"On the last day of September 2005, filming for 'The Amara House' I stood in a derelict building behind Gara de Nord, Bucharest major train station. I heard the stories of a family of street children, my eyes would have filled with tears if I hadn't heard these tales of horror so many times before,. After an hour of listening to their lives, watching these children damper hunger with their glue bags, it was time for me to leave.

Climbing back through the entry hole I listened to the desolate cries desperately begging for food. Turing back, I understood what it meant to be hungry, to have nothing and no escape. I understood why drugs were a necessity.

Back studying at Bart's and the London , I spent a year on placement in a drug rehabilitation centre. This gave me the experience and opportunity to start working towards changing the lives of these street children."

Tim Baker

From September 2006, students from key universities in London and Romania will design a drop in centre for the street children. Working with the street childern, students will create the building, the furniture, the activities and much more.

The centre, once opened, will operate to educate using programs designed by medical, arts students and professionals to improve personal and social education. The centre will enable university and high school students to inform vulnerable groups about health issues. Without addressing the misinformation of young people the health of Romanian people looks set to decline. Children equate to 75% of all HIV/AIDS patients in Romania . This is just one of the difficult issues we will address.

 

The primary aim of this project is to improve the health, of the young people in Bucharest.

Health - a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
World Health Organisation (WHO)

This initiative must be aimed at improving the health of a population and so consider the three major components;

Physical Health | Mental Health | Social Well Being

The WHO recently released information on how best to approach health promotion which here can act as a model of best practice and principles emulated.

The long term health of these SC is not solely reliant on providing relevant medical information but also on providing a basis for education and well-being. This project will use information gained in the development of Romania’s SNAC to improve the education of the SC.

The Project must maintain links with initiatives set by National Authority for the Protection for the Child Rights to ensure the well-being of the SC is improved.

It is important that the project does not become involved in disrupts arising from financial or political arena’s.

Each of the institutions involved will bring specific skills to the project. The collaboration between these institutions will provide a more considered approach to addressing the issues as well as opportunities for an unparalleled learning experience for those students involved.

The Benefit all for Students

1. Community Action has its own reward - innate satisfaction, mutuality of benefit and personal fulfilment - so that external rewards are unnecessary

2. Volunteering is a highly desirable practice for young people to acquire as a habit for life. It is a “building block” for a modern, civil society and should be encouraged as part of the education experience of young people.

3. It is a qualitative experience - not a quantitative one - “what really counts about Education, can’t be counted”.

The Benefit for CSM students

1. Client based education provides valuble work experience, preparing students for modern industry.
2. Client focused work provides positive pressure, interest and enthusiasm beyond that created in a teacher - pupil relationship
3. Essential inter-specialty collaboration provides team building skills and understanding

The Benefit to BL students

Increased depth, breadth and choice of learning
Hands on experience of the importance of a multi-disiplinary team.
Opportunity to use skills learnt at early levels to make a difference to patients lives
Hands on experience in the influence of political, economic, educations, legal and sociological change in a medical setting.
A more productive use of time allocated to PPD and medicine in society.

Benefit to Institutions

Provide students with an innovative education adapting to current social trends
Utilise educational expense for public service
Potential for positive publicity
Establish relationships with universities across the EU
Universities become a model of best practise

Benefit to Non profit organisations

A Community Action strategy is maximum gain for minimum cost.
Publicise work
Build and maintain relationships with other organisations
Provide a service to the community internationally