The purpose of the program is to equalize education opportunities of children and youth from villages and small towns. Under this program, groups of volunteer university students carry out projects that expand knowledge, skills, and personal interests of children and teenagers. The projects are carried out in free time during the school year and during summer and winter holidays.
They focus on a specific field of science, subject, or a selected scope of activity; these can be visual art classes, artistic classes, sport activities, IT classes, theater or language classes. The program encourages pupils to develop their skills by promoting positive role models and shaping university students’ sense of social responsibility and solidarity while providing them with an attractive way to discover and follow their passions.
Since 2003 more than 40,000 educational projects have been organized across Poland; more than 3,000 schools with 15,000 volunteer students involving 439,000 pupils.
The program gained support from two former Prime Ministers: Professor Jerzy Buzek and Professor Marek Belka who, during the 2007 summer holidays, took on the role of volunteers and taught classes for school pupils in several rural communes. In 2012, in cooperation with the Chancellery of President Bronisław Komorowski, the Modern Patriotism project was carried out as part of the program where Chancellery Ministers and Advisors visited schools in small localities. The project was designed to stimulate discussion about patriotism, shaping citizen attitudes in young people, introducing them to national symbols and local traditions, as well as promoting respect and tolerance.
Since 2011 the projects carried out by volunteer students have been regularly monitored and evaluated. This is meant to both assess the direct results of the entire program and observe its long-term influence. The biggest benefits mentioned by student-volunteers include opportunities to acquire practical experience, develop communication skills, meet people, and an opportunity for their social activity to be seen and appreciated by their alma maters. The most important benefits of taking part in the “PROJECTOR” are emphasized by schools which mention: expanding the educational offer, increasing school attractiveness, and positive reception of the program by parents.
Owing to the coronavirus outbreak the online format dominated 2020 and 2021 program activities. A total of 840 projects attracted nearly 9,000 children from 240 schools across Poland.
Between 2005 and 2010, the program was carried out by the Polish Association of Pedagogues and Animators “Klanza”. Until 2017 the program was implemented by the Foundation for the Development of Voluntary Service.
The Foundation has disbursed $7,973,906 in grants, including $138,400 for the current edition of the program.
