Association „Impress“

Association „Impress“ is non-profit organization founded in 2009. In Daruvar with main aims: empowering quality of life of young people and children, giving equal opportunities to young people no matter of their background, active develop of volunteering, encouraging initiative of young people and taking care about marginalized groups. Association is active in rural area and now we are covering whole BBŽ county. Through different projects and programs (today more than 150 of them), we actively advocate for human rights, promoting no hate speech, we fight against discrimination, addictions, we promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue, developing of social entrepreneurship. We are are informing young people through Eurodesk and Info center of Opportunities. Our employees and volunteers are educated for informing and consultations for young people by European agency for Informing and Consultation of young people (ERYICA). Our programs and projects are financed from different resources and some of them are: Ministry of science and education, Ministry of demography, family, youth and social policy. Impress is working in Center for youth “House of Opportunity” in Daruvar, Ivana Zajca 3. In Bjelovar we have Info point office in address T.G. Masaryka 8, and also in different cities in region we have Info points in cooperation with partners. Center for youth is modern space on 136 m2 in the very nearness of center of Daruvar. It is open every day from 8:00 till 21:00, and weekends adaptive. Place is equipped by 6 personal computers, 4 portable computers that are available for free to young people, 2 offices for workers and volunteers, there is available different IT equipment (printers, scanner, digital cameras and other). The main room is equipped with big TV for presentations, and with Play station 4. In “House of opportunities” there is completely available and equipped kitchen, two toilets (one is adapted for people with disabilities), living room, storage room, room for meetings. In our daily work employees are all the time present, and one of them is our former EVS volunteer. Impress is first and the only one association of youth in region and has constant of 10 years work. Impress, as Eurodesk multiplicator, is taking care of systematic informing and consultations of young people through Info center of Opportunity. "Impress" is also leading local Volunteer center of Opportunity, projects of non-institutional education programs, STEM activities (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). With public we communicate through web page, info portal for young people, social networks of Impress (facebook, Instagram, snapchat), notice board, flyers, posters and through radio stations, newspapers. Some of daily/weekly activities are: the night of board games, culinary workshops, workshops of writing CV, STEM, planning of volunteer activities, workshops of writing projects, help for studying, communication skills and other. Through volunteer activities, we are including on yearly base more than 100 volunteers through about 9000 volunteer hours. Our projects are awarded from European Parliament and Carlo Charlemagne foundation for the best national project in 2016. Through that project 9 years in a row we are organizing for young people free educational camp in Sport-recreation center near Daruvar “Kukavica” where we gather young people all around the Europe to talk about important topics of solidarity, active citizenships, contribution of young people to society, EU youth Dialogue. One of Impress project that is held 10 years in a row is also Health week with partners from Medicine University Zagreb with the aim of raising awareness about healthy life. We are also active in Erasmus+ program and we made several projects in this area: TC “Gender Equality starts now”, “Freedom of Expression: Speak Free but speak no hate”, “Taking actions through counter and alternative narratives- Hate speech is not an option”, YE: “Confluenc