Adolescent Resource Centre opens its first regional branch in Liepaja!
On 19 June the Adolescent Resource Centre solemnly opened its new branch in Liepaja, which will help the young people, suffering from the abuse of various substances or processes, inter alia, computer or mobile telephone. This is the first regional branch of the ARC, and since yesterday the young people in Liepaja, their parents or other persons caring for them are invited to fix an appointment to get medical advice, calling at 26623422, or writing to the e-mail address: info@pusaudzim.lv, or at the website: www.pusaudzim.lv. Thanks to the financing granted by the Ministry of Welfare, participation of the young people in the program is free of charge!
“As at the opening ceremony of Liepaja branch there were so many interested people, we really hope that by joint efforts we will succeed in reaching the best results! This program is supported by the society, therefore, it is important to mutually cooperate and unite all available resources in order to help an adolescent to overcome difficulties. When planning to open an adolescent resource centre in Riga, we aimed to organize this service also in the regions for every adolescent in Latvia to have access to this kind of support. I am sincerely grateful to the Ministry of Welfare for their assistance and concern, since it was the financing granted by the Ministry, which made it possible for us to make the first step in the direction of regional development. Creating the branch, we felt great responsiveness of Liepaja Council and representatives of numerous state, municipal institutions and non-state organizations, who work with the young people every day, that is why I am sure that the Adolescent Resource Centre in Liepaja will bring perfect results!”, said Liene Dambina, Head of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Nils Konstantinovs, Head of the Adolescent Resource Centre: “Two years of experience in Riga show that ARC has become a place, where teenagers come for support, sometimes also inviting their friends. I believe that the reason is because we have managed to create a completely safe, friendly and confidential environment, where the young people see that they are understood and heard. Our specialists are competent and offers for rendering assistance are adequate to resolve their current problems. This is one of the factors, which helped reach many good results and change lives of the young people – we are very satisfied that we can offer such kind of support also to the adolescents in Liepaja and their parents.”
In April 2018 the Adolescent Resource Centre (ARC) was opened in Riga. It was created by the Children’s Hospital Foundation together with the sectoral specialists in Latvia for the purpose of implementation of the first preventive-type outpatient program supported by the society to help the teenagers, suffering from the abuse of various harmful substances leading to addiction or addictive behaviour disorders. After its opening in Riga, ARC supported 125 teenagers, of whom 41 successfully completed therapy, and 68 presently still receive our services. All young people get assistance within the framework of the program free of charge, thanks to the financing from the Ministry of Welfare!
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 20% of the young people face mental health problems, and in most cases they start in the adolescence life.
