The number of those infected are rising every day, and we are getting used to living in CORONA. Families have had a difficult period but it is not over. We invited renowned experts, representatives of pro-family non-profit organisations, companies and institutions to share the results of research, their experience and recommendations:
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How to absorb what happened in the coronavirus
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Prepare for new challenges and succeed in them
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Send a clear signal to state institutions for systemic assistance
The conference WE LIVE IN CORONA together with the partners for the Europe for Citizens program organised by the organisation Spiralis, which has been supporting people in difficult life situations for 22 years, whether through education and counselling of directly endangered groups or professional teams of non-profit organisations. The event, which took place on November 2nd in an online environment with the kind support of Senator Miluše Horská, attracted 70 parents and representatives of pro-family organisations. A recording of the performance of all speakers and workshops is available on the Spiralis Youtube channel for interested parties as well. Links to individual contributions are in the text.
LET’S RESET THE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM TOGETHER
The conference was opened on behalf of the Spiralis organisation by its director Jolana Turnerová, who said the Covid-19 pandemic had, and still is, affecting society as a whole, but that families with children with disabilities, single parents and caring parents are among the most vulnerable, need a reliable support network in stressful situations, and how to change the situation is also the goal of this conference.
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS COME TO HELP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT FAILS TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE
Miluše Horská, Senator of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and Chairwoman of the Senate Social Policy Committee, gave an introductory speech with deep respect for the activities of non-profit organisation. Among other things, she said that she was proud to say that it was NGOs that came to the rescue when the government failed to support the people. She also highlighted the French model of cooperation between the state and non-profit organisations for the benefit of clients in social services, including funding, and answered questions from the audience.
PROGRESS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITUATION FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND SUPPORT SERVICES
Research by the Sirius Foundation and Median on the effects of the pandemic on families with children was presented by Dana Lipová, director of the Sirius Foundation. Among other things, the research shows that the most significant effects of the pandemic include psychological problems of adults and adolescents, dependence on technology and online dangers, mental and physical violence in families, etc. 123 experts and 101 respondents participated in the survey. She mentioned that although the survey took place in the summer of 2020, the problems identified are still relevant in the autumn of 2021.
ALONE, BUT STRONG - SITUATION OF SINGLE PARENTS IN THE PANDEMIC
Research carried out in the summer of 2020 and the winter of 2021 in cooperation with Mgr. Radka Dudová, Ph.D., who mapped the factors that make life difficult for single parents, was introduced by Eliška Kodyšová, director of the co-organising organisation Aperio - Society for Healthy Parenthood. According to the research, single parents before the pandemic experienced unpleasant feelings of stress and anxiety. Parents involved in the research earn less than 250,000 CZK a year and cannot afford to pay any unexpected expenses over 10,700 CZK. In corona, the chronic burden has also intensified, with parents dealing with the concurrence of online teaching and the performance of their work.
SOCIAL SERVICE IS NOT LEISURE ACTIVITY - THE UNAVAILABILITY OF SOCIAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Agáta Jankovská, Director of the Alliance of Individualised Support, pointed out the contrast between the health effects of the pandemic and the effects of ill-considered government measures. According to a survey of 639 caregivers and their dependents, government action has negatively affected three times more people with disabilities than the pandemic alone. Caregivers were left alone to care for their dependents on a day-to-day basis. Jankovská emphasised that caregivers and dependents are a larger group in the Czech Republic than seniors.
According to Jankovská, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people with disabilities and their chronic illnesses and their caregivers shows that the impact of the unavailability of social care in spring 2020 affected up to 50 percent of the above-mentioned population.
THE ROLE OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN PREVENTING INEQUALITIES AND WHERE TO FINANCE IT
The chairwoman of the co-organising platform of the Czech Women’s Lobby, Marta Smolíková, presented a set of recommendations of 39 member entities for the Czech Republic in connection with the experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the recommendations is also to ensure adequate funding for non-profit organisations that defend women’s rights. The situation of women with pandemics has exacerbated more than men. Women carry a higher share of care for children of all ages and for their parents, which caused a more significant increase in unemployment for women than for men in the summer of 2020.
PARENTS ARE OFTEN ASHAMED TO RECEIVE NOT ONLY FOOD AID
Zuzana Vránová, the founder of the Neighbourhood Club, which distributes food and other necessities in Prague’s Vršovice, describes to lonely seniors and families in need how the composition of the people they help has changed due to a pandemic. Not only women but also single fathers come. An important component is the psychological support of clients, which they can provide thanks to support from European funds. Vránová mentioned that non-governmental organisations are here to help in crisis situations. They can work with volunteers, are flexible and can quickly ensure that the help they need reaches the right people. According to Vránová, the mistake is that non-profit organisations are underestimated by the state and society.
THE SILENCE WILL NOT PROTECT CHILDREN AGAINST VIOLENCE - CHILDREN’S VOTES MUST BE HEARD!
According to Petra Wünschová, the founder and director of the LOCIKA Center, the people in the pandemic realised that violence was very much related to mental health problems. The theme of Locika has become a social theme. The organisation has seen an increase in the shaping of support materials on social networks, information leaflets on how not only children can take care of their mental health are posted in many doctors ‘and therapists’ surgeries in many places across the country. She pointed out that the mental health of children deteriorates during lockdowns. Unfortunately, the uncertainty as to whether or not they will recur is still present.
Petra Wünschová invites you to the Bubnovačka event, which aims to draw attention to the importance of protecting children from violence and to open up the topic of early prevention in society. The castle, the Police of the Czech Republic, and schools will also join the event, which will take place on 19 November 2021.
WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILD IF ME OR MY HUSBAND GET COVID?
The co-founder of the association supporting parents of children with disabilities, Jarmila Neuwirthová, shared her nightmare with their severely disabled daughter and a healthy preschooler, who further stated that she had no other place to school the child. She also said that relief and rehabilitation services were unavailable and the children suffered from unavailability of services that help with their mental health. Neuwirth appealed to those present that in times of crisis, the capacity of relief services should be further increased, not just kept available.
Jarmila Neuwirthová - recording
PEOPLE STOP BEING AFRAID OF ASKING FOR HELP
As many as 85% of people are facing a significant decline in overall living wellbeing, even at work, said Petra Sýkorová, a representative of the SOS line at family service, who helps people working in companies and organisations with problems. In coronavirus, the callers mainly dealt with communication and family relationships, depression and congestion, and more addiction-related calls.
CARE AND DIGNIFIED LIVING IN THE CORONAVIRUS - WORKSHOP 1
During the workshop, the co-founder of the NEEDO Talks podcast Lenka Bártová received responses to the following questions and topics related to coronation.
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Did you expect an institution such as the Labor Office or the City Council to help you?
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Medical Care - help - availability of deterioration/improvement
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School - Opening schools or closing?
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Vaccination of children - Do you have your children vaccinated? Did an expert advise you?
AN UNDERVALUED CARE - SITUATION OF SINGLE PARENTS AND THEIR EFFECTIVE SUPPORT - WORKSHOP 2
The director of the Aperio organization, Eliška Kodyšová, led a workshop in which the participants agreed that as a company we do not appreciate care, neither as a social value nor in financial rewards. Caregivers are overwhelmed and their contribution to society is not sufficiently appreciated.
The system that is supposed to help parents and their children often turns against them. E.g. administrative complexity, organisational complexity, the need to repeatedly prove the right to assistance.
There is a great overload of families in lockdowns. A combination of online learning, homework and working life in one place at one time.
NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS, STATE AND DONORS IN PANDEMIC TIME - COOPERATION OR INSULATION? - WORKSHOP 3
At the workshop, especially for representatives of non-profit organisations, Hana Stelzerová, the director of the Czech Women’s Lobby, monitored the situation in their coronation with the following questions.
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What services for families do non-profit organisations provide?
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What lessons have the pandemic brought?
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What is the sustainability of your services?
The recommendations made by the group include:
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Establishing partnerships between the state and pro-family non-profit organisations
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Ensuring multi-year funding for non-profit organisations
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Representatives of organisations will learn how to present the successes and impacts of their activities
The conference was free for participants and parents of children with disabilities received a financial contribution for personal assistance for their children during the conference.
The event was jointly organised by Spiralis, the Spectrum of Women’s Development platform and the We Strengthen the Czechia initiative in cooperation with the Czech Women’s Lobby, Globus Better World and Aperio in partnership with the project “Manage the Covid crisis with care, reason, values, unity, solidarity (“Care on”) supported by the “Europe for Citizens” program of the CONTEMPORARY PLEVEN MEDIA FOUNDATION organisation in Bulgaria. The event was supported by the OSF Foundation within the Active Citizens Fund, which aims to support civil society and strengthen the capacity of non-profit organisations. The program is funded by the EEA and Norway Funds.
Translated and copyedited by Anna Krebs.