Community Aid Network (CAN BraĹ&#x;ov) Activity report 2012
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
ABOUT CAN BRAȘOV
Community Aid Network (CAN) is a network for supporting nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations in Brasov which are involved in health and social welfare projects, education, volunteering and community development. CAN makes interaction easier, exchanges information, good practices and experience between the charities involved in social projects.
ACTIVITY Available services to NGOs
An online database shared with the social NGOs (www.canbv.ro) A custom page on the network’s website Newsletters regarding announcements and nonprofit projects Collaboration for organising and developing community actions Guidance in establishing partnerships with other NGOs or local institutions Promoting local projects and events Online resources on fundraising, marketing, CSR, legislation The opportunity to write articles in the Business & Charity magazine
BUSINESS & CHARITY Our objectives
Launching an advertising magazine for charities and a website that would raise awareness regarding nonprofit organizations and the companies involved in charitable actions; Informing companies on how to get involved in the nonprofit sector and encourage them to support the activity of an association or foundation in Brasov; Developing a partnership between companies and nonprofit organizations from Brasov.
Business & Charity Magazine is the first magazine in Romania that brings together businesses and nonprofit organizations. Through this magazine we aim to:
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
Promote positive models among nonprofit organizations whose social projects had excellent results in terms of improving the quality of life for the vulnerable people in Brasov, and among the companies that have taken an active and responsible role in supporting social projects ; Inform the business environment and the general public about the work of nonprofit organizations and the ways of supporting various charitable projects; Create a Business & Charity group formed of businesses and nonprofit organizations involved in philanthropic projects.
Published: quarterly – March, June, September and December Mintage: 1000-5000, no. pages: 32 color, format: c5 (23x16cm) Content: charitable actions, collaboration opportunities, projects funded by local companies, advertising for companies and nonprofit organizations, informative sections. Distribution: CCI Brasov, Brasov CCECCAR and various locations in Brasov including hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, coffee shops, private kindergartens, playgrounds etc.
The team
Board of directors:Daniel Hristea, Maria Gavriliu, Doli Bota CAN Administrator and Project Coordinator: Ruxandra Oprică Volunteers: Flavia Boghiu – magazine editor "Business&Charity" Veronica Popescu, Oana Muntean – translators Cristina Borbely – advertising collaborator Ana Maria Butoi –magazine and website articles Laurențiu Rădăvoiu –fundraiser Website manager: Iulian Dudiţă - Krogan Inventiv
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
“BUSINESS & CHARITY” in 2012
Throughout the year we have closely worked with 15 nonprofit organizations, members of the network, and 10 local companies from Brasov. In the magazine and on www.business-charity.ro you can read information about the activity of our member organizations. We encourage the general public and especially the personnel in charities to visit our business partners as customers. The list is published on the back cover of this report. In 2012 we have continued the “Business & Charity” project working together with the following: IULIA MĂRUȘCĂ FROM PRODUCTIVE INTERNATIONAL has published in the magazine articles about comunication in the NGOs, the necessary budget of effective communication with the public, CSR activities and the introduction of beneficiaries with their potential donors. Iulia’s articles can be read on the website www.canbv.ro in the section Resources – Promoting NGO/Advertising charity work. ISTVAN SZABO FROM ERUDIS CONSULTING has constantly offered advice, examples from his experience and recommendations regarding fundraising in the community: hiring a fundraiser, establishing partnerships, successful approaches and identifying funding sources. Istvan’s articles cand be found on the website www.canbv.ro in the section Resources – Fundraising. SORIN PELIGRAD FROM JUNIOR CHAMBER INTERNATIONAL-BRAȘOV organized a workshop of CSR to which we were invited to discuss about the ways companies can get involved in the NGO sector, useful tools, the need in the community and the social responsibility actions for NGO members of CAN. The PowerPoint presentation for business enviroment can be downloaded here. IRINEL MERLUȘCĂ FROM TIPOTEX PRINTING HOUSE is the person who took care of the good outlook of the magazine in order to be easy to read and he made sure that the text will properly
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
match with the images, so that the magazine could reach a higher quality. The 2012’s editions, starting with number 5, can be browsed online here. ANGELA BOGHIU FROM GLAXO SMITH KLINE ROMANIA shared with us, in a special article, her personal story about involving in the nonprofit sector, the experience which she gained working as a volunteer at Hospice “House of Hope” in Brasov. Her attitude and actions are worthy of being followed by any employee in the business domain and Angela always encourages other people to help where needed. Angela’s story can be read here. VODAFONE FOUNDATION ROMANIA, through the partnerships with Charity Works Romania and Diaconia International Help Association, was present in the number 6 issue of the magazine. The “Build for Tomorrow” project has demonstrated that the volunteers contributed, during a few days, in changing the lives of disadvantaged families in the area called Cristian. The magazine also included a few testimonials of several employees of Vodafone Romania about what corporate volunteering is, motivation and their benefits. Magazine’s 6th issue can be read here. PRIME ASSOCIATION BRAȘOV supported us in promoting Business&Charity project, improving the marketing and the magazine’s graphic as well as writing and publishing some articles of interest to readers. (www.primebrasov.ro ) BRAȘOV BUSINESS PARK helps us facilitate the distribution of 50 copies of the magazine in the Business&Charity building.
MARCH 2012, 5th edition – The economic activity of NGOs in Brasov. What is the connection between spring and various associations and foundations? As you are now probably accustomed to, most NGOs bring out different activities for fundraising to financially support their activity, for instance selling handmade objects made by members or their beneficiaries. Besides the fact that their initiative is praiseworthy, it also brings double, even triple benefit: organizations raise funds in a manner worthy of respect, we, as buyers, succeed in supporting, as much as possible, their activity and we remain with the object bought, which is usually original and special. (From the editorial, written by Flavia Boghiu).
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
Economic activities of NGOs presented in this edition: PIATRA CRAIULUI HOSTEL represents one of the social economic activities of the National Organization “Cercetasii Romaniei” (Romanian Scouts) Brasov, subsidiary of “Virgil Onitiu”. The extra income, generated from the economic activity, will be used to allow children, from disadvantaged families (children from foster homes, children with disabilities, children from low-income families etc.), to take part in free camps within hostel. RAFAEL FOUNDATION has developed as a profesional support provider for people with disabilities from Codlea, Brasov and surroundings. Involving in the activities that stimulate intellectual function, creating the psycho-bihavioral balance, encouraging social interaction and developing life skills that help personal development and a better community integration of the persons asisted by professionals from Rafael Foundation. Within the Day Centre are manufactured candles, signs, cards, crafts sewn. GARDENIS is a project that generates income which FAST Foundation created offering the possibility to reinvest profits in the activities that are already ongoing. GARDENIS offers a wide range of products, handmade in a traditional style and quality, in the gypsy community in Tarlungeni: towers, decorative fountains, dog cages, wooden benches and round tables, swings, floral decorations, and also balconies, fences and other custom made products.
Within the “VEGETABLE CAMPAIGN” that Diaconia International Help Association carries each fall, hundreds of poor families and dozens of public institutions receive necessary vegetable for the winter. In the spring of 2009, by producing its own crops of potatoes, it was possible to cover the entire need of vegetable for “VEGETABLE CAMPAIGN” of next fall. From this idea, started the “VISCRO - FARM of HOPES” project. Thus in 2010, the first harvest was 70 tons of potatoes and in 2011, in Viscri - Fiser area 30 hectares of arable land were already purchased.
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
JUNE 2012, 6th edition – Corporate volunteering Volunteering doesn’t mean the naivity of letting yourself explored for free, it assumes that you want to change something and to stand for what you want so much that you will get involved. We cannot wait for someone, someone stronger, more willing, more determined to change the aspects that we dislike in the community we live in. How many of us have heard the words “If I had the power I’d do this and that!”? Why do we have to wait for a certain level of power in order to do something? The measure of our power is given by what we do.(From the editorial written by Flavia Boghiu) We have decided to talk about volunteering in this issue and especially about corporate volunteering, both at a local and at a national level and not only, companies that promote volunteering through the activities of NGO employees. From the pages of the magazine: Corporate volunteering is a team building for employees, doesn’t imply any costs, and is an action which involves free advertising and maximum results. Vodafone Foundation, local corporate leader, presents the most recent project, in partnership with Charity Works Romania, in which their employees get involved in building social houses in Cristian. Vocation volunteering at Rafael Foundation. Fundraising in the community, by Istvan Szabo. Volunteering Fair in Brasov – 2nd edition. Volunteering as a profession: Interview with Claudia Popa, the president of Colors Association. September 2012, 7th edition – Empathy, the first step towards changing mentalities
The theme of the current edition is related to education and changing the public’s attitude. Having the courage to know, discover and understand has always been the first step. By presenting the difficulties faced by beneficiaries, but also presenting their successes, we intend to sensitize people on social problems in the community, problems on which NGOs work on, find solutions and try to make a difference. The September issue proves that each person can be a resource for society, no matter which abilities they have or don’t have, no matter where he comes from. Thus, we can read, in the magazine, about: Empathy as a first step toward changing mentalities
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
The new project of “Crystal Children Association” Creative beneficiaries from Diaconia – International Help Association Dance band Rromano Step The department of social services describes one of the perspectives of how hard it is to be old. Mihaela Spătărelu, educator at FAST, talks about challenges and rewards in education. Corporate volunteering – Angela Boghiu, GSK Romania Our services for companies.
We live in a world of diversity. A world in which the emphasis is put on discovering and embracing our identity, in which we are told to be proud of what we are. But how can you be proud of what you are when people around us look at us with disapproval, disgust, fear or indifference?[…] What makes us better or superior, if instead of trying to know them and help them, we prefer to marginalize? And let’s not forget that the freedom of the persons part of the disadvantaged group is no greater than the narrowness of our minds. (From the editorial, by Flavia Boghiu) December 2012, 8th edition - Att the end of the year Being the last issue of the year we publish, in the magazine, the articles that describe NGOs’ activities and projects in 2012. Thus, we can read about: The winners of the Super volunteers’ Gala in Brasov 2012 Rafael Foundation – Steps towards the future. FAST Foundation – Gardenis Social Enterprise. ING BANK employees and “Winter pantry” The first year of implementing RURACTIV project Hiring a fundraiser, advice from Istvan Szabo Sponsorship program for disadvantaged children Charitable campaigns in December. ….What did we do this year? Let’s say that we have managed to do more than we expected and less than we would have wanted to happen, but we have gained values in people. Quality people, that gave us great pleasure to collaborate with and that are worth (at least) their weight in gold. People who are aware of the relationship between business and charity, beyond the classic “to give away for nothing”, responsible people that want to change something. We thank them, not only on Christmas, but on every opportunity of involvement and generosity they showed. As for everyone else, let’s make Christmas kindness and commitment to be specific of each day, for the rest of the year! (From Business&Charity editorial, 8th issue, by Flavia Boghiu).
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS VOLUNTEERS FOR THE MUSEUMS IN BRASOV Pilot project for training volunteers and volunteer coordinators for the museums in Brasov
Duration: April 1st – September 30th 2012 (6 months) Goal: Developing the capacity of Brasov’s museums to involve volunteers in specific cultural activities. Objectives: 1. Training 4 volunteer coordinators within the “Casa Muresenilor” Museum and “Cetatea Rasnov” Museum, using practical activities, mentoring and job-shadowing 2. Training 20 volunteers to guide in the museums, support and promote local cultural activities 3. Creating a common online platform for volunteer management and promoting cultural volunteering in Brasov. Direct beneficiaries: 2 museums, 4 of their employees, 20 volunteers Indirect beneficiaries: museums in Brasov, local NGOs members of CAN and the community. CAN Brasov, as a partner in the project “Volunteers for museums in Brasov” has been responsible for: 1. Posting notices and articles related to the project on their own website. 2. Facilitating contact with NGO members and organizing visits for the job-shadowing activity for the volunteer coordinators. 3. Feedback centralization from the members of NGOs regarding the job shadowing activity.
www.voluntaripentrumuzee.ro The project’s brochure: http://voluntaripentrumuzee.ro/?p=244
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
PARTNERS FOR LOCAL EVENTS THE CHARITY EVENT “ZAMBET DE COPIL” (A CHILD’S SMILE)
On February 15th 2012, AMURADIA Association in partnership with CAN, organized, with the occasion of the International Day of Kids with cancer, the event “Zambet de copil” (Child smile), at Casa Culturala a Studentilor Brasov (Students’ Culture House Brasov). Through the event “Zâmbet de Copil” (Child Smile) we intended: To inform, make aware and sensitize the public about people with cancer Solidarity, hope, compassion and help for those suffering from cancer, children, youth and adults, as well as their families. Promote AMURDIA Association’s services Partners: Casa de Cultură a Studenţilor Braşov (Students’ House of Culture), CAN Braşov, The department of Social Services Braşov and Functional rehabilitation center for blind people.
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
VOLUNTEERING FAIR IN BRASOV, 2ND EDITION Held under the slogan “Fashion is fleeting, but volunteering remains unchanged”, the nd Volunteering Fair Brasov, 2 edition of May 19th brought together, at George Baritiu County Library, 20 NGOs and public institutions in Brasov, Codlea and Ghimbav and their community volunteering projects.
The hostile weather couldn’t stand in the way of curiosity, and right from the first hours of the day, the participants began to show up, eager to learn more about volunteering offers in Brasov. They had the opportunity to find out, through games with informative content and also jewelry and crafts workshops, about: • Reasons why you can be a volunteer • How to promote a project about volunteering • Activities that involve volunteers • The European Voluntary Service (EVS). At the end of the event, the most active and creative participants were rewarded with gifts from organizers, while others only got the change to experiment the life of a volunteer. The Volunteering Fair Brasov is an event organized by Colors Association in partnership with CAN and George Baritiu County Library and it is funded by the National Authority for Sports and Youth through the County Department of Sports and Youth Brasov.
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
CHARITY EVENT IN THE HISTORICAL CENTER OF CODLEA Friday, September 28th 2012 in Codlea took place the annual charity event “I can be your friend, your neighbor or your relatives! Accept me as I am!” organized by Rafael Foundation in partnership with CAN. These sort of actions are part of Rafael Foundation’s efforts to raise the well known problem of people with disabilities, to create a connection between these persons and the rest of the community and to gather partners to support financially the work of the foundation. Partners: City Hall Codlea, Codlea’s Cultural House, CAN Brasov. At the end of the event, the amount raised from donations and sponsorships was 2250 lei!
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
HUMAN LIBRARY, 2012 EDITION SCUT - Social Services Association with collaborators and mass-media partners has organized the event entitled “Human (Living) Library – on October 27th at the Cultural Center Reduta. Yet again, CAN was a collaborator in this event. “Human Library” is an international concept (www.humanlibrary.org) which aims to draw attention on all the forms of diversity, to stimulate dialogue between people because in essence, this event is against discrimination. In a Human Library you can find “Alive Books”, so to speak, people who were marked by prejudices and stereotypes. The public, the Readers, had the opportunity to talk with these persons, asking them anything. Through the Alive Books, along with the readers, we have discovered interesting stories told by prisoners, gypsies, people with disabilities, eco- friendly people, actors, musicians, artists, athletes, businessmen etc.
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
SUPERVOLUNTEERS’ GALA BRASOV, 2012 EDITION The event planner was Color Association Brasov in partnership with the County Department of Sports and Youth Brasov, CAN Brasov and Brasov County School Inspectorate. SuperVolunteers’ Gala is a competition addressed to the volunteers, regardless of age, from Sibiu and Brasov, and it is also addressed to NGOs and public institutions that carry out projects with the help of volunteers, schools that have extracurricular activities, firms that carry out corporate volunteering projects, but also to journalists and bloggers that promote volunteering. As in the previous editions, the SuperVolunteers’ Gala is the only event in Brasov that promotes community volunteering and gives awards to volunteers, projects, organizations and their supporters that were involved in the community in 2012. The SuperVolunteers’ Gala is an event organized by Colors Association and funded by the National Authority for Sports and Youth through the County Department of Sports and Youth Brasov, in partnership with Cultural Center Reduta, CAN Brasov, Brasov County School Inspection Department, Simple Mind, Madstel Impex SRL, www.stiribrasov.ro, www.codpress.ro, www.newsbv.ro, “RomaniaPozitiva”, Kiss FM.
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
“DONATE FOR A SMILE” CAMPAIGN We are already in the 3rd year in which, together and especially through your involvement we have succeeded to create moments of joy for kindergarten children from various communities in Brasov, that have financial difficulties in their family. This year, Edu for All Association Brasov together with PreSchool Teachers’ Association from Romania and the Community Support Network, gladly invites you to bring joy, in the winter holiday season, to the preschool children attending Crizbav kindergarten. The children come from families with bad economic situation and gypsy families. (www.eduforall.ro). “Donate for a smile” is a campaign that collects clothes and toys and it is organized by Edu for all Association, in partnership with Educators’ Association from Romania and CAN Brasov. This campaign took place in Brasov during 19.11.2012 and 17.12.2012 for 20 preschool children from Crizbav.
We thank the kindergartens, schools that participated and also the persons that were involved! Due to the large number of clothes and toys collected by other donors we have offered packages for: kindergarten in Cutus – Crizbav, homes in Tarlungeni: Arlechin and Buburuza, Maternal center Casa Emanuel from Codlea, Casa Perla Foundation from Codlea, Aurora foster home from Codlea, FAST Foundation from Sacele, kindergarten in Carpinis and Zizin from Tarlungeni, Agapedia Foundation and the Center for Homeless people from Brasov.
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
FINANCIAL SITUATION – JANUARY-DECEMBER 2012
INCOME Funds from private sponsor
2700
NGO contributions, membership fee of Business&Charity
8250
Extra pages in the magazine
1900
Business advertisments in the magazine
3800
Donations/Sponsorships
800
Donations – CAN Britain
3770
2% from employers tax contribution
849
TOTAL
COSTS
Value in RON
Value in RON
Salaries
5280
Book-keeping
2100
Transport
400
Phone bill
600
Hosting website canbv.ro
250
Materials for advertising
500
Protocol events
150
Printing the magazine (4 issues/year) TOTAL
12,800
22,080 (4989 Euro)
22,069 (4987 Euro)
Details on the budget:
Funding from the private sponsor Dominic McCann has covered, this year, only a part of the network’s administrative costs. NGO contributions: every NGO pays a 50 RON/month fee for Business & Charity project which includes their appearance in the magazine with half page presentation and articles on the website. Extra pages for advertising a company, promoting projects or presenting an activity on a full page: 100 RON/page. Prices per advertisements: companies sign up for an advertising box in the magazine paying 100 RON/edition (the magazine appears quarterly – in March, June, September, December).
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
FOR 2013 For 2013 the minimum necessary budget for the administrative activity would be: COSTS
Value in RON
Salaries (including taxes)
10800
Book-keeping
3000
Transport
600
Phone bill
800
Hosting website canbv.ro
250
Supplies and promotional materials
300
TOTAL
15,750 (3,542 Euro)
In 2013 we will initiate several changes to streamline services and the network’s activities, so that we can adapt to low budget. Business&Charity Magazine : Moving the magazine’s content in the online version, gradually reducing the number of printed magazines. Writing and sending a newsletter towards companies and business people with the content of Business & Charity CAN Network: Sorting the NGOs from the network to identify the inactive NGOs. Introducing a monthly fee for all NGOs that want to remain partners (the fee is necessary for paying the administrative costs, taking into consideration that in 2013 we will not be funded). Offering in exchange benefits / concrete advantages, service packages. Involving various professionals that would teach seminars / trainings on topics of interest for NGOs. To conclude, in 2013 we aim to continue working with responsible and active NGOs, to promote their activity and to offer visibility in order to provide security and a high quality standard to those who want to get involved in their support. We rely on quality, not on quantity, we prefer to work with a compact group with whom we can carry out even better and more popular projects and with a greater impact on the beneficiaries.
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CAN BraĹ&#x;ov – Activity report 2012
We thank to our partners from the business environment that have been with us in 2012!
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CAN Braşov – Activity report 2012
www.canbv.ro
www.business-charity
Pagina Facebook a Reţelei CAN
***Translated by Chirca Corina Andreea, volunteer for CAN Brasov***
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