Estonia-Latvia-Russia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme within ENPI Project "Nature therapy for the improvement equal living standards in Latvian-Russian border areas" «NATURE THERAPY»

Euroregion “Country of lakes” The Strategic Objective 1. Social and Cultural Development Latvia-Lithuania Programme project «CURED BY ANIMAL» ( ) Estonia-Latvia-Russia CBC programme, 2nd call for Proposals: 1)Project idea, Partnership – January, )Concept Note of project «Nature Therapy» - 27 February, )Confirmation of the Concept Note (332 CN have been submitted to JTS) 4)Clarifications, local meetings – in Daugavpils and in Pskov 5)Grant Application Form – 12 september, )Clarifications 7)Final Approval of the Project – 3 April, 2013 (all together 20 projects) 8)Partnership Agreement – 19 April, )Grant Contract and START date of the Project – 15 May, 2013

Overall objective of Project: To contribute to the development of sustainable social environment and improvement equal living standards using nature therapy as an innovative and experiential approach therefore making wider and more integrated Latvia-Russia border area. Sub-objectives: 1) to inform the target groups and public about project results and popularise nature therapy as an innovative local initiatives approach for rehabilitation of children with special needs and children of large and one-parent families living in the most remote border regions of Latvia and Russia. 2) to present and use the main types of nature therapy, emphasizing animal - assisted therapy, for social workers to strength their capacity and for local inhabitants to raise awareness on the nature ability to stimulate human senses in a way no man made environment can. 3) to increase the living standards and social environment accessibility for children with special needs and social risk groups by improvement of social infrastructure, strengthening and developing 7 sustainable local Latvian and Russian communities.

Direct target group and final beneficiaries 128 Children from large and one-parent families and their parents 80 Children with special needs and their parents 18 Social workers, having need to improve their professional capacity and cross- border experience exchange Regular visitors of social organisations of the local communities in Latvia and Russia having special needs and thus in need of special equipment and infrastructure Other inhabitants of the local communities

Partnership Project Partners in Latvia (5): Lead Partner: Latvian Office of Euroregion “Country of lakes” PP2 – Daugavpils city Social Department PP3 – Dagda local municipality PP4 – Livani local municipality PP5 – Ilukste local municipality. Project Partners in Russia (2): PP6 – State Administration of Social Welfare of the Pskov Region PP7 – Center for Curative Pedagogy and Differential Learning

Project duration: 14 months 15 May 2013 – 14 July 2014 Total Project budget: ,00EUR Programme co-financing: ,50 EUR (90%) Project co-financing: ,50 EUR (10%)

AP1 Management and Coordination 1 Steering Committee and project kick-off event (2-days) in Pskov, (SC members, social workers, coordinators, mass media); 1 SC meeting (2-days) in Daugavpils; 2 Work group meetings (each 2-days) in Livani and Pskov; Programme seminars and annual events (min.1 of each partner - PM, FM, coordinators, accountants); 2 interim REPORTS (narrative & financial) and 1 final report; 2 expenditure verifications (AUDITS)

Steering Committee PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT - # 7 «Organisational Structure of the Partnership» - Steering Committee formed for the successful management of the partnership; as strategic decision-making body; Composition of the Committee - 8 persons altogether: 1 high-level representative of each partner and 1 Project Manager; Committee meetings - 2 times during the project period; Regulation.

Work Group Responsible for implementation of the Project, efficient day-to-day and overall financial management; chaired by Project Manager; Members - project manager, financial manager and co-ordinators; Meetings – once in 7 (seven) months.

AP2 Information and visibility creation of 7 project partners profiles in each of partners web sites min. 14 press releases (2 from each PPs`) to local media and local web sites 2 informative e-leaflets "Touching nature" (each min. 2 A4 pages, pdf version in LV,RU) 2 educational photo-video materials on Nature therapy (each at least 4 minutes in LV,RU) 1 e-exhibition "You and me - friends forever" of drawings made by children and animals/pets (min. 30 drawings). Partner's web-sites, YouTube and other mass media

AP3 Trainings, workshops and camps 3 nature therapy TRAINING COURSES (each 3-days) for 18 social workers in Daugavpils (2 parts) and Pskov (1 part) areas: discussion and knowledge on social works using nature therapy methods; practice within short field trips (different types/methods of nature therapy: animal-assisted therapy, phytotherapy, hydrotherapy etc.), site visits, exchange of experience; certificate for the full course of the hearing and the acquired knowledge

AP3 Trainings, workshops and camps 2 international summer CAMPS "Back to Nature" for 64 children of large and one-parent families (age 12-14) in Daugavpils and Pskov regions: duration of each camp -7 days; different nature therapy courses for each child: reittherapy, canistherapy, phytotherapy, sand therapy and other; 30 drawings made by children and animals/pets.

AP3 Trainings, workshops and camps 2 outdoor workshops (each 2-days) for 80 parents and their children with special needs: 1 in Latvia, 1 in Russia; different methods of the nature therapy (e.g. reittherapy, canistherapy, sand therapy, phytotherapy etc.); Information and consultations on nature therapy (NT) methods. Project Conclusion event in Daugavpils

Nature Therapy=Ecotherapy Nature (Eco) Therapy is based on the theory that nature heals. The applied practice of the emergent field of ecopsychology. An ecotherapist understands that people are part of the web of life, and approaches clients from the perspective that our psyches are not isolated or separate from our environment.... a relationship of mutuality with the EARTH...

Nature Therapy Activities...from Acupuncture to Yoga... Phytotherapy Color Therapy Reittherapy Canistherapy Sand therapy etc...

Effect of Nature Therapy Physical (Body) Psychical (Psyche) Social (Socium)

Three important partners of Nature Therapy: Therapist (nature, animal) + Co-therapist + Client

AP4 Improvement of social sites Objects to be equipped and improved: PP2: Children House - Shelter "Priedīte" and Social Care Day Centre for persons with mental disabilities in Daugavpils; PP3: construction of outdoor playground for children, including special area for children with special needs, in Dagda; PP4: reconstruction of premises of Day center of Livani Social Department, purchasing of equipment for social rehabilitation; PP5: reconstruction of premises of Family Support Center in Ilūkste and purchasing of special equipment and furniture for social rehabilitation;

AP4 Improvement of social sites PP6: Beljsko-Ustjensk children house in Porhovsk district and Bobrovsk children house in Pechory district - reconstruction of premises for creating of nature training rooms and purchasing of IT, photo equipment and aquarium, animal cages and other equipment for social rehabilitation and nature training; PP7: Center for Curative Pedagogy and Differential Learning in Pskov - construction of greenhouse for children with special needs, purchasing of IT, photo and other equipment (for example, aquarium) for social rehabilitation.

Improvement of social sites Social infrastructure improved in 10 social sites of 7 LV, RU communities: 5 equipment of video, photo and IT sets for social rehabilitation - PP2 (1 set), PP3 (1 set), PP4 (1 set), PP5 (1 set), PP7 (1 set); 2 furniture sets for social rehabilitation - PP5 (1 set), PP6 (1 set); 11 equipment sets for social rehabilitation - PP2 (1set), PP3 (1 set), PP4 (1 set), PP6 (6 sets), PP7 (2 sets); 2 lifts for wheelchairs for PP2. RECONSTRUCTION of social sites – 10 units of social sites reconstructed (total 2272,36 m2): PP2 1(231,9 m2), PP4-1(218,2 m2), PP5-1(48,9 m2), PP6-6 (1553,36 m2), PP7-1 (220,36 m2).

Thank you! Laila Vilmane Latvian Office of Euroregion “Country of lakes” Pskov, Russia,