PROGRESS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES CALL FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT – Girl Power Network – Network of strong girls in rural areas

The project is implemented by Progress Foundation and receives funding of 83,700 euros through the Active Citizens Fund Romania programme, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The content of this page does not necessarily represent the official position of the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021; for more information visit www.eeagrants.org. Information about Active Citizens Fund Romania is available at www.activecitizensfund.ro.

Working together for a green, competitive and inclusive Europe

Eligible participants in phase 2 of the project:

40 rural libraries (public and/or school libraries) to be enrolled in the project in order of submission of the application form and fulfilment of the selection criteria.

The participation and selection form can be found at the following link: https://forms.gle/68NZXB9gtZNotKsg6

The completed form must be submitted no later than 12 December 2022 at 24.00.

The results of the selection will be announced to the winners though e-mail by 15th of December 2022.

Project duration: 12 months from the date of announcement of the results. We are currently in phase 2 of the project, having already validated it in 10 rural communities.

In phase 2 (replication period) lasting 12 months, the project will be implemented by 40 rural libraries (other than the 10 rural libraries in the pilot phase). In order to select these 40 new partners, we invite you to apply if you are the coordinator of a rural public library.

Project objective: The empowerment of 400 pre-adolescent and adolescent girls aged 10-16 from 40 rural communities in Romania through changing their attitude towards themselves and their community. They will acquire knowledge and social skills in at least 10 local peer-learning sessions organised in the 40 Girl Power Hubs (GPH)/Girl Clubs set up in 40 rural public libraries in at least 4 counties.

Resources provided by the project to libraries for the operation of GirlPower Hubs in libraries:

Librarians will receive support through:

1. Participating at workshops, grouped at county/region level, which will improve their skills in organising and facilitating meetings with girls in their communities who are members of the GirlPower Hub/Girl Club (including methodology Learning Circles/Learning Circles, tools for Book & debate clubs, participatory consultation and community organising methods (photovoice, citizen journalism, etc.).

2. Support materials (for implementation and communication) created specifically for this project. Working tools and support tools for the ongoing activities within the Hubs will be developed by the project team and external experts, i.e. a GirlPower Hub facilitators’ kit including 10 thematic programming formats (lesson plan type), accompanied by all the resources needed by the librarian to organise and coordinate the meetings of the newly created Hub. These will be used in the pilot GPHubs, and will be reviewed and improved for use in the replication phase of the project in phase two.

The 10 themes to be documented are:

1. Health education – my body, my choice

2. Assertive communication

3. Financial independence. Entrepreneurship

4. Different but together – diversity, tolerance, inclusion, cohesion

5. Fake-news and fact-checking – media literacy and critical thinking

6. Climate change – what each of us can do

7. How do we manage violence and bullying online and offline?

8. Jobs of the future

9. Wellbeing

10. Active citizenship

Librarians’ role in the project:

· Facilitate the signing of a Partnership Agreement between the Progress Foundation and the Town Hall of the community in which the library is located. Based on this Agreement, in each of the 40 rural communities, civic clubs for girls aged 10 to 16 will be set up. These clubs are called GirlPower Hubs, which will operate under the coordination of the librarian who will facilitate the activities of the club (Hub) in the public library space of the respective communities.

· Ensures the enrolment of girls aged 10-16 in the club/Hub based on a Volunteer Agreement signed between the librarian and their parents/guardians.

· Organises a dedicated space in the library for the functioning of the club/Hub, providing computer and internet access for club members.

· Attends the training session for librarians (2 days) organised by the Progress Foundation and takes on board the information taught necessary to implement the project.

· Coordinates the functioning of the Hub and organizes 10 peer-learning sessions for readings and debates of carefully selected texts to cover 5 topics of interest to the girls enrolled in the club, topics to be chosen from the 10 topics of the kit provided by Progress Foundation, thus customizing the Hub activity to local needs.

· Coordinate and facilitate the GirlPowerHub members to develop a community action plan tailored to local needs and its implementation.

· Coordinates and facilitates the implementation of the community action plan with the participation of the authorities.

· Collaborates continuously during the implementation of the project with the Progress Foundation and completes/submits information and questionnaires on the status of the project implementation requested by the Progress Foundation within the deadlines set by the Progress Foundation.