The Foundation for Partnership and Civil Society Development

Implementing the Feel Good programe: the importance of kindness and laughter

At the beginning of this school year, we started piloting philanthropic "Feel Good Clubs" in schools. So far, the program is being implemented in several different models in 8 primary schools in Istria County: OŠ - SE Giuseppina Martinuzzi (Pula), OŠ dr. Mate Demarin (Medulin), PŠ Matija Vlačić (Rabac), OŠ Vazmoslav Gržalja (Buzet), OŠ Jurja Dobrine (Rovinj), PŠ Jurja Dobrile (Rovinjsko selo and Bale), and OŠ - SE Vodnjan - Dignano.

As part of the program in OŠ - SE Giuseppina Martinuzzi in Pula, we organized two meetings for the 4th-grade students to enrich the curriculum on the importance of empathy, solidarity, and intergenerational exchange of knowledge. The first meeting, with a clown and volunteer coordinator from the Red Noses organization for Zagreb, Rijeka, and Kvarner, Nataša Tepša Budija, took place on November 29, while the second intergenerational knowledge exchange meeting was held at Villa Trap on December 13, 2024.

Visit of a Clown Doctor from Red Noses

As part of the Feel Good Program, we aim to sensitize children to social issues, inspire them to become responsible citizens, tolerant of differences, and ready to help others. We discuss active citizenship, donations, volunteering, and the importance of NGOs. To achieve this goal, we collaborated with the Red Noses Clown Doctors organization to bring the work of NGOs closer to students. This visit followed a three-hour interactive workshop led by the Foundation staff with the students on the topic of NGOs. We discussed what NGOs are and their role in society. The students were especially stimulated by a simulation of founding an NGO, where they had to design the organization’s goals, activities, values, and logo. The students formed groups, learned about different ways to activate the community, and how to communicate their ideas to the wider public.

Clown Nataša practically showed the students how NGOs can contribute to social good by using the example of Red Noses. She demonstrated how a single smile can change someone's day and why it’s important to take small but meaningful steps for the community's benefit. At the end of the meeting, the students even learned a few tricks that clown doctors use to entertain their audience!

Intergenerational Exchange at the Senior Club Villa Trap: Students and Users in a Shared Story about Philanthropy

A visit to the Senior Club at the Alfredo Štiglić Home for the Elderly in Pula was organized to establish a dialogue for intergenerational knowledge exchange between students and older adults, promoting solidarity and empathy through creative activities.

The students began the meeting by presenting two stories they had written with the help of their Croatian language teacher, Petra Rajh, using the Japanese storytelling technique Kamishibai. The first story, "Tone," was about the value of heritage, kindness, and philanthropy, universal human values that connect different generations. The second story was dedicated to the sports legend Dražen Petrović. The stories touched the attendees, and after that, an open and sincere conversation followed between the 4th graders and the senior center’s users. The students asked the seniors about how they spent Christmas in their childhood and what their school experiences were like. The seniors eagerly shared their life stories, creating a relaxed and emotional atmosphere. At the end of the visit, the students gave framed drawings they had made for the Day Care Center, while the seniors gave each child Christmas cards they had crafted. The students were also treated to cookies and drinks, which added to the festive atmosphere of the gathering. On the way back to school, the students reflected on their visit in the bus. They recognized the differences between their childhood and the experiences of older generations and emphasized the importance of being grateful for what they have. This visit was an opportunity to learn about the values of community, the importance of mutual support, volunteering, and social services for marginalized groups in society. It was not only an educational experience but also an emotionally enriching one for all participants!

We would like to thank the Red Noses organization and the staff and users of the Alfredo Štiglić Home for the Elderly for the stories, smiles, and fellowship!