We Will Support Organizations That Aim to Lead High School Students to Kindness through Role-playing Games or Advocate for the Rights of People with Autism

The call for the Impact Lab Incubator elicited responses from 57 organizations from across Slovakia. Of the submitted projects, 43 were evaluated by commissions composed of independent experts. Most projects sought support in the field of education (29), followed by inclusion and human rights (13). Only one project was submitted in the field of democracy and the rule of law. 

The commissions evaluated each category separately, assessing the feasibility (quality) of the proposed solution, the potential positive impact and scalability of the project, the level of innovation, and the urgency of the solution. 

We selected the evaluators based on their expertise in various areas: 

• Education: Romana Kanovská, Lucia Macaláková, Barbora Michnová, Juraj Didák, Dávid Richter, Tomáš Horváth. These are individuals from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic, the National Institute of Education and Youth, as well as those with experience in the non-profit sector. This group also evaluated a project related to democracy.
• Inclusion and human rights: Karin Andrášiková, Martina Čápová, Viktor Križo. 

After individual and group evaluations, the assessment committees selected 17 projects, including 13 in the field of education and 4 projects focusing on inclusion and support for human rights. 

Organizations advancing to the Impact Lab Incubator will receive financial support of up to €20,000 and an educational program focused on capacity building. Starting in April, NGOs can expect workshops on project, financial, and strategic management, fundraising, PR, HR, impact monitoring, and systemic change. 

Complete list of Impact Lab Incubator participants: 

Education

ABCedu for Education
Project Name: Journey to Financial Freedom
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

The organization aims to increase the level of financial literacy among children. ABCedu for Education prioritizes locations with lower levels of financial education, higher unemployment rates, and a higher number of marginalized communities. 

Camp Wonderland
Project Name: Class English Academy – Education for English Teachers
Approved Contribution: 19 624 euros 

Class English Academy focuses on the development and mentoring of English teachers at primary and secondary schools. The project provides specific tools for interactive lessons, overcoming the fear of speaking, promoting collaboration, and fostering the development of creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, and communication skills in children. It also builds a community where teachers find inspiration, support, and preparation for teaching according to curricular reform. 

Domáce vzdelávanie na Slovensku (Homeschooling in Slovakia)
Project Name: Accompanying Homeschooling Families
Approved Contribution: 11 300 EUR 

The organization has long been involved in supporting homeschooling. Thanks to the Impact Lab, they will launch a pilot program called “Accompanying Homeschooling Parents,” involving 10 families. Through this program, they aim to positively influence the conditions and practices of homeschooling children. 

eduB
Project Name: IBiology at Your Fingertips: Innovative Educational Materials for High School Students and Their Teachers
Approved Contribution: 19 999,86 EUR 

eduB will create educational activities that expand high school biology curriculum suitable for use during regular class hours. These activities will help students to develop skills in acquiring, visualizing, and interpreting data, as well as in reading and analyzing academic texts. The organization will also conduct workshops for high school teachers to gain practical experience with the provided educational materials. 

FIRST Global Slovakia
Project Name: RoboSkillz Academy
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

RoboSkillz Academy creates and provides quality educational materials in the field of technological education tailored to the needs of a wide range of learners, from beginners to the advanced. Interested individuals will gain easier access to knowledge and practical skills that were previously lacking. 

Kockáči (Cube Heads)
Project Name: Kockáči
Approved Contribution: 16 500 EUR 

The Kockáči project provides free online tutoring through the peer-to-peer method – students tutor their counterparts. The organization focuses on both individual and group tutoring in sciences and languages. In addition to year-round tutoring, Kockáči organize various other events for youth. Their goal is to encourage young people’s interest in the IT field and motivate them to stay in Slovakia. 

MŠ S láskou (Kindergarden With Love)
Project Name: EDUCATION INO Team – startup in innovative education
Approved Contribution: 19 505 EUR 

The aim of the pilot project is to create an educational team composed of 6 experts in psychology, special and Montessori pedagogy, art therapy, and music and dance therapy. The organization plans to work with the team to explore how to introduce innovative elements into pre-primary education in the most practical way. They intend to share their findings within the educational community through a handbook summarizing their insights and experiences. 

FRAJ Civic Association
Project Name: Citadel
Approved Contribution: 16 930 EUR 

FRAJ creates a safe, free, and open space in Rimavská Sobota for all democratically minded people. They aim to find leaders aged 17 to 19 who would help develop the local community. The organization wants to stop brain drain from the region and create suitable conditions to fulfill young people’s ambitions. 

Handrbolka Civic Association
Project Name: Education – Experience of Knowledge
Approved Contribution: 19 999 EUR 

Handrbolka takes inspiration from the concept of forest kindergartens and combines formal education with the informal one. Through the project, they will establish collaborations and platforms with traditional kindergartens and primary schools to share experiences and contribute to small improvements that can lead to larger systemic changes in education. They will prepare events where participants can experience alternative education firsthand. The organization also aims to raise awareness of the benefits of innovative methods and the contribution of alternative education. 

Permoníci (The Permons)
Project Name: Questing as Part of Experiential Education
Approved Contribution: 19 080 EUR 

Questing is a favorite activity for all age groups. Based on designated tasks, individuals or groups (such as parents with children, school classes, etc.) try to obtain clues that will lead them to results and answers in the outdoor environment, such as completing riddles, etc. This playful way leads them to interesting information about the location, its history or present. 

As part of the project, the organization will create 10 quests for each county of Slovakia and 20 nationwide quests focusing on significant and interesting places. They will then offer them to local organizations primarily working with youth. Quests will also be available online. 

ŠKÔLKARIQ (Preschooler)
Project Name: Playful Future
Approved Contribution: 17 625 EUR 

As part of the project, the organization plans to visit schools and kindergartens in Bratislava, Trnava, and the surrounding areas. During workshops, they will show children games with various themes and help teachers educate through play. Playful learning not only improves cognitive abilities but also emotional awareness. In addition, group plays strengthened the social skills of children. 

Šťastné deti (Happy Children)
Project Name: Freedom is Not a Game!
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

The role-playing game project “Freedom is Not a Game!” responds to the current social situation influenced by a complex period of the pandemic, war in Ukraine, rising inflation and deepening poverty. The polarized society is changing under the pressure of these events, and the disinformation scene is growing. In less developed towns in the Banská Bystrica region, the radicalization of young people is growing proportionally. The absence of direct contact, difficult life experience and ideological stereotypes are the reason why young people cannot realistically imagine how to face such situations. It is possible only if they themselves belong to one of the six vulnerable target groups that will be part of the proposed game. 

As part of the project, the organization will create a large-scale experiential role-play game that can provide high school students with not only an experience but also an understanding that not everyone has the same starting line in their life. 

YMCA Slovakia
Project Name: YMCA Space Martin
Approved Contribution: 16 691 EUR 

The offer of leisure activities in Martin primarily focuses on the development of physical, creative, language, or technical skills of children and youth. However, long-term opportunities focusing on personal development associated with values are missing. 

The organization’s intention is to create a safe space for young people in Martin, where they can spend time together, discuss, or informally educate themselves. YMCA Slovakia emphasizes that unlike similar clubs operating, for example, in church associations, YMCA Space will not be affiliated with the church. 

Inclusion and Human Rights 

HANS
Project Name: Support for the Implementation of Informal Community Services for Families with Autism
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

The organization aims to strengthen its capacities, which will be used to advocate for the rights of individuals and families with Asperger’s syndrome and autism. Thanks to the project, HANS will create conditions for the implementation and sustainability of a new type of community support – volunteering and homesharing focused on the development of social, emotional, and cognitive skills of children and young people with this type of disadvantage for their full life. 

As part of the project, the organization will also create a network of ambassadors for community support in all counties and carry out a series of awareness-raising activities aimed at destigmatizing people with autism spectrum disorders. 

InkluCiTy
Project Name: BA-club
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

InkluCiTy has created a safe, inclusive, intergenerational space for vulnerable groups (migrants, young people, seniors, people with disabilities, minorities) based on the principles of locality and involvement of the target group. Through regular activities, deepening relationships, and connecting these groups, they reduce prejudices and stereotypes. With support from the Impact Lab, they aim to professionalize and stabilize the frequency and scope of the activities offered. 

Blue Patrol
Project Name: Blue comPAS – stage 2
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

Marianna and Martin Budaj founded the organization Blue Patrol, which helps people with autism spectrum disorder and their families. They developed the so-called Blue comPAS – an application where families can find diagnostic and intervention centers, therapies, doctors, schools and kindergartens, SSFs, or leisure activities. There are also digital, informational, and online resources related to the ASD topic, applications, discussion groups, online communities, books, publications, films, and more. With support, they want to further develop this application, make it more user friendly, and add new features. 

Nestačí len prežiť (Survival is Not Enough)
Project Name: ALKA – Authentically and Kindly in Community Activities
Approved Contribution: 20 000 EUR 

ALKA focuses on supporting the integration of people with disabilities into society. It provides support not only to these people but also to their families and organizations striving to be inclusive. 

The association’s philosophy is not to create segregated activities only for people with disabilities. Therefore, it supports activities in various organizations that allow for shared experiences, interactions, and connections, aiming to minimize mutual barriers. 

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.