MORE THAN 3,500 YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM EVERY YEAR, WHERE THERE ARE CURRENTLY MORE THAN 50,000 CHILDREN.
OF THESE, ONLY 1 IN 40 ARE LEGALLY EMPLOYED.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE CAN CHANGE THESE STATISTICS
This is Paul, Iulia, Iuliana, Larisa, Mihaela and Oli.
Young people who are now in school or working because at some point we came into their lives and, after learning their stories, we didn’t abandon them.
We understood that for them, for other young people like them, but also for us as a society, a path in life, away from human trafficking and drugs or living on the streets, will always be a meaningful investment.
SEND A SMS TO 8845 WITH THE TEXT JOB AND WITH 2 EURO PER MONTH YOU TOO CAN HELP A YOUNG INSTITUTIONALIZED YOUTH TO HAVE THE CHANCE OF A JOB!
Through this campaign, we aim to raise funds to provide 1,500 hours of vocational counselling for institutionalised young people.
In 7 years of work, we have helped more than 6,000 institutionalised young people to find their way in life. And we’ve realised the value of our work every time young people come back to volunteer, to thank us, to tell us that they got a job because of our help.
Listen to the stories of some of the kids we’ve worked with. Ana and Catalin.
Two success stories now, but they didn’t get off to the best start.
THEIR STORIES
Orlando’s story (Oli)
‘I want to become an entrepreneur, but also follow my passion: drumming!’
He entered the child protection system at the age of 2 and learned to fend for himself. After losing loved ones (mother, brother and sister), he took refuge in music. The man who motivated him not to give up was his drumming teacher, who made his attendance conditional on his school results. In the two years he’s been part of The Social Incubator family he’s learned a lot, Oli says, from how to write a CV to what it’s like to work in a team, why it’s important to prioritise tasks and how networking helps. He wants to become an entrepreneur because he can hold his own in tight situations, and that he can talk to his employees, not from the position of a boss, but as a human being. In the future, he hopes to have the opportunity to talk to young people about his life from the TEDx stage.
Mihaela’s story
‘I want to become the best social worker.’
Mihaela was born in Bucharest and entered the protection system at 8 months old when she was abandoned in the snow by her mother. At 5 she moved to Huși, where she grew up in foster care as a family. She returned to the capital to attend the Faculty of Social Work, graduating with a Master’s degree and a 9.37 average. She currently works as a social worker at a foundation that supports the elderly. She is very happy to have met The Social Incubator team 4 years ago. She learned to be confident, to speak up, to be more open and brave. Inspired by the social worker who handled her case, she wants to become the best social worker she can be, to help everyone in need. At the same time, she wants to pursue her passion for photography and even make a vlog.
Iulia’s story
‘I want to be a psychologist, to help as many people as possible!’
Iulia is 17 years old, in grade 12 and lives in Vaslui, in a placement centre. She entered the child protection system at the age of 9 and even though it wasn’t easy, every time she wanted to quit school she was supported by her case manager, whom she considers her mother. Meeting with The Social Incubator helped her discover what she wants to do in the future with the help of vocational counsellors. She learned how to manage her budget at financial literacy workshops and developed her communication and social skills at professional development workshops. Her greatest desire is to help as many people as possible, especially children in the child welfare system, so she has set her sights on becoming a psychologist.
Paul’s story
‘I don’t want to leave the country, I want to contribute to its development!’
Paul is an ambitious young man who grew up in a village in Vaslui county, with just his mother. Even though he failed mathematics in the 8th grade, in high school he was ambitious and took first place in the National Agricultural Olympiad. He is 20 years old and a second-year student at the Faculty of Agriculture in Iasi.
He uses in his everyday life everything he learned at The Social Incubator workshops. After participating in the financial education workshops, he started to study the stock market in more depth and even to invest. She wants to get her PhD and teach students using the experiential technique. He believes that young Romanians can innovate in the agricultural field that the country so desperately needs. He hopes to become a researcher and a member of the Romanian Academy.
Iuliana’s story
‘My dream is to work in a food analysis laboratory’
Iuliana grew up in foster care with her grandparents, and now at 22 she has decided to take her life into her own hands and get out of the child protection system, after graduating with an A. She joined The Social Incubator during the pandemic. Emotional management and yoga workshops have served her well during the lockdown. She developed a friendship with her mentor, Cristina, whom she met in one of the mentorship programs. Her biggest wish, besides a career in nutrition, is to get her license, build a rally car, and compete in the Poiana Brasov rally race.