The Robert Cole Centre
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“The centre makes a huge difference in the community. It is a place of harmony, of joy, a place of friendship, good relationships and a place of belonging for all the children.” Quote from Delia Barzu (Director of The Robert Cole Centre) “At the beginning I was so afraid to admit that my child needed help. At the RCC I have found peace. My son receives all the support he needs and I don’t know what I would do without this place.” Quote from a parent |
The Robert Cole Centre is a day facility for children with special needs, many of whom come from foster care and children’s homes. It is named after a young volunteer who died whilst doing humanitarian work in the area. This is a non governmental organization (NGO) and established by the BHRG, opening in 1997.
Funding is provided by a partnership with the Comanesti Mayor’s office, the local authority, the Schools’ Inspectorate and the Director of Social Assistance and Child Protection, as well as local sponsors. The BHRG remains the principal sponsor.
The daily running of the centres is carried out by a dedicated team of Romanian staff who are employed by the BHRG and who report back on a weekly basis to the charity in the UK.
The overall aim of the centre is to reduce abandonment and provide support for young people and their families with special needs, by raising awareness and providing services such as counselling, speech therapy and physiotherapy as well as specialized education, aiming to integrate the children into mainstream schools whenever possible.
The RCC also increases awareness of local civic rules that promote respect and rights for children and young people with disabilities.
Project Details
Written by Delia Birzu, Director of the Robert Cole Centre (photo below).
Finances: The principal sponsor is the British organisation "Biggin Hill Romania Group". They support us financially and from the very beginning they have also given us the moral support for the work and development of the day centre "Robert Cole". The Mayor is the partner from Comanesti and the local Council help us too and this is a partnership rarely found in Romania.
Objectives: The objective of Association "Robert Cole" is to enhance the life of children with Special Needs by creating a club for children, a youth club, a special means of education, rehabilitative measures, social reintegration, integration into normal schools and the number at present is 62 children with learning disabilities.
Activities: Association "Robert Cole" offers the service of a Day Centre, therapeutic assistance for people with special needs, and this includes a councillor for the families, in order to help them respond to the specific demands of children with disabilities.
Services offered: Educational services (six classes with seven educators), speech therapist, physiotherapist, and a spiritual councillor.
Partnership:
Note:
The association was constituted by the British humanitarian organisation "Biggin Hill Romania Group" and it bears the name of Robert Cole in memory of a young English man, who lost his life doing humanitarian work in the area of Comanesti.
Funding is provided by a partnership with the Comanesti Mayor’s office, the local authority, the Schools’ Inspectorate and the Director of Social Assistance and Child Protection, as well as local sponsors. The BHRG remains the principal sponsor.
The daily running of the centres is carried out by a dedicated team of Romanian staff who are employed by the BHRG and who report back on a weekly basis to the charity in the UK.
The overall aim of the centre is to reduce abandonment and provide support for young people and their families with special needs, by raising awareness and providing services such as counselling, speech therapy and physiotherapy as well as specialized education, aiming to integrate the children into mainstream schools whenever possible.
The RCC also increases awareness of local civic rules that promote respect and rights for children and young people with disabilities.
Project Details
Written by Delia Birzu, Director of the Robert Cole Centre (photo below).
Finances: The principal sponsor is the British organisation "Biggin Hill Romania Group". They support us financially and from the very beginning they have also given us the moral support for the work and development of the day centre "Robert Cole". The Mayor is the partner from Comanesti and the local Council help us too and this is a partnership rarely found in Romania.
Objectives: The objective of Association "Robert Cole" is to enhance the life of children with Special Needs by creating a club for children, a youth club, a special means of education, rehabilitative measures, social reintegration, integration into normal schools and the number at present is 62 children with learning disabilities.
Activities: Association "Robert Cole" offers the service of a Day Centre, therapeutic assistance for people with special needs, and this includes a councillor for the families, in order to help them respond to the specific demands of children with disabilities.
Services offered: Educational services (six classes with seven educators), speech therapist, physiotherapist, and a spiritual councillor.
Partnership:
- Mayor's office in Comanesti;
- Local Council;
- County School inspector;
- Director General of Social Assistance and Child Protection;
- Local sponsors.
- principal of normalisation, promoting, offering equal opportunities to people with disability;
- principal of respect, respecting the rights of the child;
- principal rights of the child to have special help and assistance;
- principal rights of the child for education;
- principal of cooperation and partnership.
- lowering the rate of abandonment;
- creating awareness of the different and alternative services for children who are in difficult circumstances, services of the family councillor, specific therapies and educational therapy;
- make the local community aware of the problems of children with disabilities;
- create awareness of the social civic laws that promote respect and the rights of the child with disabilities;
- cooperation and partnership between Association "Robert Cole" and the Local Authority in the interests of the child and the family.
- To develop future strategies, Association "Robert Cole" proposes the following:
- extend the services offered to the children who come to the Day Centre (by creating a workshop that will provide occupational therapy
- sewing, design or manual skills).
- extend the contact and cooperation with the civic and local authorities.
Note:
The association was constituted by the British humanitarian organisation "Biggin Hill Romania Group" and it bears the name of Robert Cole in memory of a young English man, who lost his life doing humanitarian work in the area of Comanesti.
