The document provides information about Home-Start, a non-profit organization in Lithuania that sends volunteers to support families with pre-school aged children. Home-Start began in 2005 based on a model from the UK, and aims to prevent family crisis through regular, qualified emotional and practical support in the family home. Volunteers help large families, single parents, unemployed parents, and other groups in need of assistance. Home-Start services are more flexible, individualized and confidential than other social services, with the goal of early prevention and support without requiring families to visit institutions. The organization works with other groups like child protection services, education organizations and healthcare providers to holistically support children and families.

1. Presentation of Home – Start activity model
in Lithuania: non – formal education of
adults and children (generation experience
continuity)
2013-03-20/23
Brno, Čekija

2. LITHUANIA
Lithuania is a small country in the north of Europe, situated
along the shore of the Baltic Sea. It is the land of rich history,
arts and culture, still living old traditions, and a little bit
withdrawn, but friendly and hospitable people. The beauty of
Lithuania is created by nice landscapes, woods, lakes and
rivers, and a very unique seaside. Towns and cities reminds old
and noble history of Lithuania – baroque crown of Vilnius, the
capital, free spirit of Interwar in Kaunas, German style
Klaipėda port and much more historical towns, villages and
places.

3. KLAIPEDA is 318 km west of Vilnius and is the third largest city in Lithuania with a
population of 205,000. The city is located on the very southern seashore of the Baltic
Sea, at a straight connecting the Kursiu Marios lagoon with the sea.
For nearly all of its history Klaipeda has been a predominately German town, called
Memel. Historians maintain that a settlement of ancient Balts, the ancestors of
modern Lithuanians, stood on the coast of the Kursiu Marios lagoon at the estuary of
the Dane river as early as the 1st century. In 1252 the Livonian Order took over
Klaipeda and the brick castle of Memelburg was erected.

4. What is it Home-Start?
Home-Start (hereinafter - HS) – It is organization.
It’s volunteers offer regular qualified emotional
and practical, but not financial support for
families with pre-school age children in their own
home. Volunteers provide support to prevent
family crisis and breakdown, which may affect
children's socialization processes.

5. Public institution “Nuo pradžios” (“From the
beginning”) –
program Home-Start creation in Lithuania
 Home Start begins when European Union Communities program EQUAL
project " Model of Women's Employment " was conducted in Lithuania.
 Using project funding has been translated part of methodological material
donated by HS International; has been created an organization statute; the
first coordinators of Home-Start activity have been trained for work with
families.
 Organization‘s „Nuo pradžios“ ( which works according to the Home -
Start principles) statute has been created in October 2005.
 „Nuo pradžios“ became the member of international organisation Home –
Start the 28th of November 2005.
 „Nuo pradžios“ was registered in the State Register of Legal Entities Centre
on the 9th of January 2006.

6. Whom Home-Start helps?
 To large families;
 To parents with twins or more than one pre – school
age children;
 To sick people;
 To unemployed parents;
 To single mothers;
 To mothers with postnatal depression;
 To families without friends, close people.

7. Statistics of
children's needs
I -“children in case”
II -“children at risk”
III -“children of need”
IV - children at normal conditions
Social Services are working with I and II groups.
Nobody have a consistent work with the III group. The work with the III group -
means posibility to return to normal conditions group; to avoid the chance to go to
the risk group.

8. Institutions providing assistance and
support to families with children in
Lithuania
 Family, close people, neighbours, friends;
 Church;
 Nongovernmental organizations;
 State and local government institutions providing social
services/organisations,
 Child rights protection institutions/organisations;
 Institutions providing health care services/organisations;
 Institutions of education/organisations.

9. Why HS is different from other service?
The lower cost of
service
Unite all the
problems /
complexity
Turns the whole
community
Implements early
prevention
Service
individuality Confidentiality Variety of services Service flexibility
Free services for
families
Family selects the
service themself
Services are
provided within
the home / home
visits
Development of
volunteering
Work and family
life balance equality of gender Social services
network expansion
Non – formal
education of adults
and children
(generation
experience
continuity)

10. What institutions might be
interesting/useful in HS activities?
Child protection services and
institutions– because preconditions
are created for correct socialization
of children, carried early prevention
for a variety problems, prevention of
violence against children, reducing
child and family social exclusion.
Organisations of education – a) on
children's stability; because children
will come to school more
emotionally stable and more
socialized
b) for the prevention of problems;
because it has been working with
special needs children and their
families.
Organisations providing health care
services – because HS carries
prevention of psychological and
physical health problems
considering in volunteer
opportunities.
Social services– because volunteers
are visiting families for free, carries
preventive activities in flexible and
comprehensive way and saves time
of social institutions.
Nongovernmental organizations–
because strengthens the position of
NGOs in society, promote
cooperation in solving similar
problems, encourage volunteering.

11. Home-Star structure

12. Address:
Debreceno 3, Klaipėda
tel. +370 46 300385
E-mail: hsnuopradzios@gmail.lt
Thank you for
your attention