Non-governmental organizations are non-profit, charitable, and independent entities, meaning that they do not engage solely in profit-making activities. Any surplus generated from revenues exceeding expenses must be used for the development and operation of the organization. A day center is an organization classified under such types of entities. Its goal and purpose are to meet the interests and needs of the population, even at the local level.
The purpose of the master's thesis was to conduct a rapid needs assessment and explore the space and requirements in the municipality of Lenart regarding the establishment of a day center for children and young people. The research itself could contribute to the realization of the day center, designed according to the needs and desires of all participants in the study.
To this end, in the theoretical part, I conducted a review of best practices both in Slovenia and abroad. I described the characteristics of leisure time and the importance of quality leisure time for children and young people. I highlighted some studies showing how children and young people prefer to spend their free time, with special attention given to the importance of play for their development. I then reviewed developmental theories and presented in detail the development in the middle and late childhood and adolescence, which is also the target group of the day center. Furthermore, I presented basic human needs according to various authors. Finally, I focused on mental health, which is crucial for an individual's quality of life, citing research by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) on the state of mental health among young people in Slovenia.
In the empirical part, I used both quantitative and qualitative methodology. For the quantitative part, I utilized a questionnaire completed by parents of primary school children in Lenart. In the qualitative research, I conducted three semi-structured interviews, one of which was a group interview. I interviewed a representative of the municipality of Lenart, a counseling worker from the Social Work Center (CSD) Lenart, and children. The group interview was conducted with children. The results showed that all participants in the study see some added value in establishing a day center. Each, from their perspective, sees the operation of the day center as an opportunity to meet the needs of children and young people. Therefore, I see merit in realizing this idea sometime in the future.
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