Help disadvantaged children in the Czech Republic with us! Every donation counts twice in October

We have helped 2,769 children

Throughout the last school year, we supported 2,769 disadvantaged children and young people. They often grow up in unsupportive environments in excluded areas and lack support from their parents. We tutored children, helped them with revision or entrance exams, and offered career advice to the older teens. The younger and older boys and girls found safe places in our free youth centres where they could spend their time meaningfully and make new friends. We also gave the little ones a lot of attention in our pre-school clubs. We are also doing much more as we work to make real systemic changes.

In total, we have helped:

• 1,008 children with school readiness, reparation, or entrance exams

• 489 young people choose a field of study for secondary school

• 327 boys and girls who attended our pre-school clubs

• 909 children who have used the facilities of our youth centres

• 61 young people in a resocialisation programme

• 521 teachers who attended our courses or webinars

• 203 computers we lent out, providing 31 connections for families

We provided methodological support to Teachers, Educational Students, and volunteers 

Preparing for school and entrance exams

Thanks to our 120 staff and more than 360 volunteers, we are able to help children across the country with Czech, maths, foreign languages, and other subjects that are giving them a hard time at school. We have provided a helping hand to more than a thousand children in seven regions.

We have also been tutoring online ever since the coronavirus crisis, which allows us to help children who live in areas where we don't normally work. We lend technology to families who cannot afford to buy computers for their children. In the last school year, we loaned 203 computers and provided 31 internet connections.

We help older students choose a high school, university, or find a job. We also tutor them and lend them technology. Among the 489 recipients last school year was Hanka, who was not content with just a high school diploma. This year, she is going to graduate with a Maturita certificate (a specialised Czech high school degree) in pharmaceutical chemistry and then she would like to go on to university!

We focused on intensive support for ninth graders who were awaiting their high school entrance exams. They had a really hard time because their class has been the strongest in thirty years and there were few places available in schools. We helped 92 students with their preparation and 63 of them got into their chosen school. We helped another 17 kids find a field in the second round and worked with them on appeals. While the vast majority of them ended up getting into the school of their choice, we worked with the others to come up with alternative plans so that they didn't end up with only a primary school education. We also worked with high school graduates, 31 of whom successfully passed the final exams and 14 of whom are continuing on to further studies. Two of our students successfully completed their university studies last year.

In addition to traditional tutoring, we also organise group activities where children can learn together. This year, 357 such activities took place. In addition, we also organised 250 trips and excursions, as well as 70 workshops. 

We help the youngest ones enter kindergarten

Our pre-school clubs are often attended by children who have grown up in under stimulating environments. Their parents spend most of their time at work and do not have the time or space to take care of the little ones. So, for the children, coming into the club is often the first time that they get to hold a crayon or have a book read to them. Little Dalibor had a similar story. Initially, he was afraid of the other children and lacked basic social skills. We are preparing him and 326 other children to start regular kindergarten. We have also supported 291 parents, helping them enrol in schools or organising educational seminars for them.

We reward good grades with scholarships

We also financially support students who, despite difficult family situations, decide to continue their studies in secondary or higher education. If they meet the conditions (good grades in selected subjects, high attendance rates, and good behaviour), we give provide them with a grant, which they usually use to buy school supplies or help with their family budget. This year we supported 136 students in the first semester, and 163 in the second.

We want young people to spend their time meaningfully. In our eight youth centres, 909 young people have found a safe haven and space for leisure activities. We also organise events in clubs located near excluded areas to discourage socially deviant behaviour (drugs, crime, prostitution). We also work with children and young people with behavioural risks and those leaving institutional care. We have supported 61 young people within the framework of our resocialisation programme.

Methodological support and systemic changes

In addition to our direct work with children, we also support teachers and teaching assistants by offering free methodological materials on topics such as media literacy, modern history, human rights, or the environment. We also organise various courses and webinars for them, 29 of which were held last year and attended by 521 teachers. We also held the fifth annual With Assistants for Better Schools conference for 159 teaching assistants, teachers, and other school staff. Additionally, we also support future teachers and volunteers through Doucujte.cz and the Faculty Tutor initiative.

Help us help again this year

To continue supporting children in the Czech Republic, we need your help. As we do every fall, our partners in the Better Schools for All campaign will double every donation that comes into our account. If you can, give disadvantaged children a chance to catch up with their classmates!

More information available at lepsiskolaprovsechny.cz/en/