Asociatia Vieti Schimbate

Please briefly present your organisation
Asociația Vieți Schimbate (Changed Lives Association) is a non-profit organisation established in 2015 with a simple but meaningful purpose: to contribute to positive and lasting change in the lives of people in our community. The name of our organisation – “Vieți Schimbate”, meaning “Changed Lives” – reflects the belief that meaningful change often starts with practical support, encouragement, access to opportunities and the presence of people who are willing to care and become involved.

Since its establishment, the organisation has worked with children, young people, adults and families experiencing different forms of disadvantage. Over the years, we have reached hundreds of people through educational activities, personal development initiatives, practical assistance and community-based support. Our approach is strongly human-centred. We try to understand the situation behind each need and, whenever possible, combine immediate assistance with opportunities that can help people become more independent and confident about their future.

Young people represent an important part of our work. We have supported young people facing economic, social, educational or family difficulties in very practical ways. This has included assistance with obtaining identity documents, access to second-hand clothes and bicycles for young people who needed transportation to school or work, as well as computers and laptops for young people and rural schools where access to digital equipment was limited. We have also supported young people in searching for employment and taking steps towards greater independence.

Education and prevention are another important part of our work. We cooperate with schools and engage young people in discussions around issues that directly affect their lives, including alcohol, tobacco and drug use, sexually transmitted infections, self-image, relationships, personal choices and responsible behaviour. Rather than approaching young people only through formal lectures, we value dialogue, questions and honest conversations that give them space to reflect and make informed decisions.

We also organise local camps and personal development activities for children and young people. These combine educational, recreational, social and group activities with opportunities for reflection, encouragement and personal growth. We aim to create environments in which young people feel listened to, develop confidence, build relationships and discover their own strengths and potential.

Our community work extends to people and families experiencing difficult living conditions. We provide food, clothing and other essential goods when immediate support is needed. Particular attention is given to young and single mothers. Beyond short-term assistance, we try to support them towards employment, financial independence and greater stability for themselves and their children.

In some situations, we have also supported young people and vulnerable families in improving their housing conditions, including assistance with renovation or the creation of safer living spaces. We see adequate housing not simply as a material issue, but as an important foundation for safety, dignity, education, employment and personal development.

Another long-standing community activity has been the distribution of Christmas gifts donated by young people and supporters from other countries. Through these initiatives, thousands of gifts have reached disadvantaged children and young people in Romania. Beyond the material value of the gifts, these actions have created connections between people from different communities and countries and have helped children and young people feel remembered and valued.

Our organisation therefore works at the intersection of youth work, education, social inclusion and community support. Our objectives are to prevent risk situations among young people through education, contribute to their personal, emotional and social development, support people experiencing vulnerability, encourage independence and employability, improve living conditions where possible and develop initiatives that create sustainable change.

At the heart of Asociația Vieți Schimbate is the conviction that people should not be left alone when facing difficult circumstances. We want to build a community in which young people receive not only help when something goes wrong, but also encouragement, relationships, learning opportunities and practical support that enable them to move forward.

What are the activities and experience of the organisation in youth work? Please provide information on your organisation’s / group’s regular youth work activities
Youth work is an important and practical part of the regular activity of Asociația Vieți Schimbate. Our experience has developed primarily through direct contact with young people in schools, camps and community settings and through supporting young people facing social, educational or economic difficulties. Our work combines prevention, non-formal learning, personal development, peer support and practical assistance towards greater independence.

One of our regular areas of activity is preventive education in schools. Through cooperation with schools, members of our organisation meet young people and facilitate discussions on subjects that can have a significant influence on their development and future choices. Topics have included alcohol, tobacco and drug use, sexually transmitted infections, self-image, relationships, personal responsibility and healthy decision-making.

We aim to create conversations in which young people are able to ask questions, analyse consequences and reflect on their own choices rather than simply receive information.

Our cooperation with schools also includes support in situations where individual young people or groups are experiencing difficulties. At the initiative of school management, representatives of our organisation have been invited to talk with young people when specific problems arise. These situations require listening, trust, empathy and the ability to communicate without immediately judging the young person. Whenever appropriate, our role is to help young people understand their situation, consider alternatives and identify constructive steps forward, while respecting the responsibilities of schools, families and specialised services.

A second important component is represented by local camps and personal development activities for children and young people, which we have organised over the years. Camps offer a different environment from school and everyday routines and allow young people to learn through experience, relationships and participation. Activities combine recreation, teamwork, discussions, personal reflection and opportunities to develop practical and social skills. Particular attention is given to confidence, communication, cooperation, responsibility and the ability to face difficulties.

We also support peer-to-peer educational activities and after-school initiatives. One example is facilitating situations in which secondary-school students support younger children who do not receive sufficient educational assistance at home. Young volunteers can help children with homework and learning while also developing their own responsibility, communication skills, empathy and initiative. This creates a double learning process: children receive educational support while young people discover that they can contribute meaningfully to their community.

Our youth work also addresses the transition towards independent adult life. Over the years, we have supported young people in searching for employment and facilitated labour-market integration for dozens of young people. For someone facing disadvantage, entering employment can involve more than finding a vacancy. Encouragement, practical information, confidence and assistance in taking the necessary steps can make an important difference.

We have encountered young people whose participation in education, employment and community life was affected by very basic administrative or material barriers. For this reason, our support has also included financial and practical assistance for obtaining identity documents. In other cases, we provided second-hand bicycles to young people who lacked transportation to school or work, as well as second-hand computers and laptops to young people and rural schools with limited access to digital equipment. These activities respond to concrete barriers that can otherwise restrict educational participation and social inclusion.

An important characteristic of our youth work is therefore its connection with young people's real living conditions. We do not separate personal development from the social circumstances surrounding a young person. A young person may need encouragement and learning opportunities, but may simultaneously face financial difficulties, lack of transportation, limited digital access, family problems or difficulties entering employment. Our approach is to listen first and then identify what type of support can realistically help.

Through these experiences, Asociația Vieți Schimbate has developed practical competences in working with diverse groups of young people, including those facing fewer opportunities. Our activities are based on relationship-building, dialogue, experiential learning, participation and practical community involvement.

International youth work represents a natural opportunity to complement this local experience. Through Erasmus+, we want young people and youth workers connected to our organisation to learn from peers in other European countries, experience cultural diversity, develop new competences and bring useful methods and perspectives back into their communities. At the same time, we can contribute to European partnerships with the experience of an organisation whose youth work is grounded in direct and regular contact with young people and the everyday challenges they face.

 
Please give information on the key staff/persons involved in this application and on the competences and previous experience that they will bring to the project
Radu Ioan-Liviu – President
Radu Ioan is the President of Asociația Vieți Schimbate and brings more than 22 years of experience in working with children and young people in the non-profit sector. His professional background is in social work, which provides him with a strong foundation for understanding social vulnerability, working with people facing difficult circumstances and approaching young people from a perspective centred on dignity, individual needs and personal development.
He has been involved in organising camps for children and young people since 2003 and has extensive practical experience in coordinating groups, planning educational and recreational activities, facilitating discussions and creating environments in which young people can participate, interact and develop. His long-term involvement in community and youth activities has also given him experience in working with young people from different social backgrounds and responding to situations that require flexibility, empathy and responsible decision-making.
Radu holds a Master's degree in Organisational Management, complementing his social-work background with competences relevant to organisational development, coordination, planning and team management. He has also been invited to speak at different events and conferences focused on the development of children and young people.
His international learning experience includes participation in training activities and youth exchanges in Spain and Hungary. These experiences gave him direct exposure to intercultural learning and international youth activities and strengthened his interest in using European cooperation to create additional learning opportunities for young people and youth workers connected to the organisation.
Within Erasmus+ activities, his experience is particularly relevant for overall coordination, safeguarding and participant wellbeing, communication with partners, educational planning, group processes, risk management and ensuring that international activities remain connected to the organisation's regular local youth work.

Radu Cristina Ioana – Vice-President
Radu Cristina Ioana is Vice-President of Asociația Vieți Schimbate and has approximately 15 years of experience in activities involving young people. Her involvement in community and youth initiatives started before the age of 18, giving her a perspective that combines experience as a young participant with later responsibilities in organising and supporting activities for others.
She has been involved in organising local camps and activities for children and young people and has practical experience in supporting group activities, communication, organisation and participant interaction. This experience is complemented by a Master's degree in Human Resources Management, providing relevant competences in communication, teamwork, motivation, organisation, interpersonal relations and the coordination of people.
Within international projects, she can contribute particularly to participant preparation and support, communication, organisational arrangements, team coordination and the creation of an inclusive and welcoming environment. Her combination of youth-related experience and human-resources knowledge is particularly valuable when working with diverse groups and supporting effective cooperation between participants and team members.

Trușcă Sebastian – Volunteer
Trușcă Sebastian is part of the volunteer team supporting the activities of Asociația Vieți Schimbate. His involvement contributes to the practical implementation of community and youth activities and strengthens the organisation's capacity to work directly with participants. Depending on the needs of individual activities, volunteers support preparation, logistics, communication, group activities and direct interaction with participants.

Olah Emilia – Volunteer
Olah Emilia contributes to the organisation through voluntary involvement in its activities. Her participation supports the community-based character of Asociația Vieți Schimbate and provides additional human resources for activities involving young people and other members of the community. She can contribute to practical organisation, participant support and the implementation of local activities connected with the organisation's projects.

Olah Evelin – Volunteer
Olah Evelin is also part of the organisation's volunteer team and contributes to activities according to project and community needs. Her involvement supports direct interaction with participants, practical arrangements and teamwork during activities.

The team combines long-term professional experience with youth and social work, organisational and human-resources management competences, experience in camps and community activities, international learning exposure and local volunteering. This combination is important for our organisation because we want European projects to remain closely connected to the young people we work with locally.

Responsibilities are allocated according to the competences and experience of each person, while major decisions concerning participant wellbeing, quality and project implementation remain under the supervision of the organisation's leadership. The volunteer team complements this structure by supporting practical activities and maintaining the direct, personal and community-oriented approach that characterises the work of Asociația Vieți Schimbate.