ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT

2015
SIGMA DEVELOPMENT
CENTER

1. ABOUT US
SIGMA DEVELOPMENT CENTER association is a non-profit organization, for consultancy and
integrated services for children, family and society, founded in 2010, in Constanta, whose aim is the
improvement of the quality of life in all its aspects.
The associations goal is to improve the educational offer, the social and cultural life as well as
the environmental conditions and the offering of personal development services. We believe that the state
of economic, social and political health is determined by the inner equilibrium and harmony of people.
Therefore, we militate for a better society, bringing ones inner potential to the best level of functioning
which would generate a change in oneself as well as in the society.
Our mission is to ensure integrated services which would offer people opportunities in order to
better their quality of life. Such services are those of non-formal education, professional formation of
adults, social services, art-therapy activities, and workshops of personal development and individual
psychological guidance.
Our association is based on a set of principles and values among which: honesty, respect towards
oneself, towards others and towards the environment, courage to overcome ones condition, and
reassurance of our quality of actions and services.
We take great pride in having vast experience in ongoing activities that aim to put our mission in
practice, and with the help of our 8 experts in writing, management and implementing of European
financed projects, we have managed in the last 5 years to access more lines of financing.
The organization Sigma Development Center initiates and unfolds projects meant to strengthen
the interactive and continuous education and formation of youngsters as well as adults from urban or rural
environment, it also provides information services, guidance and mediation of individuals in search of a
working place, in order to increase the quality of life for people living in Constanta.
Starting with October 2010, Sigma Development Center organization became partner within the
Regional Pact for filling Labor Forces and Social Inclusion, the south-eastern region, in order to allow a
better identification of the communitys problems, to find new resources and use new opportunities,
which would advantage the beneficiaries of the programs realized by the Sigma Development Center
organization.
Following the partnership with AJOFM in one of the European financed projects, Sigma
Development Center received the status of partner within the network of mediation ANOFM, more
precisely it is part of the public-private Partnership for filling the labor force in 2011.

Also, in order to be an active factor on the labor force market, Sigma Development Center
association received accreditation from the National Agency of Labor Force as a provider of informing
and guiding services of labor on the internal market, and accreditation as a provider of mediation services
of labor on the internal market.
Sigma Development Center associations aims are the initiation, support and development of
social, humanitarian and communal programs; the development of actions meant to promote and aid the
promotion of individuals interests and rights, social as well as cultural and artistic activities, youth
mobility, citizens rights, to contribute at a lasting development of the local community and business
community, to support social programs regarding the public education and the active participation of
citizens at the communal life, and to protect the environment; the arrangement of professional courses of
formation in different activities; the development of therapies which allow the positive transformation, the
individuals spiritual growth, as well as the positive evolution of a person and the specialized assistance
for inactive people.
Presently, the services offered by the association to its beneficiaries represent important parts in
the development of the respective community: Psychological evaluation, Psychotherapy, Psychological
Counselling, Education and Training, Research, Support Groups, Information Center, counselling,
mediation and job research.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
The services we offer for psychological intervention are the following:
Emotional evaluation
Cognitive Evaluation
Behavioural Evaluation
Bio-physiological evaluation
Standard personality and coping/adaptation/ defensive mechanisms evaluation
Psychological evaluation associated with couples or familys (or other groups) activities
Evaluation of the family, professional, social, economic, cultural context in which psychological
problems are manifested
Evaluation of Psychological development
Selection and Evaluation of staff
Tools for the description and modification of the jobs psychological requirements
Evaluation tests for cognitive abilities
Personality invention
Surveys for the evaluation of professional interests
Job-person matching tools
Tools for the ranking of people for a certain job
PSYCHOTHERAPY
Sigma Development Center offers services of psychotherapy with the aim of:

Optimizing, developing and self-knowledge

Resolving psychological and psychopathological problems and situations of risk (depression,
anxiety, bipolar disorder, appetite disorders etc.) and confronting with the illness condition and
the existential dread (treatment, secondary prevention, tertiary, recuperation)
Optimizing couple, family, group, organizations and community relationships
PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELLING
1.
Organizational Counselling/ Counselling in the Organizational Environment
2.
Vocational Counselling / Career Counselling or Professional orientation
3.
Support Counselling, for example in the case of people diagnosed with terminal illnesses
4.
Pastoral Counselling
5.
Pre-marital Counselling
6.
School Counselling
7.
Career Counselling
8.
Health Education, promotion of health and a healthy lifestyle (e.g. primary and secondary
prevention), prevention of illnesses
9.
Optimization and personal development, couching, self-knowledge
10.
Elaboration, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs that promote health
and sickness prevention.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Sigma Development Center organizes courses and workshops for personal development, which
promote the personal and professional progress of the participants.
Professional qualification Courses
At the end of the courses, the participants can obtain a certificate, recognized by the Ministry of
Labor, Family and Social Protection and of the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and
Sports.
1.
Computer Graphics Course
The Computer Graphic Designer creates graphic layouts, drawings, scans and edits images,
mounts graphic layouts and checks the final products.
2.
Web Page Designer Course
The web page designer analyses the pages aim, projects the website structure, creates and/or
processes its content, publishes and maintains it.
3.
Commerce Worker Course
The Commerce Worker organizes the general closing/ opening of the stores activity, selling,
charging, product and service presentation, store promotion, stock check, completing the
necessary documents and reports.
4.
Massage Technician Course

The massage technician should have various competences. They should assure their clients
hygienic and sanitary conditions in the massage room, preparation for the massage and implementing
these activities.
5.
Communication in English Language
Topics comprised by the course:
General notions of grammar
Vocabulary for daily conversations
Specific idioms of the English Language
Daily conversations
6.
Entrepreneurship Competences
Topics comprised by the course:
Creating a business plan
Analysis of the environment in which the business will be developed
Fund raising
Marketing, Communication and Selling
Creating an effective team
Leadership, motivation and negotiation
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
1.
Development of emotional intelligence
Awareness
Finding strong and weak points
Becoming aware of ones own feelings and their effects over their behaviour, and their
impact over the others
Behavioural analysis from an introspective perspective
Emotions Management
Development of the self-evaluation sense and self confidence
Motivation of internal factors such as the need for achievement and improvement
Social Abilities
Active listening
Empathy
Prevention of bad influences of the emotions over ones ability to listen
Assertiveness
Conflict management
2.
Self-Esteem Development
The way in which one sees himself/herself depends on their self-esteem. Thus, if we accept and
appreciate ourselves and if we accept the fact that we have weaknesses without criticizing it, we
will be able to gain confidence. In this way we can live comfortably emotionally. There should
always exist a balance between self-appreciation and self-critic.
3.
Stress Management

Stress is the pressure a person feels because they cannot find solutions for certain problems.
When one is stressed, their body reacts in the same way as if they were threatened. Hormones are
released and the heartbeats are accelerated, the breath is faster and energy levels rise. Sometimes
stress can be helpful for somebody that needs an impulse to work hard or react quickly. Stress
management is each ones ability to face the daily problems.
4.
Time Management Course
Time Management follows a set of principles and practices in order to complete efficiently a
certain task. The first cause in failing is the lack of discipline. Time management skills can be
learned and self-discipline can be self-imposed. In this way, people can become more productive
and efficient in all aspects.
5.
Objective Setting Course
Time management and objective setting are related because they both lead to the efficient use of
effort. They also give the possibility of evaluating the progress by analysing each activity
individually. Objective setting presupposes a long term plan. Your professional priorities should
be settled, their scope and their time period. Motivation is also very important.
6.
Presentation Skills
7.
Communication Skills
RESEARCH
Any project idea starts from an assumption. To gain more information about that assumption, or
to test it in the community, you need a study or a research on the matter.
Sigma Development Center offers research and counselling services in domains related with
psychology.
Until now, such a case study was completed for the Youth Without Labels project, in order to
measure its impact. A second study presented the characteristics of unemployed people.
Moreover, the members of the organization have developed individual research and their results
represented a plus of information in the community.
Offered Services:
Counselling for research activities
Research
Surveys
SUPPORT GROUPS
Benefits of participating in a support group:
Facilitates meetings with people in similar situations
Stimulates socializing and networking
Facilitates meetings with specialists in various domains
Supports and helps at increasing self esteem

It is a source of information in relation with the groups topic

It is a safe and comfortable space for sharing
It is a good space for learning and developing personal abilities
Confidentiality and respect for each participant are the rules that are respected within the support
groups organized by Sigma
Information centre, counselling, mediation and research on labour market
The information, counselling, mediation, and research centre is created and functions to answer to
the needs of the labor market in Constanta, with the aim of offering counselling and guidance in ones
career and offering jobs in the vacant positions or the newly created spots.
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING
The career counselling activity is based on the offering of a package of services to the counselled people:
Setting the steps that should be followed in order to become an occupied person.
Creating the professional balance sheet
Creating an individual plan of action based on the results of the individual discussions of
the already completed tests
Organization of practical applications to gain new skills in finding a job: creating a CV, a
letter of intention, having an interview
WORK MEDIATION
Our services are:
Information related to the vacant jobs and the request in order to get these jobs.
Electronic mediation in order to receive requests and offers of vacant jobs.
Selecting job candidates depending on the jobs requests and the applicants experience,
aptitude and interests.

2. PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

During 2015, Sigma Development Center and its members have been involved in numerous
activities which were designated to help improve certain aspects of the community. Here are some of
these activities:
1. Active Style European funded project (POSDRU DMI 5.1 POSDRU 100/5.1/G/129266)
Implemented budget: 459.639,86 euro
The biggest secret of life is that there is actually no secret. Whatever you aim to do can be
achieved if you are willing to work towards doing so

Active Style simple solutions

for the integration on labour market of
unemployed and long term unemployed
people in Constanta County was
implemented as a beneficiary, starting 14
March 2014 until 13 September 2015.
RESULTS
The positive effect generated by
this project from Constanta county
communities in the long run refers to:

Stimulation
of
the
investments in the human funds by
developing personal expertise as
well as professional competence,
both playing an important role for
an active life;

Boost in the importance of

adaptability of the labour force in
regard to the economic growth as
well as the employment market at a
both national and European level;

Boost in the active

intervention in order to facilitate
employment
for
vulnerable
categories found on the labour
market (young unemployed people,
people that have been unemployed
for long periods of time or women)
by detecting psychological aspects of the problems of unemployment as well as offering an
example of a previous project as a model of success;

Advancement in the geographical mobility and the stimulation of employment in an

European context.

TARGET GROUP
The target group was made up of 283 persons.
Eligible people to take part in this project came
from within the following eligibility categories:

Category 1. Unemployed people

(Accord to Law no. 76/2002 regarding the
insurance system for unemployment and
stimulation of occupying the labour force
alongside further modifications): The person
that fulfils the following conditions:
a)
Is actively searching for a job at the age
of minimum 16 years old until fulfilling the
necessary conditions for retirement;
b)
The persons health status and physical
capacities make him/her able to practice a
potential job;
c)
Does not have a job, does not have any
income, or does have income from authorized
activities that are lower than the reference social indicator for unemployment or stimulation of
occupying the labour force;
d)
Is willing to start working as soon as a vacant job is available;

Category 2. People that are actively searching for a job- person that is taking the
necessary steps in order to find a workplace, by using personal methods or by signing up at the
agency that attends to occupying the labour force, correspondent to his/her residence or, by case,
to other authorized providers that attend to occupation of the labour force.
In this project, people that are currently taking part in education establishments: graders, students,
etc.) are not eligible to take part in this project.
People that receive any type of allowance from the state, save for the unemployment one, are also
not eligible to take part in this project.

DURATION
The project lasted for 18 months, starting from 14 March 2014 to 13 September 2015.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The general objective of this project was to facilitate the integration of 270 unemployed people
in the European labour market by offering a complex bundle of services capable of enhancing or
developing both personal and professional capabilities that are necessary for an active participation in the
labour market. On a medium to long term, this project had as its objective the facilitation of integration or
reintegration of 130 unemployed people, 72 people that have been unemployed for extended periods of
time and 68 people that were actively searching for a workplace on the labour market. Another objective
of this project was to help these people adapt to the requests that are made by the modern labour market
as well as enhancing their motivation towards seeking and maintaining a workplace.

SPECIFIC OBJECITVES

Informing and advising 270 people from Constanta County and recruiting as many
people from the target group as possible, in the labour market during the time period of 18
months in which this project had taking place;

Instructing 246 people that benefit from this project: unemployed people, people that
have been unemployed for extended periods of time (47) as well as people from the target group
that that are actively searching for a job by taking part in 9 programs dedicated to professional
training (4 initiation programs, 3 qualification programs and 2 programs dedicated to perfecting
these qualifications) towards enhancing the necessary skills for occupying the labour force;

Developing the skills of 270 persons in order to facilitate their integration in the labour
force;

Elevate the entrepreneurial spirit of 134 members of the target group by delivering an
initiation professional training program based on entrepreneurial skills that works towards the
improvement of the occupation capacity through means of self-hiring of the unemployed people.
As a result of this objective, 10 people that benefit from this project will start an independent
activity;

Constant mediating of 270 persons from the target group towards their integration in the
labor market. As a follow-up to this process, 35 people that benefit from this project will have
found a workplace after 6 months from the finalization of the integration programs in which they
participated.

Results:

259 people educated and 254 certified in 9 different professional training programs;

9 approved professional training programs;

283 people informed, evaluated and counselled regarding profession and career;

58 people hired on the labour market after the finalization of training.

2.
Youth without labels a project to promote diversity in Romanian schools (financed
through EEA Grants 2009 - 2014).
Implemented budget: 145.299,42

TARGET GROUP
The target group was represented by high school students involved and / or affected by conflict,
discrimination and physical or verbal violence in educational institutions.

The project beneficiaries fell into two categories:

direct beneficiaries (teenagers aged between 15-18 years old from Constanta, from both urban
and rural areas, exposed to conflict, violence and discrimination in educational institutions; 75
students were selected from each of the 4 participating schools), Roma youth (at least 10% of
participants), teachers and volunteers, who participated in the preparation trainings and who were
supported by international partners.
The indirect category of beneficiaries were the participants families of origin, their social circle
and the school community in which students belonged (between 200 and 500 young people in
rural areas in urban areas).

DURATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD

The project lasted 14 months between 1st of August, 2014 30th of October, 2015.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective was to combat hate
speech and the rate of physical violence increased
in Constanta high schools by increasing tolerance
and promoting acceptance among young students,
creating an educational bridge between the
government sector and non-governmental local
environment.
This was achieved by providing the
project which lasted 15 months of an integrated
program type training to be attended by 300
children from 4 schools in Constanta both rural and urban, along with volunteers from four local NGOs.
On long-term the project had two directions:
(1) The integration of such a program in the curricula of secondary schools and teachers to
develop interest and knowledge to support such trainings but also the interest of young people to
engage in voluntary activities and society through
2) To increase the involvement of Constanta NGOs in programs and initiatives that address
human rights and anti-discrimination.
Also, a total of 20 teachers of those schools
followed a training under the direction of
Iceland, after which they achieved knowledge
that enabled them to use teaching techniques
to develop cooperation skills and encourage
tolerance.

Specific objectives
-

Registration and education for tolerance, human rights and interculturalism, 300 high school
students from urban and rural county of Constanta, during 15 months of the project.
Developing knowledge about interculturality by creating a five day program of training by
exchange of experience and international know-how of 20 teachers from four schools from

Constanta through which they gained new techniques and educational practices designed to
develop among the students cooperation skills and encouraging tolerance.
The development of intercultural competences, non-aggressive and tolerant behaviours,
promoting active citizenship, democratic values, understanding and encouraging respect for
human rights by a number of 350 beneficiaries made up of 20 teachers, 300 high school
students, 25 volunteers, 4 leaders from rural NGOs.
Promoting and raising awareness on the importance of acceptance and tolerance in society by
disseminating research findings in the press in the project and media exposure of the two
events in the project.
The involvement of non-governmental environmental in the promotion of tolerance and
acceptance, participation in projects of four local ONGs to organize with young people
enrolled in the program two campaigns, event information and awareness on the problem of
violence among young people and its causes.

3. Violence report
In 2015, for the Youth Without Labels project, a set of tools have been elaborated, in order to
prevent violence and hate speech in schools, but also in order to help teachers manage conflict in the
classroom and teach tolerance and acceptance. One of these tools was a violence report.
The report includes information about the causes of violence, types of manifestation and also
the short term and long term effects of violence. The study responds a need to know the dimensions,
causes, types and effects of violence inside the classroom or inside schools, which is necessary in order to
elaborate a prevention and improvement strategy. The research was also meant to raise awareness among
people regarding violence.
The objectives of this report were:
Assessing the dimension of violence in classrooms or schools
Identifying school violence situations and elaborating a typology of the
phenomenon
Identifying generator causes for school violence
Elaborating a recommendations set, addressed to teachers and parents, as
well as implementing educational projects with the purpose of diminishing violence in
schools.
The methods and techniques used for this report were focus groups, which were used to evaluate
the extent of violence in schools. 118 people took part in the focus groups, from which 24 parents, 40
teachers and 54 students from the 4 high schools.
The report can be accessed here: http://tinerifaraetichete.ro/news/raport-privind-rezultatelestudiului-despre-violenta-in-scoala/

4. Presentation guide of the teaching techniques and preparation methods for the conflict,
discrimination and violence management cases between students.

This guide has been elaborated following the non-formal education modules which took place
during Youth without Labels project. In order to write this guide, non-formal methods, presented by the
international partner, InterCultural Iceland, during a training period for the teaches who participated to the
project, were used. The external contribution brought up a new perspective regarding the teaching
methods, facilitating future collaboration with pupils.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this guide was to make available, based on the accumulated experience gained
during the working sessions with pupils, a series of non-formal techniques and instruments which can be
used in the teaching activity. Each of the techniques and instruments addresses different objectives,
starting with getting to know each other tools, raising self-esteem tools, up to encouraging acceptance and
tolerant behaviours, as well as diminishing conflictual, discriminatory, racist or violent behaviours.

The presented instruments can be found in the form of practical games and exercises, which, by
being ludic, capture the attention of pupils, encourages them to experiment new positive behaviours and
to also make a change in the awareness levels of pupils, by raising a higher degree of responsibility over
their words, actions and behaviour, diminishing conflict and destructive conflicts.
The guide is also a synthesis of the methods and instruments that were used during the Youth
without Labels activities. Once the reader has knowledge of these, it will understand the process of
learning through play, the reader himself being able to create adaptations of the exercises presented in this
guide.

This guide can be used by teachers, as a helpful tool for developing creative teaching methods
and a tool for teaching cooperation, tolerance and acceptance through games, thus decreasing conflict in
the classrooms or in schools, but also by NGO members or other individuals, who are interested in
applying non-formal methods in their activities with youngsters.
5. Accredited training programme for teachers in non-formal methods

Youth without Labels was also a

good way not only to raise awareness
regarding violence among high school
pupils, but also to offer training to teachers.
During this project, more than 20 teachers
have been trained for a week by our
international partner InterCultural Iceland in
non-formal methods. This has been a

starting point for our team to develop a whole training programme for teachers, accredited by the National
Committee for the Teachers Training.

At the moment, our training programme is the only one accredited in Romania to offer nonformal preparation to teachers.
This programme is structured on different modules, based on the different purposes of the nonformal methods. The modules include getting to know each other sessions, interculturality, conflict
management, and violence and discrimination prevention. Every subject is approached using a non-formal
method and includes different techniques and tools designed to capture pupils attention and to teach them
in a playful manner.
The aim of this programme is to develop the skills of teachers, in terms of non-formal education,
and to give them the resources to apply these techniques in their daily work with pupils, in order for the
latter to gain a deeper perspective and a different kind of experience in regard with school issues.
For this programme, a partnership has been established with the Didactic Staff House in
Constanta, which is the main responsible for the teachers trainings.
6. Recruitment campaign
In 2015, it has become clear to us that for our NGO, Sigma Development Center, there was a
need of extending our staff. The reasons behind this need were the growth of our organization and the
multiplying opportunities. Thus, it was concluded that the staff of the NGO needs to extend and so a
volunteer recruitment campaign has been done.

The campaign was promoted online, both on social media and on Sigma Development Centers
website.

A recruitment process then began, with candidates sending their CVs and letters of interest, and
with interviews being held in order to select those who matched the profile of the volunteer we were
searching for.
The duration of the recruitment campaign was three weeks,
separated into two stages: application selection and
interviews.
The first period of the recruitment lasted for two weeks, and
applications were analysed, selecting the candidates who
fitted the profile, according to their CVs and letters of
interest.
Then, for another week, the volunteer coordinators, along
with board members of Sigma Development Center,
interviewed the candidates based on interview sheets and on
the volunteer profile.
Following this, 13 new volunteers were selected and became
part of the organization.

7. Team building and training

The recruitment period offered our organization a good input of human resources. However, it
was necessary to make the old and the new members come together and work in a team, for the purpose
of building up a united team which would have the skills to collaborate and create new projects and
activities within the NGO.

After their recruitment, the new volunteers entered an induction programme, which offered them
knowledge and skills in multiple areas, necessary for our work in the NGO field.
The trainings had a purpose to raise the potential of Sigma Development Centers members, by
developing their skills. Presentation skills, project management skills, objective establishing skills,
communication skills, leadership skills were some of the trainings in which our team took part.
Also, according to their personal interest, volunteers were able to get involved in different
conferences and workshops, representing the organization in activities held by other entities. For example,
some of the volunteers took part in financial planning workshops, gender equality preparation
programmes, or even organised themselves workshops for the other volunteers, offering information on
financing opportunities such as Erasmus+, for instance.
In order to get to know each other better and work better in a team, the members of our NGO
were involved in a 2 day team building, which took place outside of Constanta. This team building
included non-formal activities, discussions, future plans and feedback, which have been helpful in
building a stronger team.

8. Elves workshop
In December 2015, our new volunteers had a
proactive approach on the Holiday Season and suggested,
planned, organized and implemented a charity activity.
This activity was called The Elves workshop and
included various activities.
The Elves Workshop took place during a period of
time of more than two weeks. During this time, the team
planned the activities, gathered the resources and
implemented their ideas.
The first activity was a charity gathering, during which the volunteers gathered clothes, toys and
donations for children, in order to donate them to children in orphanages.
Not only have they gathered these donations, but they have also
made a creative workshop for those who chose to donate. Those
who were present were greeted with tea, homemade cookies (they
were also taught to make them themselves), winter carols, a
Christmas tree which they decorated and different creative material

(coloured paper, glitter, glue, etc.) which they used to create Christmas cards and paper decorations for
the Christmas tree.
Apart from the material donations, the volunteers decided to donate their time and organize
activities for the children at the orphanage. They have prepared and organised different workshops, such
as art workshops, musical workshops, they played games and even read stories with the children.

9. Counselling and mediation for unemployed people and students

In 2015, apart from the activities previously presented, Sigma Development Center Association
was involved in the activities of two projects oriented on integrating unemployed people on the labour
force market.
The first one, The employment strategy, was an initiative of Valori Dobrogene Association, in
partnership with Sc. Infotrust-design S.R.L, and was dedicated to the development of human resources in
Tulcea, Galai and Botoani. The main objective of this project was to consolidate the search,
identification and employability skills for a number of 181 people who were part of the target group
(unemployed people, people in search of a job), by implementing integrated active measures, specific to
employment.
Part of Sigma Development Center members were involved in this project, offering information
and psycho-social counselling for a group of almost 100 unemployed people.
Another project was Success in career through practice stages, implemented by Danubius
University, Galati, in partnership with Sc. Minion Consulting S.R.L. Constanta. Our team was involved
also in this project, providing professional guiding and psychological counselling for students and high
school pupils.

3. FINANCIAL FIGURES
In the last 3 years, Sigma Development Center has the following turnover results:

4. FUTURE PLANS
Sigma Development Centers team is planning to continue implementing projects that will
impact the local community and to extend our intervention plans to other communities also.
For this purpose, we have contacted local authorities to extend the existing partnerships and to
create new ones as well.
Also, we have applied to multiple financing funds in order to develop the NGOs capacity and to
extend our domains of intervention. For instances, we have applied to multiple Erasmus+ funds, which
will mobilize the existing voluntary resources, as well as bringing international know-how and facilitating
multicultural exchanges.