CINAZ-The Center for extra-curricular activities

CINAZ is a center for extra-curricular activities that creates and implements non-formal educational programs/projects that are based on the needs of children and youth, which besides children and youth also actively include parents and the staff from the educational system. Our goal is to help children and youth spend more creative and quality leisure time. CINAZ organizes various workshops as part of its projects: responsible parenthood workshop, workshop for professional development, peer-to-peer help (pupils and students), help for the young in prevention of violence in and around school, workshop for critical thinking, journalism workshop, media workshops, art workshop, drama studio, dance studio, chess workshop, international youth cooperation, questioning the youth preferances, counseling for young people, a talk of gaining trust, forums and round table discussions about and for the youth. For implementation of every project/program we hire experts of various profiles: pedagogues, psychologists, sociologists, social workers, defectologists, doctors, university professors, respectable athletes and artists who with their long experience and knowledge interdisciplinary achieve the intended goals of the projects/programs. The organization also hires the volunteers – interested students and pupils, who largely contribute to our work. Our project/program users are children of primary shools and high schools throughout Croatia, students, parents and schools. We are nationally recognized with our project "Ten days without screens" that we have implemented in twelve primary schools throughout Croatia and are still cointuinuing to implement. We have published: 1.)"The young and the media - prevention of media manipulation addiction"(Miliša, Tolić, and Vertovšek, Zagreb, 2009). A scientific and research based book that speaks about the negative mass media influence on the young generation and how to reduce the youth exposure of (mainly) harmful messages that come from the commercialized media. 2.) "The young – education for the media (a manual for gaining the media competencies)", Miliša,Tolić,Vertovšek The authors emphasize the role of the school in the development of the media competencies. School should not only implement the new media, but also develop the pupils critical consciousness about the contents they offer. 3.) "Ten days without screens - brochure/workshop for the development of youth’s critical and selective use of three screens" (Tudor, Miliša, Tolić, Vertovšek, Drobac, Zagreb, M.E.P. d.o.o 2010). As part of CINAZ, we have a youth film club Lumiere Media, a member of the Croatian Film Union, who are engaged in production and shooting of many film and documentary projects, organize Photo days and short film festival Lumiere Media Festival in Zadar.