PSYCHOLOGICAL CREATIVE YOUTH CENTRE

The Psychological Creative Youth Centre (PCYC) is the most popular youth organization in Šiauliai. The PCYC, a nonprofit organization registered in 1997, is active in the sphere of education among youth. Psychological and creative activities take place in the Daily centre. The Daily centre for teenagers was founded in 1998. The youth prepare different projects financed by the Lithuanian and foreign funds. Teachers, artists, psychologists, social workers also work in PCYC.

Over 230 young people take part in the centre's activities, projects are prepared and coordinated by the founders, specialists and the Youth Council consisting of 18 young people above the age of 18.

The organisation's mission is to provide the youth with psychological assistance, through a wide range of programs, and to educate mature, creative personalities. The aims of PCYC are:

• prevention of psychological crises and suicides;
• psychological and social assistance to the youth;
• development of creative selfexpression;
• organization of creative free time;
• education of young people.

Some of the PCYC programs are: "Youth line", "Daily Centre", psychological and creative group activities, "Youth post", creative meetings with artists, seminars on psychological education, individual psychological consultations, leisure time clubs and discussion evenings, radio and TV programs "Our time".

"Youth line" is an psychological on-line assistance. Šiauliai's Youth Line is a real member of the Lithuanian Association of Psychological on-line assistance. Volunteers not only consult but associate with other organizations, and take part in courses organized for them.

"The Daily Centre" works with teenagers from families in need of social assistance. Free time activities are as follows: training, corrective behaviour, creative activities. Social assistance is provided as well. Their leaders prepare psychological and creative activities for young people. All young people from our city can take part in the following groups:

• Psycho-gymnastics (self-regulation, mental and physical exercises);
• Drama studio (the art of acting, performances);
• Art studio (creative self-expression in art, improvisation);
• Poetic thinking (interpretation of texts);
• Communication techniques (more effective communication way, dialogues);
• Poetry and drama lovers (analysis of the works, presentation to the audience);
• Fluent speech (the art of public speaking, stage improvisation);
• Know yourself ("I" and my life, choice, wishes, the meaning of the life).

PCYC collaborates with Siauliai Children Clinics, Mental Hospital, Health Education Centre, Children House, Police Station, Children Rights Protection Bureau, Youth Psychological Help Centre in Vilnius, Psychological and Social Help Fund in Vilnius, Kursenai Youth Centre, Psychological Consulting Centre in Denmark.