Main Tasks of the Network

• coordination of the network
• support and methodological guidance for newly establisehd MCs
• documentation of common projects and establishment of an archive documenting the activities of single MCs
• organising projects on a national scale
• cooperation with governing bodies
• cooperation with partner organisations abroad
• cooperation with the UN Huairou Commission
• fund-raising

What are Mother Centers?

• In most cases established by mothers on maternity leave, who share the leadership and create the program at the same time
• MCs enable mothers with babies to come out of the isolation of their daily care duty at home
• MCs are founded on the principle of family self-support
• Provide community feeling, solidarity and are open to all generations
• MCs are places where children are welcome. There is a natural company of children of similar ages. A child can observe his/her mother in another role, different from her role at home
• MCs are created by the voluntarity of citizens and support the development of civic society
• Strengthem the aternal role of the women
• help women to maintain their prosssional orientation and build up their self-cofidence
• Are run on an informal basis
• encourage the formation of new friendships

Mother Centres offer

Helps through self-support

• mutual counceling
• exchange of experiences
• giving and receiving
• mutual help
• ay advice

Projects for mothers, parents and children

• creative
• educational
• sportive
• requalifyingone-off events

Integration

The openess of MCs enables the forming of a community of ´different´ people, teaches tolerance and prevents xenophobia. MCs are open to all races, various social classes, people wiht various difficulties, refugees and others. MCs also offer club meetings for groups of people who are ´equally different´.

Problem and Conflict Prevention

Communities in MCs enable mothers to see examples in other women. This helps to detect potential problems in time and seek solutions. It is possible to prevent conflict situations in this way. In the MC, families learn how to use their free time. This help to reduce the level of criminality.

Co-operation

• with no-profit organisations as well as state services with similar aims
• partner organisations abroad

Civic life school

Foundation of a registered community, organising rooms and raising funds, the building of a self-governing body of MCs, the setting up of a program and public relation management … This requires knowledge of laws, close contact with local councils and interest in local affairs. Women establishing MCs have to learn that and so do their children along with them

The Chronicle of the Network of Mother Centers in the Czech Republic

• 1990 first information about MCs from Germany
• 1991 Prague Mothers Group on a visit to Munich, participation in a seminar about founding MCs
• 1992 founding of the first MC in CR at the YMCA in Prague
• 1993 participation in the Federal Congress of MCs in Munich
• 1994 foundation of further MCs
• 1995 seminar „How to start“
• 1996 meeting of MCs representatives in Toulcův Dvůr participation in the Federal Congress of MCs in Stuttgart
• 1997 1^st Congress of MCs in the CR 
• 1998 seminar „How to start“
• 1999 seminar „How to start“ trip to Stuttgart, membrship in the GROOTS
• 2000 conference of the UN Huairou Commission in Prague, participation at the GWIA at Expo 2000 – Saltzgitter, visit by MCs from Stuttgart
• 2001 participation at the GWIA in New York and at the UN Habitat, seminar „How to start“
• 2002 10th anniversary MC in CR
• 2003 Rut Kolínská, the founder and promoter of Mothers´ Centres in the Czech Republic, won Women of Europe Award in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 10, 2003. The international jury appreciated her volunteer work which has significantly contributed to development of civil society in the Czech Republic.
• 2004 participation at the GWIA in Barcelona, Project Family Friendly Society
• 2005 Seminar „How to start“ in Sanski Most in Bosna and Herzegovina
• 2006 Conference „Beeing normall is a handicap today?“ in Brno

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