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BUDDY

BUDDY program is about an (extra)ordinary friendship able to change children´s lives.
Project name
BUDDY
Project manager
Ladislav & Lucia Kossár
Project web
www.yourbuddy.sk

There are about 5,000 children in approximately 100 children’s homes (institutional care) in Slovakia. Staff in children’s homes are paid to care for the children, prioritise safety and physical needs, rather than meeting the psycho-social individual needs of the child and addressing their traumas, which are essential for a successful transition into adulthood. After leaving institutional care many of them fail to integrate into society.

BUDDY is a community based, volunteer, train the trainer model created by siblings Ladislav and Lucia in 2006. The team of psychologists and social care experts carefully selects, trains, and matches one volunteer with one child (age 12+) living in a children’s home. The volunteers are continuously supported, trained and empowered to develop a long-term relationship based on trust and acceptance.

Success for us is when a vulnerable child develops a long-term quality relationship with the BUDDY volunteer, and a life with dignity - a regular income, stable housing and a positive social network.

„I´ve been working and living independently for one and half year. I started to believe that I´m able to manage my life,“ said the 22-years old Kristina who has known her BUDDY volunteer Alena for one year.

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Ladislav & Lucia Kossár
BUDDY Program
Is the CEO of the BUDDY program, which connects children from orphanages with volunteers with the aim to give them the chance for a decent life. He studied law at the Commenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. After a short practice at law ofice, he established an international consulting company focused on financing for-profit and non-for-... Show bio
Is the CEO of the BUDDY program, which connects children from orphanages with volunteers with the aim to give them the chance for a decent life. He studied law at the Commenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. After a short practice at law ofice, he established an international consulting company focused on financing for-profit and non-for-profit projects, which he exited 10 years later. He worked as restructuring manager and strategic consultant. He loves to sing opera in his spare time. Lucia Kossárová is co-founder of PROVIDA and works as an expert in the field of impact and quality measurement of our projects focused on children and young people. She studied social science at University College Utrecht and international development at John Hopkins SAIS in the USA and Italy. She worked for the Council of Europe and the World Bank, and later as a consultant on issues of health and social development in various countries around the world. She currently lives in London, where she received her PhD from the London School of Economics. She also works as a senior researcher for an independent think-tank, Nuffield Trust, in the field of health and social development. In her free time Lucia loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. Less

BUDDY VOLUNTEERS

Alexandra
Alexandra
Martin
Martin
Jarka
Jarka
Ondrej
Ondrej
Peter
Peter
Lucia
Lucia
Marek
Marek
Andrea
Andrea