Partner to the project “Now What?: Preparing and Empowering Youth Leaving Care”

"The Smile of the Child" participates at the European project entitled “Now What?: Preparing and Empowering Youth Leaving Care” which is funded by the European Program ERASMUS+.

The main objective of the “Now What?” project is to support young care leavers in making the best of their potential. The project will provide support to young people aged 16-19 years old who are either in care or have recently left care in various areas: housing, training, financial support, legal, labour and social inclusion. It is expected that through the "Now What?" project young care leavers will build their autonomy and move towards emancipation into adulthood.

The “Now What?” project is premised on the idea that investing in, and adequately resourcing, the acquisition of basic life skills for prospective care leavers is the single most important component for after care success and independence.

The specific objectives are:
1. to develop and undertake a comprehensive strategy to better enable care-experienced children deliver improvements in their educational, social and economic outcomes. Preparation for leaving care will provide young people with opportunities for planning, problem solving and the learning of new competencies,
2. to develop personal and self-care skills such as budgeting, time management, health, nutrition, hygiene, and conflict resolution

The project started in March 2018, its duration is 24 months and it brings together nine (9) European partners from different countries: West University Timisoara (Romania, lead partner), “The Smile of the Child” (Greece), Athens Lifelong Learning Institute (Greece), University of Lusofona (Portugal), University of Tirana (Albania), DGASPC (Romania), SOS Villages Romania (Romania), SOS Villages Albania (Albania) and Chao dos Meninos(Portugal).

For more information about the project, please click the project’s website: www.now-what-project.eu

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