Projects supported in the open call of the Bilateral Fund.
Občianske združenie Vidiecky parlament na Slovensku
#VISIONS x CHANCES
Main aim and activites:
The project responded to the current need for young people to share their views by working abroad under the guidance of trained staff and improving communication skills. The importance of addressing the theme of the project was highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has isolated young people in their homes and tied them to social networks more strongly than ever before.
The procedures and activities used at the time of project implementation were adopted by representatives of educational institutions at the end of the project in order to improve the quality of formal education. The project produced a video which in an attractive and peer-friendly way (because it was made by 16-18 year old teenagers from Iceland) was an example of successful young activists in advocacy in public policies and decision-making processes and an excellent tool for 2 workshops in secondary schools as well as for youth workers, to whom we also provided the original. There was also a networking workshop where Icelandic partners made contacts with young activists and youth workers who expressed strong interest in travelling to Iceland, working together and continuing to collaborate in future projects. Educational activities for youth took place both in Slovakia (Lišov) and in Iceland (Hamarinn in Hafnarfjörður). A total of 125 young people participated in the project activities.
Project timeline: 09/2020 – 02/2021
Project partner 1: Landsbyggðin lifi – LBL
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 10,000 €
Grant amount: 10,000 €
Prešovská rozvojová agentúra
Free Feeling
Main aim and activites:
The project focused on freedom of thought, expression as a basic condition for the consolidation of democracy without distinction of religion, ethnic difference, gender or sexual orientation.
CSO Prerag realized working trips, meetings of partners, municipalities and cultural institutions, 8 joint exhibitions, visits to cultural events in Prešov, Spišská Nová Ves, Medzilaborce, exhibitions connected with public debates, visits to cultural institutions in Hafnarfjordur and Reykjavik.
The exhibitions responded to totalitarian forms of government, the absence of legal and ethical norms, threats to media freedom and civil liberties. It drew attention to the risk of abuse of power, and encouraged the mobilisation of civic courage in upholding the principles of freedom of thought and expression. Participating authors represented prominent cartoon personalities from around the world. The project also included a joint exhibition Terra Incognita by E. Einarsdóttir, H.Dagson, F. Jablonovský and B. Pernecký. An additional objective was the preparation of a follow up project focusing on cooperation and involvement of cultural actors.
Approximately 7300 people participated in the individual project activities.
Project timeline: 07/2020 – 01/2021
Project partner 1: Hafnaborg
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 10,000 €
Grant amount: 10,000 €
Prešovská rozvojová agentúra
Brainwashing
Main aim and activites:
The project responded to the current situation where manipulation threatens democratic principles, increases distrust towards social and political structures and creates space for the presentation of xenophobia, nationalism, racism, neo-Nazism. The importance of the project also lies in the non-traditional form (cartoons) of prevention against manipulation and misinformation aimed at intolerance, destabilization and deepening of conflicts.
2 working meetings were held to refine the procedure for the preparation of the follow up projects from the EEA calls and the extension of the partnership to other NGOs. 7 exhibitions were held compared to the planned 2, due to increased interest in this originally presented topic with a favourable response from the audience. The exhibition consisted of 70 works and was seen by about 1500 viewers.
Enhanced cooperation between beneficiaries and donor state actors involved in the programme was achieved in the increased trust, satisfaction with the project partnership and the proportion of organisations and initiatives involved using new knowledge, methods, principles. This is evidenced by the successful implementation of the project, the response of the professional and general public and the preparation of further projects.
The project has also received a grant from the US Embassy and was expanded to include educational activities.
Project timeline: 07/2019 – 12/2019
Project partner 1: Norwegian Cartoonist Gallery MiA, Drobak, Norway
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 9,981.76 €
Grant amount: 9,981.76 €
Mládež ulice
INspire – good practice exchange between youth workers
Main aim and activites:
In the project, the Project promoter have exchanged good practice between 3 countries (Slovakia, Norway, Iceland) on the prevention of risky behaviour of young people and prevention of radicalisation among young people. The activities carried out within the project: internship in Iceland – “job shadowing” and “field work” in several youth organisations, schools and community centres; internship in Norway – opportunity to develop collaborations with leading researchers working on radicalisation and extremism; opportunity to gain know-how of cooperation between Norwegian NGOs, social services, police, municipalities and other actors on the topic of prevention of radicalisation and terrorism; expert seminar – all 3 partner organisations shared their experiences with other state, non-profit or public organisations
Outcomes: exchange of good practice between partners in the field of working with young people with risk behaviour and on the topic of radicalisation; acquiring know-how for direct work in social and preventive work with youth in the field of risk behaviour, evidence-based prevention and prevention of radicalisation, building cooperation between the state, public and non-profit sectors, following the example of Norway or Iceland; establishing future cooperation with partners.
150 people were involved in the project activities – staff from all three partners, staff and clients from other organisations we met during the placements, seminar participants.
Project timeline: 11/2019 – 07/2020
Project partner 1: Félagsmiðstöðvar Akureyrar – Akureyri youth centers, Akureyri, Island
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 10,000 €
Grant amount: 10,000 €
Centrum environmentálnej a etickej výchovy Živica
Law and ethics
Main aim and activites:
The project responded to the low trust of people in the judiciary and the need for more knowledge about the functioning of the judicial system in Slovakia. Within the project, a translation of the Norwegian book Legal Heroes was prepared, which can be a tool for a better understanding of the ethical dilemmas of judges and also a teaching tool for law students. The project organisers organised two online discussions in which judges and judicial experts discussed current challenges in our judicial system. A webinar was also conducted on how citizens can get involved in public proceedings and where they can find the information they need. The project created an information campaign for the public to understand better how the Slovak judiciary, courts and prosecutor‘s office work.
The project resulted in the publication of 750 copies of the book Legal Heroes (almost half of them were distributed to, e.g. two law faculties, the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic, the Judicial Academy in the Czech Republic, Slovak and Czech attorneys, etc.), two online discussions, and the webinar was viewed by at least 1 384 people. The author of the book, Hans Peter Graver, came personally to Slovakia and participated in a discussion with the judges of the new Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic. Two thematic interviews were published on the Black Swan portal and read by at least 1 381 people. Another result was the creation of 5 infographics, which, together with other informative contributions, had a total reach of at least 346 000 people.
Project timeline: 03/2021 – 10/2021
Project partner 1: Hans Petter Graver
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 9 925 €
Grant amount: 9 925 €
Saplinq, o.z.
Strategies to cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on LGBT+ organizations and communities
Main aim and activites:
The project was based on a study visit to partner organisation in Norway with a focus on studying strategies for coping with the impact of the pandemic on LGBT+ organisations and communities in terms of providing community counselling, organising the PRIDE Košice festival and other events, and also aimed to share experiences in fundraising and establishing partnerships for cross-border European projects such as Erasmus+.
The main outcome of the project was the implementation of a study visit which took place in October from 14-19 October 2021. The visit was carried out by 6 persons from Oz Saplinq (9 representatives from the Norwegian partner were involved in the activities). An important outcome of the project was outlining new strategies for fundraising, which will contribute to diversifying Saplinq’s income and sustainability. Oslo Pride’s working visit included a visit to their headquarters in the centre of Oslo, which they share with other Norwegian similar organisations. Individual representatives of these organisations presented their work to the Saplinq team, discussed the situation of LGBT+ rights in Slovakia and Norway, and shared experiences from practice (for example, with an organisation that runs a support helpline for LGBT+ youth).
Project timeline: 04/2021 – 12/2021
Project partner 1: Oslo Pride AS, Oslo, Norway
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 9 230,50 €
Grant amount: 9 230,50 €
Dialogue Centre n.o.
Curriculum proposal for the training program “Participatory Leaders” (supported by Norwegian know-how)
Main aim and activites:
The project responded to the need to develop a culture of dialogue, cooperation and participatory approaches in the Slovak Republic and in society. It specifically targeted the women, because women tend to go beyond the hierarchical system and closeness, to apply collective, consensual and more sensitive decision-making, thus intuitively applying participatory approaches.
The aim of the project was to develop, in collaboration with a Norwegian partner, a curriculum for a training programme “Participatory Women Leaders”, aimed at building capacity in participatory leadership in order to support the development of an active and resilient society in the Slovak Republic and to strengthen women’s engagement. The development of the curriculum was supported by the know-how of the Norwegian partner, applied research methods and consultations with an advisory team of experts.
The curriculum development was intensively with our Norwegian partners – members of the advisory team. As part of this consultation, three focus groups were organized with active women from the public, political and non-profit sectors. Additionally, awareness raising events and workshops on the topic of participatory women leaders, etc. were organized. In total, 78 participants were involved in project activities.
Project timeline: 04/2021 – 03/2022
Project partner 1: Phronesis SA, Oslo, Norway
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 10 000 €
Grant amount: 10 000 €
Ženský algoritmus
INclusive Workplace
Main aim and activites:
Project addresses lack of diversity and inclusion education in schools, enterprises, or local governments.
By educating in 2 x 6 separate education blocks a week apart, the Project promoter spread awareness about the need and importance of D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) in the workplace, the harmful effects of unconscious bias, and ways to implement and manage diversity and inclusion in an organization. Participants in the training programme who met the criteria were appointed as D&I Ambassadors. A total of 681 people participated in the project activities (D&I ambassadors, people trained by D&I ambassadors, etc.).
The Project promoter have begun publishing a free monthly D&I professional newsletter for anyone interested in furthering their education on this topic. As part of the project the Project promoter produced an E-book on the topic of D&I implementation. All materials produced during this project can be used to further educate the public free of charge.
The Norwegian partner who participated in the project has become our long-term partner with whom the Project promoter is planning further collaborations within European grant schemes. They added expertise to the preparation of the project, as they are dealing with the topic on an expert level, moreover in a country that is much more advanced in the topic than Slovakia. The partner’s representatives were most helpful, supportive and willing to share their know-how.
Project timeline: 05/2021 – 11/2021
Project partner 1:KUN Centre for equality and diversity, Nordfold, Norway
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 9 992 €
Grant amount: 9 992 €
Zvieratá a ľudia navzájom o.z.
Developing Care Farms for independent living and community inclusion.
Main aim and activites:
In Slovakia, so-called Care Farms, integrating the field work and services for various disadvantaged groups of people, do not exist. Also, Slovakia is little involved in any activities in the field of including animals in the care of people’s mental health, which is mainly due to low awareness of this type of interventions. The project was devoted to the strengthening the position of vulnerable groups by providing a informational and educational material to support the development of Care farms in Slovakia.
Project promoter carried out workshops, dissemination activities on Care Farms to deliver relevant information about educational opportunities, health care provision and social services on farms for different groups of people (from kindergartens to day centers for people with dementia), to support people’s health, offer training in sustainable management of natural resources, but also as new sources of income.
The result is an increase in knowledge and skills through a 6-month exchange of experience with NOR workers at Care Farms and online educational information material for workers providing services with animals for vulnerable people, social service providers and farmers, employees implementing policies and measures in the field of social inclusion.
The project empowered local communities to not be afraid to develop Care Farms and implement animal therapies in a farm environment for vulnerable people to benefit from meaningful time with plants and animals.
Project timeline: 11/2021 – 06/2022
Project partner 1: Dyrebar Omsorg, Viken, Norway
Project partner 2: N/A
Project eligible expenditure: 10 000 €
Grant amount: 10 000 €