European project: we are good

Total value of the operation (net eligible costs + VAT): € 167,086.58, of which EAFRD co-financing € 127,936.25 (85%).

Partners: BSC, Business Support Centre, d.o.o., Kranj, Association for the Protection of Horses and Other Animals – Branch of the Centre for Horses with Special Needs Alisa, Multiverse, leisure activities, Andreja Košir, s.p., Municipality of Preddvor, Municipality of Jezersko, Municipality of Radovljica

Social exclusion of vulnerable groups and the care of those in need of institutional care or assistance with care and development is recognised as a significant problem. The lack of capacity and publicly funded services is increasing the difficulties faced by older people and people with disabilities and their relatives or carers in getting the help, care and companionship they need. All these difficulties have become even more acute during the period of the epidemic and the spread of the Covid-19 infection. In order to prevent infections, care centres were closed intermittently during the epidemic and visits by relatives were prohibited in nursing homes. Social exclusion and thus feelings of loneliness among vulnerable people increased, provoking or even exacerbating mental and physical health problems.

With the project, we want to help vulnerable groups, offer them opportunities to improve their well-being and quality of life, as well as greater inclusion in society. We have developed innovative therapeutic programs to promote well-being and build physical and mental health, which will be aimed at the elderly, children with disabilities in physical and mental development, and people with special needs. The program is based on the positive effects that spending time in the fresh air and with horses with special needs has on a person’s well-being and health. Spending time with horses improves mood, reduces stress, strengthens inner peace or simply brightens up the routine daily routines of the residents of care institutions. Horses with special needs are very sensitive, so it is possible to establish an extremely strong connection between them and people with various medical, behavioral and social difficulties. Spending time with horses is a safe, calm and healing way to spend your free time. Horses have a positive effect on psychological balance, improve concentration, and stimulate mental processes. Older people feel accepted, useful, active, and most importantly, not lonely. Horses help children develop the natural fundamental skills they need to function in society: care and empathy, friendship, communication, recognizing the feelings of another being, calm movement, coordination, understanding and listening. People with special needs experience improved social motivation, self-regulation, sensory behavior management, improved self-control, and increased confidence.

Objectives of the operation:

To promote cooperation between institutions (homes for the elderly, day-care centres, social work centres, schools for children with special needs) and professionals for the development and implementation of innovative therapeutic approaches;
Develop 6 innovative programmes based on socialising with horses with special needs and experiencing the forest, targeting vulnerable groups;
Involve at least 250 vulnerable people (residents of homes for the elderly, residents of day-care centres, children and other people with special needs) in the implementation of therapeutic programmes;
Remove architectural barriers for people with reduced mobility in 3 public buildings and enable them to access public spaces, events and services.

Operation activities:

Development and implementation of innovative programmes to improve the well-being of vulnerable groups, including:
- working meetings of professionals working in the field of horse care and forest knowledge, and of professionals and therapists working in institutions involved in the care and assistance of people with health, behavioural and social difficulties, with the aim of exchanging knowledge, experience, expert advice and guidance in the development of new therapeutic programmes;
- the development of 6 therapeutic programmes, 3 based on socialising with horses with special needs and 3 based on experiencing the forest;
- the implementation of 6 programmes or more than 100 therapeutic workshops based on socialising with horses with special needs and on experiencing the forest;
Therapies on self-discovery through horses, non-verbal communication and meditation for people with special needs, institutionalized people and people in difficult socio-economic situations;
The setting up of premises and the purchase of equipment for the implementation of programmes based on socialising with horses and experiencing the forest;
access to services for people with reduced mobility;
promotional activities aimed at informing and informing the target groups and the public about the activities and results of the operation and, through this, about the CLLD Programme and EU support.

Operation results:

Cooperation established between representatives of institutions and experts to develop innovative programmes for vulnerable groups;
6 therapeutic programmes developed to improve the well-being and social inclusion of vulnerable groups;
At least 250 elderly people, children with behavioural and social difficulties, adolescents and adults with special needs involved in the implementation of therapeutic programmes;
1 new job for the duration of the project, to prepare horses with special needs for the therapeutic workshops and to manage the premises where the workshops will take place;
Accessibility for disabled persons and other physically handicapped persons in 3 public facilities (the Home of the residents in Preddvor, the Radovljica Administrative Unit, the service facility in Zgornji Jezerski).

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European project: we are good

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