Starting with the second half of May 2015, the second objective of “I, An Oltenia-Based Peasant, Need An Education!” project was initiated, meaning the practical implementation of New Start concept. The Romanian volunteers trained by Norwegian experts started visiting the families selected in advance by the project team. According to set work methods each volunteer will visit 2 families. A schedule was planned through an understanding between the volunteer and the family, and the project team had to make sure that everyone kept on schedule. Each week, each of the 11 volunteers visited one of the assigned families.

Thanks to the involvement of volunteers many families could benefit from the new programme, 60 children from 21 families are involved in New Start activities.

During visits, the volunteers initiated some educational or play activities with children and their parents or legal representatives. Volunteers received multiple materials to organize these activities: crayons, balls, story books, colouring books, puzzles, thematic books and encyclopedias.

These „simple” meetings between volunteers and families lead to many changes for both of them. In the beginning, volunteers had some fears regarding the way families will see them and the expectations that they might have of them but also regarding their own behaviour. As the activities went on, volunteers managed to overcome these fears and behave natural and confident during visits. They said that these activities brought them joy and that they feel emotionally richer.

The beneficiary families were also hesitant about the volunteers, many thought that they will come to criticize them or enforce certain things, but they opened up during visits when they saw how volunteers behave. Now, families cannot wait for the return of the volunteer.

Relationship of friendship, trust and mutual respect developed between volunteers and adults and children see the volunteer as family friend and a reliable play partner waiting anxiously for the visit day. Several volunteers constantly participate at activities organized by Adina Stiftelsen Foundation and their work is appreciated and acknowledged by foundation’s staff. One of the volunteers who implements New Start activities spoke about his experience in an interview from “Se întâmplă în România” article published in “Dilema Veche”.

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