Community centers

The overall approach of Civic Association ETP Slovakia is based on an acknowledgement that social, educational, environmental, health, job and housing issues are interconnected. This is the reason for ETP Slovakia to establish networks of community centers and community social clubs that attempt to face the problems of their community and propose comprehensive solutions.

The community social workers (CSWs) working in these centers befriend the poor families during their participation in club activities and assist them in meeting their needs through counseling and practical help.

Educational activities take place in community centres (CC) such as practicing various skills, after-school activities, prevention programs, life-long learning or professional trainings. There are also vocational programs, social, healthcare, financial and legal assistence and counseling for all the people of the community regardless to their age. People in need are provided with counseling and in specific cases with humanitarian aid as well.

CSW assist the clients in finding a home or improve their housing quality through Savings and Micro-loan program that improve the quality of their life.

The community centers have provided a job for CSWs – community center leaders. Their significance has been proved by our experience in socially excluded communities over the years. ETP Slovakia develops skills and abilities of local people in order to teach them to provide integrated and comprehensive services in their communities.

CSWs cooperate with the local labor offices; thus assistingthe long-term unemployed in finding the job. Some of the community centers provide a possibility of starting a small business within its building.

Technical and computer equipment of the community centers, remaining from the projects implemented in the past, helped create conditions for the local community organizations to develop and the place for the local people to find assistance and counsel.

ETP Sllovakia believes that individuals can change their destiny, if they are provided with integrated comprehnesive services in community centres close to their homes.

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

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