ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTING POSITIVE AFFFIRMATION OF YOUTH IN SOCIETY “IMPRESS” DARUVAR

Impress is an organization based in Daruvar, Croatia, founded in 2008. we are actively contributing to this community for 15 years but with the aim to contribute at regional, national, and global levels. Impress has five more offices in the following locations: Bjelovar, Grubišno Polje, Zagreb, and the rural areas of Sirač and Bastaji. Impress cooperates with more than 90 partners from 35 different countries and is actively involved at national, European, and global levels. Impress mission is to give equal opportunities to everyone, especially to youth. Impress has been actively involved in local and international (youth) projects and has implemented more than 180 different projects. Our team is created from people of different backgrounds, so we have university professors, entrepreneurs, students, high school students, doctors, dentists, psychologists and lawyers. Our team has a common goal of working for community development, inclusion, creating opportunities for youth and the well-being of society. Our organization is involved in partnerships for youth exchange programs, with a specific focus on minors, so If you are interested feel free to us. Impress is: a. Eurodesk Multiplicator- a member of the information network of the European Commission. b. Impress has Quality Label for European Solidarity Corps- hosting, coordinating, and sending organization. c. Impress is accredited for the ERASMUS+ program d. Erasmus+ center gives opportunities to young people, particularly youth in rural areas, to take part in different Erasmus+ programs. Impress has: a. Youth Center, b. Youth Info Center as part of European Youth Information and Counselling Agency c. Volunteer Center; d. STEM Center; e. Intergeneration Center; f. Start-Up incubator; g. Job Club; h. Child Center; i. Cowork space; Our staff: 1. Impress has more than 30 full-time workers, 2. More than 100 international volunteers, 3. 3000 young people and youth workers sent and received on different Erasmus+ projects. 4. 7 interns each year 4 Dimensions of Impress Work: 1. OPEN YOUTHWORK- Includes mobility youthwork and open youthwork, training for youth workers, leading youth centers, activities for youngsters as dance, sport, STEM, free library, VR PlayStation, computers, board games, programming, robots, youth work in schools. 2. ADVOCACY- Dialogue with decision-makers a. National level, Representer in Youth Councils, Youth Advisory Board of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, Working groups and Committees in relevant ministries on the topic of youth, counseling, volunteering, and EU funds. b. International level; conferences for United Nations, State Secretary for youth and Demography, Croatian Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Education, and many more. 3. NON- FORMAL EDUCATION: Non-formal education led by experts on: a. STEM activities supported by the Ministry of Education b. Leadership training c. Volunteering d. Sport e. Methodology of Teaching f. Start-ups g. NEET h. Soft skills i. Education for Teachers. 5. Initiatives and projects emphasizing positive values. a. Human rights and concrete work with marginalized groups b. Social Enterprise c. Innovation d. Sustainable development Goals and SDG Ambassadors Network e. Health protection: physical and mental health, counseling and psychological support, public health actions, conferences f. Education and Research g. Culture and Art Leadership Building: Young people are actively involved in all our projects from the idea creation phase to project writing, implementation, and reporting, encouraging young people to take active roles, lead their projects and implement their ideas, to become young leaders. Special Award: We want to highlight the award for the “Best national project in 2016 as part of the Charlemagne Youth Prize” organized by the European Parliament and the Charlemagne Foundation of Aachen for our International Youth Week project that we organize every year in August and till now we have hosted young people from all around the world. Disclaimer: Impress Association is funded by European Social Funds, Ministry of Labour Market, Pension and Social Welfare of Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of External Affairs, State Secretary for Youth and Demography, Erasmus+ programme.