This program is aimed at equalizing educational opportunities for children and youth living in rural areas and small towns. Within the program groups of student volunteers (2 to 3 persons) implement the educational projects, which they have prepared, to develop the knowledge, skills and interests of children and youth. The projects are implemented in free time during the school year as well as during summer vacations and winter breaks.
The projects involve a specific field of knowledge, a subject or a selected area of activity, and consist of activities such as classes in fine arts, sports, information technology, theater, and linguistics. The program encourages pupils to develop their skills by promoting positive role models and shapes university students’ sense of social responsibility while providing them with an attractive way to discover and fulfill their passions and interests.
Since 2003, over 39,000 educational projects have been carried out all over Poland in about 2,800 schools; they involved 14,500 student volunteers and 430,000 pupils.
The program was supported by two former prime ministers, Professor Jerzy Buzek and Professor Marek Belka, who in 2007 volunteered to conduct vacation activities for children in several rural communes. In 2012, the Foundation for the Development of Voluntary Service, in cooperation with the Chancellery of the President of Poland, carried out the Modern Patriotism project, in which Ministers and Advisors at the Chancellery visited eight schools in small localities. The project under the honorary patronage of President Bronisław Komorowski was designed to popularize knowledge of patriotism, instill civic values among young people, teach local traditions and national symbols and foster tolerance and respect for other people.
Since 2011, the program has been monitored and carried out by student-volunteers projects have been evaluated on a regular basis. It serves both the direct measurement of the program results as well as recognition of its long-term impact. Among the greatest advantages mentioned by student volunteers are the opportunities to gain new, practical experience, develop communication skills, establish new contacts, as well as get acknowledged and appreciated for their civic activity by their universities. And, what is especially important, educational institutions also find participation in the “PROJECTOR” beneficial. The advantages include widening their educational offer, increasing attractiveness of the school, and parents’ acceptance for the program.
In 2019, 47 summer holiday programs were carried out under the program at 44 educational institutions by 74 female students of IT faculties. The projects were implemented thanks to cooperation with Perspektywy Education Foundation which carried out the 3rd round of the IT for SHE program in Poland. Almost 2,000 children from small towns and villages participated in these projects. The participants learned the basics of coding and robotics, as well as possible applications of 3D printers.
Over the years 2005-2010 the program was managed by the Polish Association of Pedagogues and Animators Klanza. Then, until 2017, the program was managed by the Foundation for Development of Voluntary Service.
The Foundation has disbursed $7,153,668, including $274,020 for the current edition of the program.
