2001. - 2011.

TEN YEARS OF MERLIN ASSOCIATION - Association for promotion of creativity

2001

The first Assembly was held with the participation of ten founders of association (designers, psychologists and activists), they adopted the first statute of association.

2002

We started "Do it yourself/Creative workshop" project and organized 10 tailoring and sewing workshops in Pula; we also started the volunteer work for teachers and sewing machine repairmen. In two years, we had more than a hundred workshop participants and supporting members of association.

2003

We got allocated our first room in Rojc building (33 m2); we received the first co-financing support for our activities from the City of Pula; we began education in Suncokret association - "Youth Partnership for Development" program for non-governmental youth organizations in Croatia 2003-2004.: Basic education on the work of NGOs, funding and implementation of projects in accordance with the activities and objectives of the association.

2004

We ran a tailoring and sewing workshop in Korenica, with the support of Allavida and OSC for the integration of women of various nationalities, who later founded "Nit" Club in Korenica, and a tailoring and sewing workshop in the Open University in Pazin; we established weaving workshop in Pula, with two weaving looms donated by the Homo Association; we started the collaboration with the Ethnographic Museum of Pazin and Textile Technology Faculty in Zagreb (textile souvenir "Facolic" modeled on the Istrian women's costumes); we started the "Roman smiles" workshop, co-financed by the World Bank Office in Croatia, in which we have been making the original clay art designs inspired by the ancient and Roman theatre (masks, utility items, buildings and monuments from the Roman history of Pula); we participated in the Civic Activism campaign, GRAK, which provided the information on NGO activities to the citizens of Pula.

2005

We expanded our room for textile trade workshops to another room in Rojc building (34 m2), where we started children's creative workshop; we had a public presentation of the "Original splendor of the Arena" project; we made 6 metal stands for the display and sale of handicrafts inspired by the antiquity; in our "Roman smiles" workshop we designed new original items and souvenirs; we launched computer education program for adult beginners and unemployed women, supported by CNF Netherland (purchase of 5 computers in the first year, 50 workshop students); we established Children's Centre "Morning Flower" in Vodnjan, two integration programs for preschool and school children in cooperation with Vodnjan and Roma associations; Merlin Association joined Rojc Council of Associations, a network of NGOs based in the Rojc Social Centre.

2006

Children's Center "Morning Flower" received support and work certificate form the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports; the Dutch foundation CNF co-funded the project, we opened IT playroom; project "The original splendor of the Arena" was supported by the City of Pula and the Tourist Board; we ran sewing and tailoring courses in the Open University in Labin, Rovinj and Porec; the National Foundation for Civil Society supported weaving workshop (the acquisition of the third weaving loom); we began training and mentoring support in the system for ensuring quality work of associations (SOKNO).

2007

"The original splendor of Arena" project was supported by the City of Pula, Pula Tourist Board and Croatian Agency for Small Business; the National Foundation for Civil Society Development supported the work of our association by co-financing a three-year Institutional support 2007-2010.; the Association employed two people.

2008

We expanded and renovated a room in Rojc building for a workshop for clay modeling and making the molds and casts from plaster - we designed 40 different items and souvenirs for the manifestation "The original splendor of Arena" (6 persons are volunteering); we created a textile souvenir "Tkanice", a woven belt of the Istrian national costume.

2009

We applied for public tenders and received co-financing grants from 8 different budgets, foundations and funds; the Association succeeded to partially self-finance own workshops and manifestations from the income from its own activities and services; the weaving workshop designed bags from the recycled wool and jeans, participants also made scarves; IT workshop for beginners established the cooperation with the 50plus Association and the Pensioner Club of the City Library, whose members attended computer training.

2010

We employed two persons and hired 10 people with various types of contract to work in various projects: Creative Workshops, Children's Center "Morning Flower", "The original splendor of Arena"; our sales and exhibition manifestation which takes place in front of the amphitheater (Arena) entered its fifth year; our creative workshop "Roman smiles" participated in the Days of Antiquity in Pula and presented 70 works inspired by the Roman period of Pula.

2011

Our Association has achieved ten years of successful management and continuous operation: 20 regular members who work in the association, about 800 users of Association services and Association supporting members, 100 Romani children educated in extracurricular integration workshops in Vodnjan, 20 adults and disabled women involved in creative activities and presentations. Projects "Creative Workshops" and "The original splendor of Arena" became part of NESsT 2011 education project. We are winners of the European award of the ERSTE FOUNDATION for Social integration 2011, in the competition of projects from 12 European countries.