‘’Our project champions values of equality, equal opportunities, and fights discrimination, with dedication to ensuring all demographics are equally assisted’’
The Social and Health Services Directorate of the Municipality of Cluj-Napoca (DASM) is a public provider of social services in Romania. Its mission is to identify the social problems of the local community and to find effective solutions to issues regarding child and family protection, the elderly, persons with disabilities and other persons in vulnerable situations. It works to prevent and mitigate the effects of social marginalization and to improve the quality of life of its citizens, often drawing from and implementing EU funded projects to improve its services.
We spoke to Aurel Mocan, Executive Director of DASM.
Aurel told us about a project that DASM together with other actors, is currently implementing to promote social inclusion called Young people, we are here for you! (Suntem alături de TINE(ri) !). Created in response to the trouble that young people were having in adapting to life once they leave the child protection system, DASM developed integrated service packages for 52 young people from Cluj-Napoca and Satu Mare County who are to leave or have left the system in order to ensure a smooth integration into community life. Depending on the needs of the individuals, assistance ranges from payment of rent for up to 24 months, counselling, labour market insertion services, professional training, and grants for attending training courses, activities to develop life skills to prepare them for living independently and to support them to manage their household after they will no longer benefit from financial support. There is also a mentoring scheme with the support of dedicated mentors, some of whom are young people who have been through the same system and are now fully integrated. The project champions values of equality, equal opportunities, and fights discrimination, with dedication to ensuring all demographics are equally assisted, not only with primary action, but with continued and prolonged support to ensure long-term stability.
We asked Aurel how ESN has helped or supported his organisation and he told us:
“ESN has continuously been supporting DASM in learning from the expertise of other members by facilitating the participation of several of our representatives in ESN events and activities organised over the years. Our employees have had access to ESN’s publications, reports, monthly communications, etc, and have had the opportunity to be involved in organising many meetings in Romania together with ESN across the years.