carries out activities with 6-to-20-year-olds dealing with intolerance, nationalism and democracy. It also manages summer camps for children and young people and directs the "Let's Not Give Hatred a Chance" project.

7. A network exists among approximately 40 pedagogical and psychological counseling offices and counseling centers and psychological services. Participants counsel children, young people and parents, and provide training for teachers and social workers. In addition, a network of district "methodology" centers—nominally under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Science, but actually relatively independent—exists to provide procedural guidance to teachers and offer assistance, education and training. In some places, such as Banská Bystrica, these centers are surprisingly active and are also effective at identifying problems, developing projects and finding financial support.

8. Among the other organizations involved in education and training are Partners for Democratic Change-Center for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (Dušan Ondrusek), Sandor Marai Foundation (Peter Huncik, education programs to promote tolerance and the acceptance of the rights of minorities), SAIA (Katarína Kostalova, acts as an intermediary for foreign language teachers and for student exchange schemes through public selection procedures and also runs programs promoting self-reliance and self-confidence), Open Society Fund (local education initiatives, programs for secondary school students and scholarships for the U.K. and the U.S.), PHARE (currently the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities is the PHARE program steering unit), Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities (Anetta Zubekova, supports educational projects of NGOs), Emilia Kova ova Foundation, Network of Youth Information Centers (provides counseling in matters of learning, as well as to solve personal problems), Society for Gifted Children (Vladimír Dockal), European Cultural Foundation (Miroslav Kusy, Vladimír Reiman), Central Europe Foundation (Juraj Kusnierik), Amnesty International (Marta Simeckova, focuses primarily on secondary school and university students), Sasakawa Peace Foundation (education programs for television), USAID (Gustav Matijek, new teaching methods and a new model of communication for teachers and administrators that is being implemented in the Orava region), Foreign Policy Association (Magda Vasaryova, also targets young people in education and training programs in foreign relations), Center for Young People's Exchanges (Vladimira Filova, a European exchange network for young people).

Employment

1. The Network of Youth Information Centers (ICM) came about as a response by young people to the needs and problems of the young. Created nearly three years ago, ICM focuses on secondary and university students. Since 1992 the network has been supported by regional public administration entities and has also relied on its own fundraising efforts. The network center is located in the town of Martin. Among all former Soviet block countries, a similar network also exists only in Hungary.

ICM exchanges data on job and study opportunities with international database services. Since 1993 Slovakia has been a member of ERYICA, the European Association of Information Centers, with headquarters in Paris. The principle behind the work of ICM is that each young person is entitled to free information. ICM also provides consulting services. It is often more effective and flexible than government organizations in analyzing and responding to the most pressing problems of young people.

2. PHARE provides support for employment offices, supplies equipment and hardware, carries out training, and promotes small- and medium-size businesses.

3. A grant from the Japanese government is being used to address the unemployment problem.

Crime

1. The project "Drafting a System of Prevention of Social Pathology in Children and Young People" is sponsored by the Children's Fund of the Slovak Republic (Stefan Matula). The project is to lead to the establishment of Centers for Psychological and Educational Prevention at the district and borough levels. The centers are designed to provide interdisciplinary, multi-institutional care to children at risk of social pathology and unemployment. Innovative features of the project are its use of existing institutions and its aim of achieving a "synergistic" effect by relying in the centers on individuals who are already addressing the problem, such as school education advisors, psychologists, police officers and NGO activists. Until recently, no place existed where these people could work together.

The proposal is to be reviewed and approved by the government. Laws will then be applied to make intersectoral cooperation a legal duty of the main actors in crime prevention. Some regions are already prepared to implement the project, and some work has already begun. The project does not require extensive funding.

2. The Strom, or Tree project (Martin Benkovic), exists, thanks to Dutch sponsorship and the use of a building made available by the district authority of Lamac. The project aims to rehabilitate young offenders in an "open" institution, where they are not barred from society and where repressive measures are not employed. The objective is to teach young people who have experienced failure to appraise their abilities realistically and set feasible goals for themselves.

3. The aim of the Association of Friends of Children's Homes-Smile as a Gift (Julius Hron) is to help young people leaving children's homes to adjust to society.

Recreation and Leisure Time

1. In 1990 the Young Men's Christian Association and the Slovak Scouts resumed their activities in Slovakia. Both organizations take a professional approach toward recreation and leisure. They focus on training trainers and sometimes send them abroad for instruction.

2. The Silesian Order is engaged in a number of useful activities, especially in the Petrzalka housing development of Bratislava, which, with its 100,000 inhabitants, is very much a high risk area for crimes committed by young offenders.

3. Foundation IFO (Jozef Sabo) manages the Children's Information Databank, which contains information for children throughout Slovakia. Parents are also among the customers. The information made available concerns opportunities for self-realization for children in the vicinity of their homes, opportunities of which they may be unaware. The database on opportunities in education and leisure activities has been developed by 50 children 6 to 18 years of age from Bratislava. Children from anywhere in Slovakia may access the data in person, or by phone or modem. An expansion is planned so that the database will include information from other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and also to enhance the access of children in the provinces. A Foundation IFO project involving the provision of technical equipment is partially supported by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities.

4. The Network of Children and Youth Homes and Leisure Centers.

Culture

1. Bibiana (Sasa Petrovicka) runs the House of Arts for Children, which provides to both healthy and disabled children access to all fields and styles of art and uses the medium of culture to help children develop an active stance toward the outside world, the search for identity and the act of communication with the world. Children are encouraged to exercise their right to intervene in the world, become authentically accepted and discover an approach to life that will help them defend the interests and needs of an adult in the 21st century.

2. Other organizations active in cultural areas include Movement "Human," Slovak Folklore Union, Upper Nitra Region Foundation, European Cultural Foundation, Pro-Slovakia (Ministry of Culture).

The Environment

1.Tree of Life relies on 8,500 volunteer members and 25 professionals. It has undertaken the following initiatives:

• Since 1979: Annual summer-work camps for secondary and university students that focus, among other things, on manual labor to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the country.
• Since 1985: Environmental education training courses and workshops for teachers and young trainers seeking to become summer camp instructors.
• Since 1987: Publication of Strom (Tree), a monthly devoted to environmental education.
• Since 1991: Publication of environmental education manuals and establishment of a nationwide network of Environmental Education Centers that is the focal point of the activities of the organization throughout the academic year. The centers are usually located in independent facilities, possess their own teaching aids and communications equipment and employ two or three professionals. There are presently five such centers, and two more are being created.
• Since 1992: Preparation of visual and audiovisual aids for environmental education in schools and for Environmental Education Centers as part of the Ecophoto project.
• Since 1993: Implementation of a nationwide project for environmental education in primary schools, Air Pollution Project Europe and the Blue from the Sky project and preparation of a nationwide education program for schools, Tree of Life clubs, Eco-centers, the River Watch project, and the Living Water project.
• Since 1994: Implementation of the River Watch project and a second generation of summer camps for the participants of the original camps and their families.

2. Animal Freedom (Košice) is a movement of young people, especially secondary school students, who are in protest against experiments on animals and other forms of mistreatment of animals. The movement also manages the Day of Wide Open Eyes project, which consists of exhibitions of photographs and other evidence of animals being mishandled, and the Teach project, supported by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities.

3. Among the other organizations active in environmental issues are Greenpeace (organizes protests against nuclear power), Society for Sustainable Life in the Slovak Republic, Society for Sustainable Life-Biele Karpaty, the Countryside and Landscape Renewal project (supported by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities), Society of Nature and Landscape Conservationists (the oldest nationwide association of conservationists), Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities (financial support for the management of Tree of Life), Association for Harmony in Life (runs the project "More Effective Education for Permanently Sustainable Life", which is supported by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities), World Wide Fund, Children of the Earth (manages the project "Personal and Technical Supervision of the Campaign for Saving the Ozone Layer, which is supported by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities).

Minorities

1. Foundation for the Romany Child (Klara Orgovanova), established in September 1991, operates nationwide from its headquarters in Bratislava. Among the education projects run by the foundation is one involving training centers in Prešov and Jarovnice for preschool children; this project is supported by a Danish grant. The foundation also manages centers which offer training two hours per day to mothers and their children to prepare the children for school attendance. It has implemented a video education project for a course at the Košice Conservatory, helped construct Gypsy communities in four locations, and developed a project proposal (not yet realized) to establish board-and-tuition schools for girls. Finally, the foundation supplies scholarships for art students in secondary school in Košice, as well as two scholarships for the department of Gypsy culture.

2. Through Children to the Family (Jana Brckova) manages a pilot project, with Dutch sponsorship, that originally targeted children in Gypsy families and focused on preschool training and social adjustment. In 1994, the project acquired financial support from UNESCO; and the project was expanded to encompass training and retraining programs for Gypsy children, unemployed young people, children from asocial families, and children who cannot hear or speak. Cooperation is very close with the community of Kremnica, where the project is located. The project has been a considerable success and can be used as a model in other regions.

The "Improving Communication Between the Public and Minority Handicapped Groups" is being prepared (with support by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities).

3. Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities runs Gypsy cultural associations, offers a training course for social workers in Gypsy communities, and publishes a journal for Romani Kultura Bratislava.

4. Other organizations active in work with minorities include Sandor Marai Foundation (Peter Huncik, education to foster tolerance and acceptance of the rights of national minorities), Partners for Democratic Change (Dušan Ondrusek), Youth for Tolerance (Katarína Rimoczyova, the project is sponsored by UNESCO), Minority Rights Group (Sarlota Pufflerova), Democracy Foundation (in Nitra), Charter 77 Foundation, Open Society Fund, Slovak Union for Peace and Human Rights, Central Europe Foundation, Union of Gypsy Youth, Movement "Human," UNICEF, Foundation for the Promotion and Development of Slovakia's Regions (which runs a program of education for dependent groups that is supported by the Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Activities), Club of Teachers of Gypsy Children (Macejkova), Romathan (Jana Koptova, a professional Gypsy theater), Gypsy Unions (organizes children's camps).