BEAC Children and Youth At Risk in the Barents region 2012 – 2015 (KO466)
Funded by Kolarctic ENPI 2007-2013

Objective of the project

The overall objective is to contribute to sustainable social and economic development in the Barents region by means of improving the life conditions of the target groups in the region. The specific objectives are: 1. To empower families to provide adequate care and support in the task of raising their own children. Positive parenting programmes. 2. To build up and ensure high level of competence of specialists within child social care, health and education and correctional services 3. To increase efficiency of services towards target groups 4. Visibility of the project 5. To coordinate cooperation efforts towards the target groups in the Barents region effectively. 6. To contribute to the democratic development in the Barents region 7. To strengthen the human rights perspective in the programme region 8. To improve the existing network created during CYAR I and increase exchange of information in the realm of children and youth at risk in the Barents region

Main activities

Network activities: the project has continued building up and sustaining networks - in social and health sector; with and between local authorities and institutions - between expert groups and relevant institutions working in the area close to the topic of children and youth at risk. - organizing an annual Barents conference on supervision mechanisms on children’s rights. Communication activities: Organizing joint information seminars/conferences on relevant topics for institutions, organizations Running the established web-page for CYAR is source for information exchange in the realm of children Knowledge-focused activities: Monitoring of development of life conditions development, collection of statistics Updating of a catalogue on methods/interventions with documented knowledge-based effect. Implementation of competence development and activities towards the target groups: Competence building through training specialists in new methods with documented effect Implementation of methods/programmes among the children and their families by trained specialists. Ensuring the protection of the children’s rights in the Barents region through cooperation with ombudsmen.

Achievements

The project has shown that there is demand for methods and competence development in child protection. The project has spread knowledge about methods in child protection and welfare of families. More than 3000 people totally have participated in educational activities and / or seminars and conferences. This shows in the increased and improved discussion about the rights of children and youth in the region.