Wsparcie usługami reintegracji społeczno – zawodowej Solidarni „PLUS”

The project is implemented by The Solidarni „Plus” Association in Wandzin. It is directed at persons who are substance addicted, who had undergone drug addiction therapy, the unemployed, those challenged in the employment, social, health, family and spiritual areas, including those who are HIV positive as well as the disabled. The aim of the project is comprehensive support by providing social and professional re-integration services, leading to increased employment.

The project participants are mainly those who have completed a substance addiction therapy treatment, however who due to a variety of deficits, including a lack of motivation to look for employment, or a lack of skills required to reach an adequate level of job market satisfaction, decide to make another step towards changing their lives. The participating beneficiaries, are accommodated at the headquarters of the Association in Wandzin for the duration of the programme, which is essential in case of individuals who ordinarily remain without a fixed address, or for whom a return home may bring about a return to their addictive behaviours. The provision of adequate accommodation for the duration of the 6-months programme allows the participants, who are freed of any additional encumbrance, to enjoy the full benefit of social and professional re-integration activities they attend.

As part of the above mentioned social integration the participants attend group activities with a psychologist and a social worker during which they receive assistance in the acquisition and consolidation of social skills required for active participation in the life of society, so as to enable them to find their place in the new reality they find themselves in following the programme’s completion. Another objective of these activities is to equip the participants with necessary knowledge of social and legal matters, which in conjunction with a psychologist’s support, facilitates creation and reinforcement of a sense of self-worth and getting rid of inferiority complexes, often related to knowledge deficits in these areas. Additionally, the participants obtain individual support from the social worker and the psychologist, who assist them in keeping up the motivation for staying sober, changing their destructive life patterns and ways of surviving, as well as in regulating social and legal matters which they have been neglecting for years (such as repossession issues, overdue maintenance payments, or performing community service. Participation in the programme doesn’t only involve workshops and meetings but also team building and discovering leisure time alternatives. Participants attend a variety of team building trips, such cinema, theatre and zoo outings, and kayaking.

As part of professional re-integration the participants are offered the support of an employment consultant both on a group session and individual basis, where they acquire theoretical knowledge which they then apply in practice. The consultant assists them with filling in application forms, searching for job offers, preparation for job qualifying interviews.

The participants also attend job workshops, such as renovating and building construction workshop, maintenance and cleaning workshop, gardening and preserve-making workshop, creative arts and carers services workshops. Thanks to the participation in these activities they acquire practical skills in a given area, which becomes useful when they enter the job market. The practical task completion is not only an opportunity to learn new things, but it also increases their levels of self confidence while job seeking. An additional advantage available to the willing participants is a completion of certified trade courses (the most popular options selected are welder and fork lift truck operator). Furthermore, each participant attends computer literacy activities where, depending on how familiar they are with the digital technology, they learn how to operate computers and computer programmes.