Low-threshold services of program CIRKUS of Zdruzenie STORM The STORM association was founded in Nitra. Like every civil association, it registered its activity with the Ministry of the Interior in 2002. Over time, the civil association became professional and expanded its primary activity with new locations and target groups.
Currently (2014) it runs stable programs providing mainly social services and also engages in educational and preventive activities. Implemented programs: STEREO – prevention of risky behavior in schools through group interactive work, CIRKUS – low-threshold club and field social work with children and young adults, STEP FORWARD – field social work with drug users and persons working in the sex business, ZÓNA – contact center for injecting drug users, persons working in the sex business and their families, PUBLIC – actions aimed at preventive and educational activities for the majority.
Despite the fact that the STORM Association works with different target groups, it is possible to find common features. It is based not only on the mission and the activities themselves stated in the statutes of the STORM Association, but also from our point of view of the most important theoretical starting points – Harm Reduction, low-threshold philosophy, social prevention at various levels.
Harm Reduction
The Harm Reduction philosophy is associated with the prevention of risky behavior. The approach emerged from the "public health" approach and its elements are part of Harm Reduction. Harm Reduction simply means reducing risks/damages from human behavior. Risk in this context is understood as the probability that an event will occur that can cause harm (Hunt, 2003).
More information about Harm Reduction is provided not only by professional publications (Hunt, 2009; Kalina, 2008; Glanz, Rimer, Viswanath, 2008, etc.), but e.g. also the website of the International Harm Reduction Association (http://www.ihra.net),) of which the STORM Association is a member.
The concept of Harm Reduction is particularly notable for the possibility of choice, respect for a person's decisions and support for any positive change. The above reflect the basic principles of Harm Reduction (Hunt, 2003):
- pragmatism,
- humanistic values,
- focus on damages,
- balancing costs and benefits,
- priority of immediate goals.
Harm Reduction can be understood not only as a philosophy, an approach, but also as a pillar of anti-drug policy, a syringe exchange program, and a direct intervention towards the client (Kalina, 2008). Within Harm Reduction, individual interventions are also known – needle and syringe exchange program, methadone program and other types of substitution therapy, heroin prescription, decriminalization and harm associated with criminal punishment for drug abuse, information, education and communication, safer injecting and drug use rooms (Hunt, 2003). The approach can be used when working with various target groups of social work - not only drug users and children and young people, but e.g. and homeless people.
A low threshold represents the real availability of services. Services are provided to the client in the most natural environment possible, anonymously and free of charge.
Basic principles of low threshold:
- Low-threshold attitude of workers - workers do not judge clients, they accept them, they do not have unrealistic expectations towards them, they mediate the offer of services.
- Safety - the workers try to offer a calm and safe place as a means of establishing contact with the client, the guarantee of protection and safety are functional rules that allow preventing problematic situations.
- Passivity is permissible - the worker does not require action from the client, clients do not have to use the services repeatedly or can use them minimally.
- Regular attendance is not a condition for the possibility of using services.
- Fees – services are provided to clients free of charge, or in specific situations for minimal fees.
- Guaranteed anonymity - no personal data is required from clients. Client information is not disclosed in any form to other clients or the public without the client's consent. Information obtained is used sensitively for research purposes at discretion.
Social prevention
While primary and tertiary prevention are aimed at preventing people from coming into contact with risky behavior or re-contacting it, secondary prevention reacts to the reality with its concreteness and pragmatism.
The boundaries between individual levels are fragile. From our point of view, it is not so much the precise classification of individual levels of social prevention that is necessary, as the mutual cooperation of entities operating at different levels of social prevention.
Actions for the public are carried out primarily at the level of primary prevention (but in some interventions it also affects secondary prevention),
STEREO
and CIRCUS Association STORM.
Characteristics of the STORM Association's CIRKUS program
In the following text, we will focus on the CIRKUS program and its activities.
The CIRKUS program has been operating since 2007 and was created out of the need to offer young people in the Klokočina estate in Nitra a safe alternative to spending their free time.
CIRKUS offers outpatient (club) and field (streetwork) services. The target group is children and youth aged 11 to 20 in the "club" and from 14 to 22 in the "field". The secondary target group is the family members of the clients.
The main idea of the CIRKUS program is to lead clients to independence, responsibility and self-confidence through a positive experience, encouragement and appreciation. Giving young people the opportunity to learn about new ways of using their free time, others values, methods of communication and conflict resolution. Provide information, accompany with the help of contact work, crisis intervention and basic counseling and thereby help clients solve crisis and stress situations, involve the community and the social environment in preventive programs.
In the post, we are dedicated to selected services that we consider to be key when working with a client, regardless of which target group it belongs to, but we will illustrate it using the example of a client of the CIRKUS program. In addition to the short description, we also present examples of possible parts of interviews between the client (K) and the worker (P) as an example, as well as statistical information of the CIRKUS program of the STORM Association from 2013.
Contact work – is a service provided by a contact worker (a worker specifically trained for this type of work) with the aim of establishing contact with a person "here and now". The performance of the service can be imagined as a real sincere concern for a person. The worker is interested (not because he has to, but because he wants to) how he is doing, how he is doing, what pleased him or did not please him recently. Various contact tools are used to establish contact, e.g. hot drink, game, book. In 2013, this type of service was used 957 times. Example: P: How did you do at school today? K: But not much. P: And what happened? Yesterday you said that you really like school.
Social counseling is a professional activity performed by a social counselor. Counseling serves to eliminate, or at least alleviate, a person's current problems. It most often takes the form of an interview. The workers offer possible ways to achieve a solution to current problems with the person who sought their help. They are with him, they accompany him in a difficult life situation. Social counseling was provided by workers outside the club and the field a total of 21 times in 2013. The workers provide counseling not only face to face, but also online. The attractiveness of Internet counseling is also indicated by the fact that it was used twice as much compared to face-to-face form. Example: K: Hello, I don't know what to do, I need some advice. P: Hmm, advice... And what's going on? K: I think dad started drinking more than before. Q. You say that you noticed that the father has problems with alcohol. K: And not only that, he threatens my mother.
We can work on motivation, discovering it, but also supporting it through motivational interviews. Motivational interviewing is a relatively new special method, it can be used in various helping professions (social workers, psychotherapists, health workers, teachers, etc.). Its goal is to motivate a person to change his life situation, values, attitudes or perception of facts. An expert helps a person look for solutions and see things differently. She does not judge him, but approaches him with understanding and support. CIRCUS workers did this a total of 24 times in 2013. Example: K: I just won't go to school anymore, I don't enjoy it. P: Hmm, you say you don't plan to go to school anymore. K: But when my mother blackmails me that she will throw me out of the house if I don't finish school. P: It seems that your decision brings you inconvenience with where you will live. Do you have an idea how you will solve it?
Despite the fact that we live in an age where information is almost always within reach, this is not always true for everyone. Everyone around us does not have a fast Internet connection, does not buy a daily newspaper or they do not know how to search for and work with adequate information. A big role is also played by the fact that children and young adults often do not know who to turn to, what they can/can't do, or they just don't know how to find their way around the amount of information. Employees provide clients with so-called information service from various areas of their interest. This type of service was provided 25 times. Clients can obtain information not only in contact with employees, but also through the distribution of info-educational leaflets or brochures. Example: K: Listen, you have no idea where I can get a part-time job? P: Well, you have several options - you can jump into the city to an agency, look at something on the Internet or place an ad. If you want, I can help you with that.
In the post, we offered an overview of selected services. Of course, the workers also provide a range of other interventions and services. Without the support of donors, it would not be possible to implement any services or new projects and visions. The CIRKUS program is also supported by the Children's Foundation of Slovakia. This program and its "project was also supported by the Children's Foundation of Slovakia from the Children's Hour fund". We thank not only the Foundation for the Children of Slovakia, but also other supporters, without whom we would not be able to maintain and develop the program.
The need for low-threshold services for children and young people has recently become highly relevant.
The fact that the STORM Association has already established this type of service in Nitra does not mean that it does not have other opportunities for development. Employees constantly strive to improve the quality of services and adapt them to the needs of clients.
Author: for the STORM Association Mgr. Katarína Chovancová, PhD. STORM Association, Nedbalova 17, 949 01 Nitra www.zdruzeniestorm.sk www.facebook.com/zdruzenie.storm
Used literature: GLANZ, K. – RIMER, B. K. – VISWANATH, V. 2008. Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint. 2008, 592 p. ISBN 978-0-470-43248-8.
HUNT, N. 2003. Progressive thinking about drugs. Bratislava: Open Society Foundation - OSF, 2003. 76 p. ISBN 80-9692271-0-8.
Internal materials of the STORM Association – CIRKUS program, 2014
KALINA, K. et al. 2008. Basics of clinical addiction. Prague: Grada Publishing, 2008. 392 p. ISBN 978-80-247-1411-0.
Map: STORM Association, Nedbalova 17, 949 01 Nitra