Lighthouse – 2nd Edition
Program of supported housing
We are continuing our “Lighthouse” project for the 2nd edition.
The aim of the “Lighthouse” project is to prepare young adults aged 18-26, who are leaving care institutions, foster families, and family group homes in Warsaw, for independent living. This is achieved through a five-month stay in supported apartments and participation in activities designed to increase their independence and social skills.
Comprehensive support (which includes cooperation with a housing guardian, career counselling, apartment meetings, “Nowy Port” (eng. “New Harbor”) activities, which are a form of spending leisure time in a constructive way, as well as additional specialist support tailored to the youth’s individual needs) increases the participants’ chances of achieving independence and active participation in society.
Throughout the duration of the project, Atalaya’s staff participate in regular group supervision meetings.
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Supported Apartaments
Supported apartaments provide assistance for youth in taking their first steps into adulthood, particularly by:
– Enabling them to manage a household independently by coping with everyday tasks.
– Assisting in their integration into society by developing proper social interaction skills and social roles.
– Creating opportunities for enhancing social competencies, obtaining education, acquiring professional qualifications, seeking employment, and securing independent, permanent housing.
– Providing the opportunity for independently addressing emotional, relational and other life difficulties, with appropriate support from specialists employed within the program.
Regulations for supported housing
We currently have 4 supported apartaments in different parts of Warsaw and are working on preparing them for our youth. As of December 2024 most of our young adults have moved into freshly renovated apartaments!
Assistance of a Housing Guardian
A key element of the youth support program is the specialized assistance of a housing guardian with whom each participant creates an Individual Self-Development Plan (IPR), in which developmental goals are set in the crucial areas of life: housing, relationships, finances, career, education, etc. The housing guardian helps the youth in current challenges and issues, motivates, mediates, helps in building relationships with the environment, handling matters (official, professional, health-related, educational, etc.), and also identifies developmental needs and jointly with the participant plans participation in workshops and training sessions aimed at building skills and acquiring knowledge in the area of independent living.
House Meetings
The youth residing in the apartments will regularly participate in house meetings, during which we will practice the skills of hosting guests, which are among the duties of the apartment hosts, and how to be a ‘good guest,’ meaning how one should behave when visiting. Participants will be encouraged to talk about themselves, to exchange experiences regarding independent living, and coping with challenges.
“Nowy Port”
Together with the participants of the project we plan and take part in diverse fors of spending free time, that are often new to them and offer a constructive alternative. Activities as part of “Nowy Port” are part of three categories:
- art and culture,
- physical activity,
- creative and team-building activities.
The project supervisors encourage participants to explore all three areas and engage in various activities in order to discover constructive ways of spending leisure time.
“Know How” is an opportunity for our youth to gain knowledge about aspects of independent adult living, for example managing money.
The project is co-financed from the funds of the municipality of Warsaw.
The project is co-funded by Drzewo i Jutro Foundation.
