Kontakt 2008, 10(2):317-322 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2008.048

Salesians of Don Bosco and their work with Romany children in České BudějoviceHealth and Social Sciences

David Urban, Alena Kajanová^*

Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra sociální práce a sociální politiky

Salesians of Don Bosco are a catholic religious order, which is traditionally aimed at work with children and youth from socially weak and threatened groups. In the Czech Republic, they are successfully involved in the organization of free-time and extra-school educational activities for Romany children and youth. In addition to the varied offer of favourable activities, there are also friendly relationships between assistants and clients, which results in high rate of regular visits of Romany people in the centres.
Romany people are currently the most numerous minority in the Czech society, which traditionally exerts the largest differences and which is currently considered by the majority as most problematic in many respects. However, the problems are two-sided and frequently result from insufficient knowledge and understanding. They are based on differences in the traditional, currently essentially changing life style and value orientations in the Romany minority (Davidová at al., 2008).
The article deals with the social work within the Romany community in České Budějovice, particularly with the activity of the Salesian centre of the youth - house of children and youth České Budějovice (henceforth SaSM).
In the next part, the author presents results of and outputs from the project named Motivation factors in the work of Salesians with Romany young people, which was completely funded by the Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia (GA JU) in České Budějovice (GA JU 21/2006/H-ZSF, principal investigator Mgr. David Urban).
The research was implemented in 2007. Its purpose was to provide mapping of factors motivating clients of the Romany oratory (Romany children visiting the SaSM) for regular visits and participation in programmes arranged by the SaSM in České Budějovice, Ostrava and Teplice.
The technique of questionnaire examination was employed for the data accumulation. This was implemented by the form of short interviews with subjects (the interviewers were Salesian assistants and volunteers) with subsequent recording the questions into the questionnaires.
The results of the research indicated that the considerable variety of activities is one of the most important factors motivating for the participation in the programme of Salesian centres of the youth and that the possibility of sport activities was considered as most positive. Further important factors were friendly relationships between members of the centre and clients and the presence of Romany assistants in the centre.

Keywords: Salesians of Don Bosco; Romany people; Salesian centre of youth; motivating factors in work of Salesians with Romany youth

Received: September 8, 2008; Accepted: October 22, 2008; Prepublished online: December 17, 2008; Published: December 17, 2009  Show citation