Mission
To ensure the psychological well-being of children by providing professional comprehensive assistance for children and families.
Children Support Centre
- Provides psychological assistance to children, adults and families to cope with psychological crises and overcome emotional disturbances;
- Implements child abuse prevention and intervention programs and provides multidisciplinary help to children who have experienced abuse and their family members;
- Carries out the „Big Brothers Big Sisters“ program in Lithuania;
- Develops and implements professional training and interdisciplinary partnership programs for specialists in education, health care, law enforcement, and social services;
- Advises parents and guardians, develops and implements programs that teach effective family communication and child rearing skills;
- Represents the interests of children in the process of drafting legislation quaranteeing child rigts;
- Encourages community involvement in defending and meeting the needs of children.
Important facts and dates
- The Children Support Center began its work in 1995 by implementing the „Big Brother Big Sister“ program which was sponsored by the „Open Society Fund Lithuania“. Center employees also began counseling children with emotional or behavioral problems and developing training for people working with children.
- Since 1996 child abuse prevention and assistance for child victims of violence or abuse and their families has been a top priority for the Center.
- 1998 - 2000 - the Center participated in the Street Children/ Children in the Street project, a joint the „Open Society Fund Lithuania“ and „King Baudouin Foundation“ (Belgium) project. Training courses were organized and a Resource center was established, whose library and resources are available to those working with children with behavior and emotional problems, with abused children or with street children.
- In March 1999 OSF founded the Children Support Center, a non-governmental, not-for-profit public institution.
- In 2000 the „Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Lithuania“ (BBBS LA) was founded by the Children Support Center (Vilnius), the Spiritual Help for Youth Center (Klaipeda) and „Big Friend, Little Friend“ (Kaunas). BBBS LA is accepted and becomes a member of the international BBBSI.
- In 2001 the Children Support Center acquires its own home at Latviu 19A in Vilnius.
- In 2002 a CSC website is developed.
- In December of 2002, an agreement is signed with the Lithuanian Military Academy to work together in the BSBS program.
- In 2004 an agreement is signed with the „Carnegie Social Initiative Fund“ (Sweden) supporting the qualitative and quantitative development of the BBBS program.
- In 2004 implementation of the „Second Step“ program, a violence prevention program is begun.
- In 2005 „TNS Gallup“ conducted the research that proved the effectiveness of the BBBS program.
- In September 2005 BBBS celebrated its 10-year anniversary with the live „Be My Friend“ concert for the community at large and an international conference „Voluntary Mentoring of Children from Underprivileged Environments - the „Big Brothers Big Sisters“ Experience in Europe“.
- In 2005 an agreement is signed with the „Nobody's Children Foundation“ (Poland) aimed at implementing a long term child abuse prevention program „Childhood without Abuse“.
- In 2006 the social campaign „Childhood without Abuse“ implemented by CSC receives widespread attention from the community.
- In 2006, the Vilnius BBBS program was taken over by a new manager Jūratė Čižauskaitė.
- In May of 2007 the „6th international consortium on the „Second Step“ program and social - emotional learning“ took place in Vilnius. 45 teachers and psychologists from 18 countries participated and shared experiences about stopping increasing bullying and violence among students.
- In 2007 the project „The Child - A Witness with Special Needs“ was implemented. 48 lawyers from all Lithuania have participated in these seminars.
- At the end of 2007,the „Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vilnius“ moved into a new facility on Bebru St.
- In December of 2007 the international conference „Modern Approaches Toward the Prevention of Bullying and Violence in the School“ was organized together with NGO „Child Line“ and the Children's Rights Protection Controller's Office of Lithuania.
- In 2007 the Children Support Center is recognized a NGO of the Year in Lithuania.
- In April 2008 a specially designed room Interview Room for interviewing children is opened in CSC.
- In 2008 the „Center for Children Victims of Abuse and Violence“ is established and provides comprehensive services to children who have experienced abuse and their families. Consultations with psychologists/ psychotherapists, a social worker, lawyer and child psychiatrist are available.
History
The concept of the Children Support Center was born when the „Big Brothers Big Sisters“ program, sponsored by the „Open Society Fund Lithuania“ was being implemented. Direct ongoing help from volunteers for children experiencing crisis was unknown in Lithuania at that time. The first two years were devoted to introducing and establishing the idea of volunteering. Posters were distributed; a video was made and shown on Lithuanian Television throughout 1996; over 20 articles about BBBS activities appeared in major newspapers and magazines; information about the „Big Brothers Big Sisters“ was presented to the Parliament, Presidency, Council of Ministers and other state and non-govermental agencies; employees and volunteers appeared on radio and TV. BBBS became known to the majority of Lithuanian people and organizations. Many cooperative contacts were established. New volunteers, as well as numerous parents seeking help for their children came to the program. Schools and other social organizations that provide assistance to children contacted the program also. On one hand, the number of volunteers interested and able to help children grew quickly. On the other hand, the number of children needing help increased, as did the range of their issues - from loneliness and lack of friends to emotional, physical and sexual abuse. An obvious need for assistance raised new challenges and determined objectives for the work. The main goal was to create a center which provided assistance to families, children, and guardians, as well as persons working with children, and ensured quality professional services adapted to the individual psychological needs of the child and family. The Center's three employees began providing psychological counseling services to children with emotional and behavioral problems, as well as developing and offering training programs for people working with children.
From 1995 we enforce various programs and projects.
In 1996, the „Open Society Institute“ New York Child Abuse Prevention Program was joined.
In 1998, the Street Children/ Children in the Street project was joined. This joint „Open Society Fund of Lithuania“ and „King Baudouin Foundation“ (Belgium) project sought to support NGO that work with children at risk.
Through these activities, an independent organization, the Children Support Center was created.
The creation of this Center underscored the huge changes in the health care system and social environment. National institutions provided children mainly material and social assistance. Psychological help was usually provided only when the problem became clearly evident and solutions were very complex.
Currently, the Children Support Center has 10 employees. The Center provides social, psychological and legal assistance, and offers training programs to specialists, children and families. Children/ families can consult with psychologists, a lawyer, psychiatrist and social worker. We maintain our own facility, company car and have our own website.
The „Big Brothers Big Sisters“ programs works out of a different office and has expanded throughout Lithuania. A summer camp is organized yearly, as are many varied events for the large troop of „Big and Little“ friends.
In 2007 we were designated the NGO of the Year.
The Center is simultaneously implementing several programs and projects, which are supported by Lithuanian people, the State as well as funded by International foundations. We partner with over 30 organizations in Lithuania and more than 10 abroad. Recently we opened a Center for Children Victims of Abuse and Violence special room designed for interviewing children victims of physical and sexual abuse for the legal purposes. Consultations with psychologists/ psychotherapists, a social worker, lawyer and child psychiatrist are available.
More information You can find in the chapter „Report“.
