Community centres

The work of ETP Slovakia reflects our understanding of the interconnectedness of problems faced by the inhabitants of socially excluded communities, especially in the area of education, health, housing, employment and financial inclusion. Therefore, a vital part of ETP´s efforts is establishing Community Centres, where complex solutions are being designed and implemented with the vision to overcome the problems of generational poverty and social exclusion.

Educated community workers are essential to proper functioning of Community Centres. Our professionally-trained teams know the local conditions very well and, thus, are capable of designing the activities and events of the Community Centres that address the client needs.

The activities of the Community Centres are diverse, involving various education programs, tutoring, pre-school preparation, practical skills training, prevention programs, life-long learning, professional training, but also free-time activities and games. Social counseling and field social work at ETP are currently reduced to emergency interventions, as the National Project Field Social Work, building on ETP experience, performs field work on a regular basis.

A common feature of all past and present ETP Community Centres has always been their great popularity among children as well as adults.

Especially for children, the Community Centres have become safe and pleasant places, where they enjoy spending their time, even outside the regular activities. Often, they are looking forward to visiting the Centres due to the many interesting and beautiful toys, which they lack at home.

The experience and methods acquired and verified by ETP over years have been adopted by the Implementing Agency for Employment and Social Inclusion for the National Project of Community Centres, which has been providing complex social and education services to clients in hundreds of community centres nationwide since January 2015.

Apart from a few exceptions, we have, thus far, appreciated good cooperation with the local Municipalities in almost all our localities. Moreover, in Rankovce and Stará Ľubovňa, the local Churches have provided significant support to ETP´s activities and efforts.

Since 2001, ETP Slovakia has helped establish or develop activities in following community centers:

Holumnica, Humenné, Hodejov, Čičava, Iliašovce, Jesenské, Kokava nad Rimavicou, Košice-Šaca, Krompachy, Levoča, Mníšek nad Hnilcom, Moldava nad Bodvou, Nálepkovo, Ostrovany, Prakovce, Rakúsy, Rankovce, Rudňany, Rožňava, Sabinov, Svinia, Stakčín, Stará Ľubovňa, Spišské Podhradie, Spišská Nová Ves, Spišské Tomášovce, Spišský Hrhov, Spišský Štvrtok, Švedlár, Štrba, Šimonovce, Turňa nad Bodvou, Veľká Ida, Veľké Kapušany, Veľký Blh, Žehra.