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The TEENS MATTER PROGRAM offers:

  • monthly meetings with inspiring talks

  • weekly English training (small group and one-on-one)

  • socialization with international peers

  • summer internships during holiday

  • assistance in finding employement

  • assistance with university applications

  • career-counselling

  • trust and care from dedicated volunteers

  • mentoring & friendship

TEENS MATTER PROGRAM oferuje:

  • comiesięczne spotkania z inspirującymi ludźmi

  • cotygodniowe zajęcia z j. angielskiego (w małych grupach i indywidualnie)

  • praktyki zawodowe w czasie wakacji

  • pomoc w przygotowaniu wniosków o przyjęcie na studia wyższe

  • pomoc w pozyskaniu i wyposażeniu mieszkań po opuszczeniu domów dziecka

  • pomoc w sprawach związanych z karierą zawodową

  • pomoc w znalezieniu zatrudnienia

  • zapewnienie ciepła i opieki przez naszych wolontariuszy

  • mentoring

About the PROGRAM:

TEENS MATTER PROGRAM offers educational hands-on support to teenagers coming from various socially and/or psychologically disadvantaged backgrounds. Our teens are 16+ and will be soon living on their own. While receiving basic institutional support up to 18 years old, they are usually left to their own devices of how to begin their independent adult life.

 

Our programme, has been launched on the initiative of the American Friends in Warsaw in the late 90’s (today International Friends of Warsaw), and has now continued for two decades. TEENS MATTER PROGRAM is currently active in the region of Warsaw and Piaseczno. We are also expanding towards Eastern territory of Poland as well as beyond national borders.

 

Yearly, we have up to 25 protégés recommended to us by children’s homes and welfare centres. We provide assistance in developing skills that prove useful on the labour market, building simultaneously long-term SELF-RESPECT and SELF-ESTEEM. These are the key values, which are often missing in the families of our youth and need to be targeted through other ways.

 

So far, our Programme has been providing weekly English training (small group and one-on-one), motivational speaker meetings, socialization with international peers, work internships during summer and winter breaks, support and therapy with psychologists, assistance with university applications, as well as trust and care from dedicated VOLUNTEERS who constitute and are the very heart of our programme.

O TEENS MATTER:

TEENS MATTER to program rozwojowo-edukacyjny dla młodzieży    z   domów   dziecka  oraz  z  rodzin   znajdujących  się w trudnej sytuacji finansowej, jak też dla młodzieży ze środowisk, zagrożonych wykluczeniem społecznym. Program powstał pod koniec lat 90’ w oparciu i we współpracy z organizatorami programu Fresh Start, prowadzonego przez wolontariuszy American Friends in Warsaw.

 

Obecnie program jest realizowany w Warszawie oraz na terenie Powiatu Piaseczyńskiego z młodzieżą w wieku 16+.  Rozwijamy się obecnie w stronę Wschodu Polski, jak również poza jej granice. Celem programu jest motywowanie młodych osób do rozwijania własnych potencjałów, wspieranie i rozwój talentów oraz umiejętności wysoko cenionych na rynku pracy, budowanie poczucia WŁASNEJ WARTOŚCI i SZACUNKU DO SAMEGO SIEBIE. Teens Matter zapewnia cotygodniowe zajęcia z j. angielskiego  (w małych    grupach  i   indywidualnie),  comiesięczne   spotkania   z  inspirującymi gośćmi, letnie praktyki zawodowe zorientowane na potencjał i wyobrażenia danej osoby oraz warsztaty edukacyjno-psychologiczne. Ostatecznie jednak stawiamy przede wszystkim na przyjaźń, mentoring i wsparcie zaangażowanych wolontariuszy.

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OUR SUCCESS STORIES

JAREK (25 years old) 

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 Monthly meetings with people who have achieved great success in professional life, and, similarly to us, did not have an easy start in life were very important. Such meetings taught usself-confidence, which is very important for people who grow up in care institutions. We learnt that in spite of many obstacles, we can find own path to happiness. My professional path started with summer internship in a company that is a global brand, which increased my self-confidence significantly. As it turned out, these internships were a real ticket to work in this company, and I have been working here now for 6 years. Thanks to the program I also met a lot of wonderful people / friends with whom I maintain a very good relationship.

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Today, Jarek has a permanent position in PwC.

I

DOROTA (21 years old)

 

"The Program is more than just about learning English. It is social education so important for young people. Monthly meetings with native speakers allowed us to broaden our horizons and show how many opportunities can be opened to young people today. The support of many people who really care about us was especially important. Most importantly, they accept us as we are, and do not want anything in return. They help us to enter into adult life, patiently teaching us independence (ordinary cooking is a huge challenge for the teenager - at least it was for me) and showing us a good path to follow."

 

Today, Dorota has a permanent position in PwC.

MICHAŁ (20 years old)

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"I had an opportunity to work in Financial Department at PwC.It was first internship in my life  so I appreciate it twice. During this time I can see how such corporation works and I gained valuable  experience in working with Excel;) I met with warm reception from my team and I could always ask  when something was unclear to me. That job taught me responsibility for my duties and encouraged to achieve even more in a future. I'm very grateful to everybody who made this experience possible for me."

BARTEK (24 years old)

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Foundation helped me step outside my comfort zone, which was huge deal for me after leaving foster family. Being able to speak frequently with native speakers gave me confidence in my pronunciation. During our weekly meetings I could hear people with amazing stories that felt unreal. I could also just chill with friends. Especially during Christmas. During summer I had been given the opportunity to participate in apprenticeship. All those experiences revealed a whole new world to me that I couldn't see before.

MARIUSZ (22 years old)

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Thanks to Teens Matter Program I had the opportunity to develop my personality. I usually did not have much to say in the family home, which made me very shallow and introverted. Foundation volunteers helped me believe that what I think and what I want to achieve in life is very important. Thanks to the support of mentors, I had the courage to fight for my dreams and goals. Beeing a part of the Teens Matter Program is the most valuable experience in my life and thanks to it I can change the world for the better as a volunteer.

JANEK (25 years old)

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I would not be where I am now if I had not decided to join Teens Matter! I cannot even predict how my life would look now if not for the people I met in the Program. Meetings with people who have achieved great success in professional life, and, similarly to us, did not have an easy start in life were very inspiring. They taught us self-confidence, so important for teenagers who grow up in care institutions. We have learnt that in spite of many obstacles, we can find own path to happiness.

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