The transition from living in an institution to autonomous life is a unique turning point for each child and adolescent.
Our Residential and counselling Centre Planina helps children and adolescents to complete their education and/or qualifications and gain psychosocial skills. As far as possible, we train them for independent life that starts after leaving the institution.
Zupanc (2009, p. 6) writes that “many do not have the possibility to return to their families after reaching the age of 18 (or 21), but they cannot remain in institutional care either. They cannot be offered any financial support and quite often any emotional support by their parents. Therefore, this support is completely dependent on educators and other professionals who take care of the adolescent. These young people are usually more likely to enter adulthood earlier than their peers
Regardless of how young people are "equipped" with various psychosocial skills and work habits at the end of their stay, they suddenly find themselves facing new challenges when entering the outside world. There are huge new requirements to deal with: getting up in the morning; spending eight hours at work, which is usually poorly financially stimulated; independent resolution of all conflicts with colleagues and superiors; when he/she comes home, he/she must take care of own diet, order in his own dwelling and in his personal belongings; this young person must satisfactorily spend their free time and take sufficient time to rest (Bednik, 1987).
After the adolescent is discharged, we try to meet these challenges by offering them the mobile service, counselling services and the STIS centre (counselling-therapeutic and education centre).
The assistance is provided through personal educator/counselling service – the adolescent, phone consultations and counselling, counselling via e-mail and social networks and home visits. The adolescents and their families can also use a possibility of therapeutic treatments.
Adolescents are helped and supported in:
- Searching employment
- Arrangement of daily activities
- Organization of free time
- Relationship establishment
- Dealing with existential questions
- Planning integration into society
- Driving examination
- Social network development.
Depending on the individual needs, we also offer assistance in other areas if necessary.
By providing support, we wish to enable the adolescent to be able to establish appropriate relations with the environment and live autonomously, to successfully return home and integrate into the primary family.
Bednik, I. (1987). Mladostnike vzgajamo za življenje. Ptički brez gnezda, 12 (25), str. 67-73.
Zupanc, T. (2009). Prehod mladih iz izvendružinskih oblik skrbi v samostojno življenje (Diplomsko delo). Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za socialno delo. Ljubljana
