BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The idea of our project is to create a multipurpose space where marginalized minors in the Thon Buri area of Bangkok can be welcomed, assisted,  as well as scholastically and professionally educated. Our objective is to provide the necessary instruments in order for these children to pull from their own strengths, while at the same time giving back to them their rights to childhood that have been taken away for many years. Thanks to the creation of this space, they will be guaranteed a place to eat and sleep but moreover, a place where they can receive affection, scholastic education and professional training, and their growth will be followed by the help of qualified personnel.  The main activities are:  1) The establishment of a multipurpose centre (lodging, food, education, training, promotion of solidarity campaigns) to assist and morally support some children at risk in the Tomburi area – Bangkok.  2) Training for socio-healthcare volunteers and educators and implementation of informal education laboratories in places and areas at risk 3) Education and work training for a future placement in the working world.  4) Awareness building of local administrations about child rights.

OBJECTIVES TO BE ACHIEVED

A)  The improvement of job opportunities for children on the streets through the learning of artistic practices.  Concerning this, we intend to create the foundations to be able to set up a network of enterprises in the territory benefiting from the project that can collaborate with the “Casa di Pinocchio”, either by giving these professionally trained young people the possibility to gain experience through apprenticeships with the hope of being hired or by creating possibilities within the job market.

For this:

•  We will arrange meetings with representatives from some enterprises committed to artistic sectors to launch the foundations of a future economic development in the area; whatever it takes to have a positive reflection on the future of the “Casa di Pinocchio”.
• We will produce artistic-cultural events for the Thai community who will see these “street” children as main participants.
• We will make the maximum use of the training of local skills to be used in the implementation of the actions of the project.
• We will support local artistic activities.

B)   Improve the  services and activities of local authorities for the children on the streets and children living in hardship conditions through the awareness building of local administrations and the training of a group of social workers who will be immediately committed to the different phases of the project starting from  the work on the streets. Moreover, the Centre will be utilised for the promotion of solidarity campaigns in favour of disadvantaged groups.

C)   Strengthen the training routes in the Thai society through the training of a group of Thai teachers who will collaborate with the Centre and through collaborative agreements with the Minister of Education in Thailand and with the BMA.  The  “Casa di Pinocchio” will serve as a point of reference and working foundation for all actions directed in favour of childhood with particular attention to abandoned or secluded childhood. In general, the Centre will serve as an office and logistics, a permanent welcoming laboratory, training, work and lodge for local and international target groups and staff.

Project purpose:

To improve the living conditions of children in the reference territory by triggering a process of local, social and economic development. The objective of the project is to reduce the hardship situation of children in the beneficiary zone by setting up a multifunctional structure (where children of the Tomburi area in Bangkok can be assisted, educated and trained) that will be able, at the end of 24 months of the project, to continue the enterprise on its own.  With the implementation of the project the following is desirable:  to help some needy children in the Tomburi area (Bangkok), give life to some jobs for the residents, create the appropriate conditions to make the structure self-sufficient at the end of the project period, and put into effect a  network of collaboration among some Thai enterprises in the artistic sector. The centre “Casa di Pinocchio” will be open to schools, other children and youth institutions in the city of Bangkok for various activities(sports, exhibits, performances, theatrical laboratories). The performances and exhibits where the results of the laboratories will be exhibited will be open to families and tourists. This will make the centre well known and will serve as an entrance for the Centre itself.    In conjunction, it is desired to encourage the citizens to collaborate with the local administrations in order to create more transparent working relationships while at the same time reinforcing international cooperation among the project partners. Safeguarding and increasing the potentiality of the various ethnic groups in Thailand will be a priority of the project with the goal of proceeding in the direction of a multi-cultural society in Thailand and better relationships between Europe and Asia. The spirit of the project is multi-cultural and intercultural. The multipurpose Centre is open to all children of all ethnic groups and in all activities all of these aspects shall be kept in mind, especially regarding art, music and didactic activities.