The overall project goal: to promote the ability to integrate into society and create adaptive way to build a healthy life style of the  youth and seniors from social exclusion and poverty  risk groups, adjusting  their  self-perception,  behavior  patterns  and  strategies,  correcting  with  self-help  group methodology in Latvian regions and Iļģuciems women's prison in Riga.

Project Summary:

The overall project goal: to promote the ability to integrate into society and create adaptive way to build a healthy life style of the  youth and seniors from social exclusion and poverty  risk groups, adjusting  their  self-perception,  behavior  patterns  and  strategies,  correcting  with  self-help  group methodology in Latvian regions and Iļģuciems women's prison in Riga. As  well  as  to  transfer leading skills of self-help group method in pilot from to Iļģuciems female prison staff and at least six  group  volunteers  leaders  (risk  group  members)  in  Kurzeme,  Latgale  and  Zemgale  regions.
Overall,  the  project  provides  11  self-help groups, of which 5 will proceed in Iļģuciems women's prison in Riga and 6 in the Latvia’s regions, including Iecava, Varaklani, Puze’s parish, Ventspils region. Within project work in self-help groups and training programs will be supervised by high-level  expert  of  work  with  youth  from  social  risk groups,  their  relatives  and  social  systems  in general from St. Petersburg.

• Five self-help groups have been organised at Iļģuciems Women Prison — two for senior women (one six-month and one three-month group), and three for women aged up to 25 (one six-month and two three-month groups). The total number of participants — 75 persons. Approximately half of the participants began successful self-realisation and self-learning process, putting of individual goals, and assessment of their behavioural strategy. For ensuring the group work, leisure room was renovated and decorated;
• During two-day courses, 10 prison workers learned basic skills in leading self-help working groups and using the dialogue method in work with the imprisoned to ensure continuation of work of a self-help group also after the end of the project;
• 15 volunteers were trained as self-help group leaders according to a specially-designed programme in regions. During the work, group leaders have received supervisory support;
• In cooperation with local governments, employment agencies and youth organisations, six self-help groups in regions have been established — three senior groups with 30 participants and three young people groups with 30 participants. The groups worked for six months and met 2–3 times a month;
• Through self-help groups, the project has promoted abilities of the young people at risk of social exclusion and poverty, as well as seniors to integrate into society and lead a healthy lifestyle by correcting their self-perception, motivation, and behavioural models