Schools for Life Romania
Cash raised so far- over £590!
Who Are We?
School For Life (SFL) and Scoala Pentru Viata (SPV) were founded in the summer of 1994 by a small group of Romanian teachers and U.K. volunteers who were working in the then neuropsychiatric hospital for 510 children in Siret, Romania.
School For Life in the UK, provide Scoala Pentru Viata in Romania with skill sharing opportunities, advice and financial support.
Scoala Pentru Viata is a registered Romanian Humanitarian NGO. It is staffed and directed by Romanians who have, and continue to develop a working model for the education of young people with special educational needs. Scoala Pentru Viata works to develop life skills and provide new experiences, for ex residents of the hospital, and for the 120 who are still living in an adult psychiatric hospital and grew up in the now closed children's hospital.
Background
We are based in the town of Siret in northern Romania on the border of Ukraine in the county of Suceava. It is an area of high unemployment with a diverse ethnic community, and a population of approx. 9,300. School For Life work with orphaned young adults, who previously lived in the neuropsychiatric hospital for 510 children in Siret, at its height in 1984 housing 1310 children.
Due to their childhood experiences of privation, neglect and abuse, lack of parental nurturing, inadequate nutrition and stimulation many have developed severe developmental deficits and delays. Many failed to thrive in these conditions inhibiting their healthy development and ability to communicate, socialise and survive outside of institution life in the wider community. The majority will now need support for the rest of their lives.
120 of these now young adults are living in an adult psychiatric hospital in Siret. School For Life and Scoala Pentru Viata aim to support these young adults by providing new experiences and opportunities, in their relations with others and in their wider environment. This is through special needs education / activity, trips in the community, life skill and employment support and supported housing.
They all show extreme courage and strength through their will to participate, communicate, socialise and explore new experiences when given the opportunity with another person. Many of these now young adults, if they had grown up in family homes would have had a normal healthy development and life experiences enjoyed by most.