About us

Addressing the needs of Single-Parent Families across Europe

The number of single-parent families in Europe has been steadily increasing, with countries like Romania and Portugal witnessing similar trends. Research shows that single-parent families often encounter significant financial, social, and emotional challenges, which can adversely affect both the parent and the child. Our initiative, the S.T.E.P. (Single-parent Training and Empowerment Program), is designed to tackle these challenges head-on by providing vital educational opportunities and equipping single parents with the skills they need to improve their quality of life and that of their children.

Our Mission

Empowering Single Parents

S.T.E.P. is a project funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Program and is implemented by Asociația Sprijin pentru Mame in Romania and Cultiv – Associação de Ideias para a Cultura e Cidadania in Portugal. Our mission is to support single parents by offering them a tailored educational program that addresses their specific needs, thereby fostering a positive impact on their families and communities.

Collaborative Effort: Romania and Portugal Working Together

Our project brings together two NGOs with extensive expertise in adult education. Through this collaboration, we aim to develop a comprehensive curriculum and blended learning program that includes online courses, workshops, training sessions, counseling, and support groups. This program is specifically designed to provide single parents with the tools they need to overcome the unique challenges they face.

Asociația Sprijin pentru Mame: Supporting Families in Romania

Founded in 2016 in Sibiu, Romania, Asociația Sprijin pentru Mame is dedicated to enhancing the standard of living and quality of life for mothers, pregnant women, and their families. We offer a wide range of services, including psychological, social, educational, economic, and cultural support. Our association organizes courses, conferences, workshops, support groups, and learning programs in various fields, such as childcare, birth and breastfeeding, parenting, psychology, nutrition, health, and personal development.

We are committed to facilitating the exchange of ideas among social actors to identify new needs and solutions. Our collaboration with other NGOs, both locally and internationally, has enabled us to conduct numerous activities aimed at educating parents and children on topics like healthy living, child-rearing, breastfeeding, and mental health. Our projects are designed to benefit women, economically challenged parents, vulnerable families, and their children, with services that extend to all ages, including babies, children, life partners, extended families, and the broader community.

Cultiv – Associação de Ideias para a Cultura e Cidadania: Promoting Citizenship Through Art in Portugal

Founded in 2013 in Portugal, Cultiv – Associação de Ideias para a Cultura e Cidadania is dedicated to promoting citizenship through knowledge, information, and personal development, using art as a non-formal education tool. Among our notable projects are “The Storyteller” and “Poetry has no bars,” the latter of which has been educating inmates in Portuguese prisons since 2003 through literature and poetry.

Cultiv partners with various organizations and conducts training sessions to promote reading in Portugal and among Portuguese-speaking communities abroad. We are deeply committed to supporting vulnerable populations, including incarcerated adults and socially isolated elderly individuals. Our work also focuses on maintaining family bonds for incarcerated parents and their children.

The Erasmus+ program has played a crucial role in Cultiv’s growth and project expansion. From 2019 to 2022, we led the KA1 project “PARTS – Parent’s Art,” which aimed to enhance adult education and strengthen parent-child relationships through the use of art.

We are committed to facilitating the exchange of ideas among social actors to identify new needs and solutions. Our collaboration with other NGOs, both locally and internationally, has enabled us to conduct numerous activities aimed at educating parents and children on topics like healthy living, child-rearing, breastfeeding, and mental health. Our projects are designed to benefit women, economically challenged parents, vulnerable families, and their children, with services that extend to all ages, including babies, children, life partners, extended families, and the broader community.