Professional Social Counseling

The Professional Social Counseling project in the SKCH LAG area reg. no.: CZ.03.2.65/0.0/0.0/16_047/0007509 was funded by the European Social Fund through the Operational Program Employment.

The aim of the service was to contribute to improving the client's social situation, support their social inclusion, and prevent social exclusion through the provision of professional social counseling. The service offered assistance in resolving difficult life situations. The service was provided both in the user's natural environment and in an outpatient setting that provides the necessary privacy to address the needs of the target group.

Service Locations:

• SKCH Skutečsko, Košumbersko, and Chrástecko areas.

Who was the service intended for?

• Individuals over 18 years old,
• Individuals living in socially excluded communities,
• Individuals leading a risky lifestyle or at risk of leading such a lifestyle,
• Offenders,
• Ethnic minorities.

What the service offered

It was a registered social service under § 37 of Act No. 108/2006 Coll., on Social Services, provided on an outpatient basis and in the natural environment of clients in the SKCH Skutečsko, Košumbersko, and Chrastecko areas in the Pardubice Region. As an accredited entity, we provided users with support through social work.

We offered counseling services, insolvency processing, and submission as accredited subjects. The listed services are provided for reference. Further information was provided through individual consultations.

Services provided:

• social counseling - support for users in resolving their adverse social situation (individually and according to their needs), offering the possibility to address users' needs in their natural environment (we used to drive to them by agreement)
• housing - counseling in the housing area, the possibility of creating a housing financial plan (benefits, rent, services, energy), providing basic legal services related to housing (contracts, notices), support in communication with housing owners and landlords,
• social benefits - specialized counseling in the field of benefit legislation, negotiation of non-insurance social benefits by the material need department for the benefit of the user,
• family and criminal law - handling citizenship and documents, communication with the registry,
• employment - counseling in dealing with the Labor Office of the Czech Republic, basic evaluation of the user's situation in terms of suitable employment selection, counseling in the field of labor law, mediation of contact with employers to obtain a job for the service user,
• debt counseling - providing expert debt counseling from debt analysis to personal bankruptcy, mapping the financial situation and support in financial management, providing legal advice on contract conclusion and asset management,
• legal counseling - providing the possibility of legal consultation in justified cases, consultation on legal acts (drafting applications, appeals, proposals, and assistance with official documents), assistance in contacting legal institutions.
• Communication with institutions and related services - advice on communicating with courts, arranging expert help such as psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and accompanying to related institutions, providing information on related services in social, health, and educational areas,
• Criminal activity - presidential pardon, advice on parole requests, cooperation on direct cases of clients who have committed a crime or offense or have become victims of a crime (usury, etc.), cooperation on security measures with the police regarding clients.

  
  

  Principles of provision:

  • The service was provided to users free of charge,
  • Each user was approached individually by the staff, taking into account their needs, possibilities, resources, social situation, and personal plans,
  • Clients were supported to be independent and to strengthen their competencies,
  • The client's decision in choosing a solution to their unfavorable situation is fully respected by the staff,
  • Service staff provided assistance to users independently and informed users that they do not have the authority of a government employee,
  • Staff treated all users impartially, applying equal access to users,
  • All staff meet the professional qualifications according to Act No. 108/2006 Coll., on social services
  • and continuously educate themselves.

  
  

  The Professional Social Counseling Project in the MAS SKCH area was implemented from November 1, 2017, to October 31, 2020.