Centar za mladež Zapresić (Zapresic Youth Center)

Our association, Zaprešić Youth Center (hereinafter referred to as ZYC) was founded in 1998. The purpose, range and activities of the organization is to empower and educate the individual, family and community with the aim of creating a stimulating environment for the growth of children and youth. According to its goals, ZYC operates in the field of social activities, education, health care, democratic political culture and protection of human rights, in the territory of the Republic of Croatia. Goals of the ZYC are: • Strengthening and educating individuals, families and the community with the aim of creating a stimulating environment for children and youth to grow up • Prevention of the unacceptable behavior in children and youth (quality leisure time, prevention of addiction and violence) • Prevention of institutionalization, marginalization and discrimination • Improvement of knowledge and competencies of children, youth, adults, parents and professionals working with them • Promoting and caring for human rights • Providing social services • Improvement of volunteering in the community • Encouraging development and strengthening of local communities • Raising awareness of the importance of healthy living and improving the quality of life of children, youth, families and the community • Encouraging and caring for the mental health of children, youth, families and community in general • Improving the system of informing and counseling youth about their rights and opportunities, also about the programs and services offered to them in the community • Encouraging young people to actively participate in the community. Our user groups are children, youth, parents and the elderly. The activities of the organization are: • Implementing programs and projects aimed at education and empowerment of children, youth, parents and the community • Providing education, information, counseling and supervision to children, youth and adults • Organizing and implementing individual and/or group education for children, youth and adults, institutions, companies, through various educational workshops, courses, training, playrooms, seminars, etc. • Providing psycho-social-pedagogical and counseling assistance • Organizing lectures, forums and other public appearances with the aim of informing and educating the professional and general public about relevant problems, with the aim of raising awareness and solving them • Conducting activities which educate parents, teachers, educators, leaders and instructors about current problems of children and youth (addictions - drugs, alcohol, smoking, betting, computer games and the Internet; delinquency, violence) • Promoting healthy living and environmental protection • Organizing creative, competitive and other activities for quality fulfillment of leisure time of children and youth, • Organizing psychological-pedagogical, health and social, sociological and other appropriate lectures, forums and similar activities with with the aim of combating socially unacceptable behavior and developing a healthy and creative life of children and youth of Zaprešić and wider community, • Conducting activities aimed at promoting and protecting human rights, • Organizing activities for volunteers (education, supervision, actions, etc.) • Organizing public events in local and wider community with the aim of promoting the ideas and goals of ZYC • Participation in domestic and international conferences, seminars, etc. that are related to the activities of the ZYC. • Carrying out activities aimed at promoting and protecting the mental health of children, young people and adults.