Irina Adăscăliței and the story of CONCORDIA Academia

“After returning from Moldova, I joined the CONCORDIA team, first as International HR Director. A few years later, I became a member of the Board of Directors. In this position, I was made aware of the real needs and given the opportunity to lay the foundations of Academia as it is today – a regional training center that trains and supports professionals working in the social, socio-educational, and socio-medical fields.”

The Emergence of Academia

During her first 2 years, Irina got to know the organization better and better. She visited all the projects in the national offices and saw a reality she had not known about before. She met many social workers who stood out for their commitment and dedication to their work with vulnerable people but did not have access to support and tools for psycho-emotional regulation.

“Since my beginnings at CONCORDIA, I have been deeply concerned with how people manage to work every day in an environment where they see suffering, alienation, non-acceptance, isolation, segregation, and trauma.”

As a human resources development expert, Irina had the idea that CONCORDIA staff who did not work directly with the children and young people in their care should spend a few days on the organization’s projects. The purpose was so that they would not forget who they were working for. Irina also worked with the children who lived without parents at CONCORDIA in Ploiesti. She was deeply impressed by these children. They wrote holiday cards to their mothers with so much love and hope. Yet their mothers were the ones who had promised to visit but never came. She was equally impressed by the foster parents who had become the mothers of these children – they called her “Mummy”.

She left the place that day tormented by questions that would not leave her alone for a long time: How do these women manage these emotions and responsibilities day after day? What happens to them when they see such children every day?

“I realized how important it is that people working in such environments have professional support tools such as counseling, therapy, supervision, and coaching in safe environments where they can shed the emotional baggage they have picked up while working”.

Irina recognized the gap in the system – an organization that provides support for professionals in the social environment. Not only for the continuous training and support of CONCORDIA staff but also for employees in the public sector and NGOs throughout Romania. The foundation stone for the ONCORDIA Academia was thus laid.

Academia opens its doors

In 2017, the Academia began offering its first training programs. A short time later, Irina put together her core team. Until the beginning of 2020, Academia offered face-to-face programs and workshops. Then the pandemic brought new obstacles, but Irina and her team recognized the opportunities behind this challenging moment. Academia’s activities were moved online, and the content and methods were adapted. In the meantime, the programs are offered in an increasingly hybrid way.

Irina describes the secret of Academia’s success like this: “Our entire team is exceptional, made up of highly educated people who work quickly and achieve impressive results. Moreover, everyone strongly believes in the values of CONCORDIA Academia and is convinced of the need for our programs.”

In addition to developing the organization, Irina invested much of her personal and organizational development expertise to create a strong organizational culture. Freedom of movement, initiative, and participatory leadership are integral parts of Academia.