CROATIA CALLING

This presentation will cover: Will I actually make a difference? Where do I go? What do I do? Free time? Travel, Accommodation and Cost?

Will I actually make a difference? YES!! Here’s how... These children need kit and resources Raise money to take with you e.g. Fund-raising over Easter But....

It’s not all about money! They also need: Love, Affection and Someone to take an interest in them. (Although some of the teachers you will meet are amazing you will see that children are still neglected)

This neglect is because of : a lack of training and understanding lack of funds

CASE STUDY: I worked with a 14 year old boy with a learning disability. He showed the understanding and behaviours of a 6 month old. He was strapped into a pushchair all day and only let out if a certain teacher or I were working with him. I was told that he was strapped in because he ran around the room if he wasn’t. His life could have been made so much better purely by staff having more training around his behaviour.

Here he is - with freedom...

After seeing how this boy changed once he was given freedom I found out that at night time he was sleeping in a cot Not only this but he’s being tied into it.

This is because he needed the security at night. A weighted blanket would be used here but in Croatia they don’t exist. It’s too expensive for them to order from the UK

Staff in Croatia have never heard of them!

Situations like this can be changed!

The more people who are eager to change them - the quicker it will happen! There is already proof that times are changing and it needs to continue.

CASE STUDY In the first week of our stay in Croatia we were introduced to 6 young women who had recently moved into a flat within the community. This is the first time that people with learning disabilities have been properly integrated into the community. The entire group found it amazing how forward- thinking their carers were and how eager everyone seemed to make it work. To us it may seem like a simple step away from institutionalisation -

- but to these young women it’s the beginning of a better existence...

This is a woman with a future...

Where you go and what do you do?

On working days we visited: Schools Community homes Day centres Institutions Boarding schools Work houses

A lot of our working time was spent simply playing with children and developing relationships with them.

You are able to practice a lot of your non- verbal communication skills, as there will be a language barrier and a lot of children struggle to communicate.

You will build up the confidence of children as well as the staff Supporting them to make progress

You will... meet many amazing people who are desperate to make a change and will answer any questions as well as ask them learn and discuss different ways of working gain friendships and learn more about different nursing professions

Free time...

Our working hours were normally in the morning and so afternoons were free time as well as weekends

Croatia is a beautiful place and there are so many places to visit. The place that made the biggest impact on me were Plitvica Lakes

We also visited...

Restaurants Cemetery Markets Museums Churches Beach

Travel & Accommodation Travel was a lot easier than I imagined We flew from London direct to Zagreb We were met at the airport by a mini bus which took us to our hostel Once there, trams and buses are very efficient and tickets are easy to get hold of. Accommodation was also easier than expected We stayed at a hostel for the 1 st week which has been used by UWE students before (We have a good name there) Our second week was spent at the boarding school we were working at

Travel cost maximum of £200 Accommodation at the hostel - no more than €20 a night Living expenses depends on how much you like to spend. I personally spent about £200. The key question – Cost!

Any Questions?