Cudalbi 2020

Budget: 15.953.020,99 lei

The partnership of the project is made up of: SMART Development Center Association (Applicant), Young Entrepreneurs South-East Region (Partner 1), Cudalbi Town Hall (Partner 2) and Technological High School no. 1 Cudalbi (Partner 3).

The overall objective of the project is to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the commune of Cudalbi, Galati County. This objective will be achieved through integrated employment measures, supporting entrepreneurship, providing medical and medical-socio-educational services, improving living conditions, providing legal assistance to people in the target group, active involvement and volunteering, and interventions in the field of education. The locality has been validated as a marginalized community both through local research by project partners and through the Marginalized Rural Atlas.

The target group consists of a minimum of 750 people living in Cudalbi, who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

The project aims at implementing the following main activities:

• Implementation of a workplace apprenticeship program for young people aged 15-25 years (intervention in the field of employment). 60 people in the target group will perform one apprenticeship each, according to Law 279/2005 with subsequent modifications and completions. The activity will be completed with the theoretical and practical appraisal of the apprentices, who receive a certificate of professional competence. Organizing a “Best Apprentice” contest to increase the quality of the apprenticeship program and, implicitly, increasing the interest of the apprentices towards the stage they will follow. 10 prizes of 2000 lei each, awarded according to a transparent methodology, to the top 10 apprentices.
• Implementation of an internship program for 30 higher education graduates residing in Cudalbi (intervention in the field of employment). There will be a debut in the profession, by 30 persons from the target group who have graduated from higher education, according to Law 76/2002 with subsequent modifications and completions. Finally, they will receive certificates signed by employers. Organizing a “Best Trainee” contest to increase the quality of the internship program, where the top 10 interns will be chosen by the project team members in a transparent and non-discriminatory process and will be awarded with 2000 lei each.
• Development and implementation of the integrated unemployment fighting program (intervention in the field of employment).
• Provide support measures for entrepreneurship. There will be 8 entrepreneurial skills courses for 120 people from the target group, organizing a business competition and offering 20 micro-grants amounting to 110000 lei each in the form of de minimis aid and implementation of mentoring and counseling actions. Also, through this activity, the target group members will be hired in the new start-up companies
• Development of medical services in Cudalbi commune by arranging and endowing the Center of Medical Permanence. The Center of Medical Permanence building will be rehabilitated and then equipped with a medical oxygen system, ECG device, ultrasound, vital function monitor, microanalyser, voltage device, refrigerator vaccines, dental unit and a first-aid auto-responder in case of fires and medical emergencies. As a result of these ERDF investments, at least 600 members of the target group will benefit from medical services at modern standards to become fit for work.
• Improving living conditions for households in Cudalbi. Performing rehabilitation works for 5 households whose members face extreme poverty. Each household will benefit from repair works, structural consolidations, thermal insulation, room extensions, hygiene improvements.
• Providing legal assistance to the target group in Cudalbi – the regulation of property, civil status and social assistance rights for a total of 300 people in the target group. Thus, the lawyer hired through the project will prepare 300 files for the members of the target group.
• Implementation of the Civic Involvement and Volunteer Program. Organizing 20 citizens’ meetings which will involve at least 100 people, the drafting of 20 local public policy proposals and the use of the SMART Method of Public Policies to stimulate the involvement of residents and residents of Cudalbi but working in the country and abroad in solving local public issues. Awarding the members of the target group that offer the best solutions to the problems of the local community – offering 40 symbolic prizes worth 200 lei / prize.
• Establishment of the Integrated Community Center of social, medical and related services. A building owned by the Cudalbi City Hall will be rehabilitated and transformed into a community center, 200 people will benefit from social services designed to prevent the separation of children from their families, 200 people will benefit from health-care services, 200 people will benefit from school-based services after school and 50 people will benefit from the micro-business incubator provided through the project with the basic infrastructure needed for any start-up business. A number of 50 households will receive a support of 100 lei / month / household, to provide food and clothing to household members.
• Development and implementation of the program to prevent and reduce early school drop-outs, grades 1-8. Through this activity, 250 pupils in grades 1-8 will be stimulated to participate more actively in classes, improving their school performance, reducing the number of unmotivated absences and participating in the “school after school” activities provided by the project. Also, 24 people in the target group will participate in the “second chance” program, through which they will complete their compulsory 4 or 8 grade education.