Fundacja Laboratorium Zmiany/ The Laboratory For Change Founation

Since 2015 we have focused on women and girls, so that, through our projects, the participants find their inner strength to understand and counteract sex/gender stereotypes and discrimination. Its activities are primarily targeted at girls and women, working with and for young people. Foundation’s initiatives and projects are based on activities that increase people's sense of agency, acquire communication and social skills and promote equality (especially gender equality), respect, courage in social life and counteracting discrimination. Our mission: “We empower girls in building their own path in life, relations and work”. We are the most recognizable antidiscrimination organization in our region. What distinguishes us is our work not only with women/girls but also with their surroundings, e.g. schools, universities, local governments. As part of our statutory activities, we organize workshops, training sessions, other educational forms, and conferences (open space methodology) for our target group, both stationary and online (including webinars, and e-learning). We conduct original research in the Opolskie region and create publications (including educational ones) based on them. We participate in grant competitions at various levels. In recent years, we have developed our international activities, taking a partner and coordinating role in projects financed by programs such as Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, and Norwegian Funds – Active Citizens Programme. We’re only 1 of 3 organizations in our region with Erasmus+ Accreditation in Youth Sector. So far, we cooperated with many experts, specialists, and institutions such as universities or city municipalities from countries like The Czech Republic, Lithuania, Croatia, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Romania, Iceland, Italy and many more. Locally, we organize internships for students mostly from University of Opole, we help and advise in the activities of their clubs, informal and activist youth groups. We conduct and offer volunteering in the areas of our activity, including long-term (up to a year) international volunteering projects (ESC). Our activities are addressed primarily to women, girls, young people and people working with them. We conduct training in developing social skills, designing games on difficult topics, working using the design thinking method, open space, publishing toolkits, brochures, etc. The foundation has implemented over 11 anti-discrimination and women's support projects and 3 projects related to increasing civic activity and participation. Over 1800 people took part in them. These included for example: a) I see, feel, decide and react – against discrimination against women in the workplace (, EEA) – workshops, advice, social campaign. b) Cycles of development workshops for local leaders working for women and for people working with youth (, institutional support of Batory Foundation). c) Anchors for the future (, KA2 Erasmus+) – international cooperation to strengthen competences that increase opportunities on the labor market among girls. d) Kiedy kobiety są niewidzialne? (When women are invisible?) (2023, public task from Opole City municipality) – raising awareness of areas of inequality, consequences and importance of gender-sensitive research. e) Równoważnik (Equivalent) (, EEA Norwegian Funds – Active Citizens Programme – National Fund) – helping high schools in introducing anti-discrimination standards. f) Samorządne (Self-governing) (, EEA Norwegian Funds – Active Citizens Programme – Regional Fund) – supporting women's leadership, strengthening young activists in small towns. g) Join the Game (, KA2 Erasmus+) – international cooperation to strengthen girls in masculinized professions and areas. h) Równoważnik II (Equivalent II) (, SPLOT Wartości, EU - CERV Programme) – activities in high schools aimed about raising awareness, knowledge, develop skills, as well as starting a dialogue on the promotion and protection of EU values and fundamental rights (enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and EU treaties), in the form of equality – among women and men, non-discrimination. We conduct regular non-project activities for women: a) anti-conferences (Women in Dialogue) b) series of meetings with Superwomen (interviews/conversations with inspiring women) c) Girls Festival (International Day of the Girl) d) substantive support for student clubs and informal activist groups e) fundraising for the Courage Mission - Courage Workshops (ability to respond to injustice), in which 250 people have participated so far.