Associations of social Activities as Protective Factors fof Children and Young People at Risk and/or Risky Behavior in the Area of Varaždin County

Obitelj je od svoje prve pojavnosti složeni socijalni konstrukt koji svakodnevno zahtjeva nove odgovore i načine rješavanja problema s kojima se susreće. Članovi obitelji, posebice djeca i mladi, u svom se odrastanju susreću s brojnim rizičnim i zaštitnim čimbenicima. Zaštitni čimbenici koji su u posljednjih nekoliko godina vrlo zastupljeni jesu organizacije civilnog društva koje predstavljaju društvenu različitost i ključan su preduvjet za europsku demokraciju. Organizacije civilnog društva koje se bave socijalnim pitanjima registrirane su kao udruge te kao takve pružaju savjetodavnu, edukativnu i psihosocijalnu podršku i pomoć obitelji, no još uvijek u većim, urbanim sredinama, što se prepoznaje kao problem. Cilj je ovog istraživačkog rada ispitati te opisati probleme djece i mladih u riziku i/ili rizičnih ponašanja u Varaždinskoj županiji te njihove potrebe za savjetodavnom, edukativnom i psihosocijalnom podrškom te pomoći, a u okviru (ne)postojanja organizacija civilnog društva. Rad se sastoji od teorijskog i istraživačkog djela. U prvom je djelu rada prikazano teorijsko utemeljenje, definirani su temeljni konstrukti poput obitelji, pojmova 'u riziku' i 'rizično ponašanje', prevencije i djelovanja civilnog društva u socijalnom kontekstu, kao što su i izneseni rezultati dosadašnjih istraživanja na temu i prikazani primjeri dobre prakse. U drugom je djelu rada prikazan istraživački dio koji se sastojao od kvantitativne i kvalitativne dionice istraživanja. Za potrebe kvantitativne dionice istraživanja kreiran je anketni upitnik koji je bio namijenjen stručnim suradnicima pedagozima, psiholozima i socijalnim pedagozima osnovnih i srednjih škola s područja Varaždinske županije i grada Varaždina. Za potrebe kvalitativne dionice istraživanja izrađen je protokol polustrukturiranog intervjua koji je proveden s dvoje djelatnika Obiteljskog centra Varaždinske županije te dvoje djelatnika Odjela za djecu, mlade i obitelj Zavoda za socijalni rad, podružnica Varaždin. Rezultati dobiveni istraživanjem ukazuju na to da se rizici, rizična ponašanja i zaštitni čimbenici prepoznaju kod djece i mladih u Varaždinskoj županiji, kao i potreba za primarnom prevencijom. Također, svi sudionici istraživanja i većina ispitanika prepoznaju potrebu za postojanjem udruga i pružanjem savjetodavne, edukativne i psihosocijalne podrške i pomoći izvan škole, ali nisu upoznati s aktivnom udrugom na području Varaždinske županije. Iz svega navedenoga prepoznaje se postojanje problema djece i mladih u riziku i/ili rizičnih ponašanja u Varaždinskoj županiji, potreba za većom suradnjom s roditeljima i osmišljavanje primarnih programa prevencije, edukacijom stručnjaka, kao i potreba za savjetodavnom, edukativnom i psihosocijalnom podrškom te pomoći djeci i mladima, ali i edukacijom stručnjaka. S ciljem smanjenja rizičnih, a jačanje zaštitnih čimbenika, ovaj je istraživački rad pokazao da se kapaciteti lokalne zajednice trebaju jačati kako bi se obitelji, djeci i mladima pružile one usluge za kojih na državnoj razini nema kapaciteta.From its first appearance, the family is a complex social construct that daily requires new answers and ways of solving the problems it encounters. Family members, especially children and young people, encounter numerous risk and protective factors as they grow up. Protective factors that have been very present in the last few years are civil society organizations that represent social diversity and are a key prerequisite for European democracy. Civil society organizations that deal with social issues are registered as associations and as such provide advisory, educational and psychosocial support and assistance to families, but still in larger, urban areas, which is recognized as a problem. The aim of this study is to examine and describe the problem of children and youth at risk and/or at risk behavior in Varaždin County and their needs for advisory, educational and psychosocial support and help, within the framework of the (non)existence of civil society organizations. The study consists of a theoretical and research work. In the first part of the paper, the theoretical foundation is presented, fundamental constructs such as the family, the concepts of 'at risk' and 'risky behaviour', prevention and the activities of civil society in the social context are defined, as well as the results of previous research on the topic and examples of good practices. In the second part of the paper, the research part was presented, which consisted of quantitative and qualitative research sections. For the purposes of the quantitative part of the research, a survey questionnaire was designed, which was intended for pedagogues, psychologists and social pedagogues of primary and secondary schools from the area of Varaždin County and the city of Varaždin. For the purposes of the qualitative part of the research, a semi-structured interview protocol was prepared, which was conducted with two employees of the Family Center of Varaždin County and two employees of the Department for Children, Youth and Family of the Social Work Institute of the Varaždin branch. The results of the research indicate that risks, risky behaviors and protective factors are recognized among children and young people in Varaždin County, as well as the need for primary prevention. Also, all research participants and the majority of respondents, recognize the need for the existence of an association and the provision of advisory, educational and psychosocial support and help outside of school, but they are not familiar with an active association in the area of Varaždin County. The existence of the problem of children and youth at risk and/or risky behavior in Varaždin County is recognized from all of the above, the need for greater cooperation with parents and the design of primary prevention programs, the education of experts, as well as the need for advisory, educational and psychosocial support and help for children and youth. With the aim of reducing risk and strengthening protective factors, this research work showed that the capacities of the local community should be strengthened in order to provide families, children and young people with those services for which there is no capacity at the state level