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Merlin Association

MERLIN association for promotion of creativity is a non-governmental, non-party and nonprofit organization, which goal is to pool and organize the work and activities of citizens, children and adolescents in various social, cultural, artistic, educational, creative and publishing actions and their promotion at local community level.

Association goals are the exploration, education and use of creativity in everyday life, the encouragement of community development, the improvement of quality of life and interpersonal relationships.

Principles

Association's work with the individuals, families, groups and communities is based on the principles of creative approach to life activities, empowerment, active involvement, support of positive initiatives, support of cooperation, tolerance and nonviolence, mutual respect and respect for diversity.

Work

Merlin Association was founded in 2001 and is active in Pula City, town of Vodnjan and Istria County. Since 2003, the Association headquarters are based in the building of the multi-cultural social center Rojc. Over one hundred of various associations for civil society of Pula City are based in this center: http://rojcnet.pula.org. Merlin Association has an office and three workshops, the total of 100 m2 in Rojc building, and 70 m2 for playrooms in the Children's Center "Morning Flower" in Vodnjan.

The Association is administered by the Assembly, Governing Board with the President, and the Supervisory Committee. The Assembly meets once a year and Governing Board three times a year. The Association employs a director and an educator, and contracts a bookkeeper, a teacher and other educators, students, retirees and volunteers who contribute to the project implementation.

Membership

The Association brings together the children, women and beneficiaries of the co-financed projects (the unemployed women, adolescents, Romany children and women, persons with special needs, retirees).

Organization activity

Social entrepreneurship – community projects for marginalized groups
Informal education in various skills, traditional and artistic crafts
Shaping, production and presentation of the original handicrafts and souvenirs

Donors

From the local community and state institutions: Pula City, Tourist Board, Istrian County, Town of Vodnjan, Ministry of Science, Education and Sport of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Croatia, National Foundation for Civil Society Development, the Foundation for Partnership and Civil Society Development, companies (Puljanka, Istarske knjizare) and service trades, and citizens of Pula with the donations of sewing machines, wool and textile.

Foreign donors: CNF-CEE Dutch foundation in the Republic of Croatia, World Bank Office in Croatia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria, OSCE Korenica, Allavida English foundation, NESsT, IDEMO - Foundation Open Society Institute (OSI-ZUG) , ERSTE Foundation wih Award for Social Integration 2011.

Cooperation

We have cooperated with the City of Pula, Archaeological Museum of Istria, Ethnographic Museum Pazin, Tourist Board of Pula, Open University in Pazin, Labin and Rovinj, the Employment Office and other associations: Suncokret, the Women's Association, Monteparadiso Hackclub, Centre For Civic Initiative Porec, Tara from Licko Petrovo Selo and Nit from Korenica, Association of Persons with Permanent Disabilities, Homo, City Workshop, Red Cross, 50 Plus Association.