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Krok za Krokom | Step by Step

Boarding schools, children’s homes, special schools and rehabilitation centres. There are about 20 institutions of this kind aimed at children’s temporary and permanent residence in Kherson Region. More than 2 000 children left without parental care and kids whose families got into severe straits live there.

The awareness that these data mean not only figures but more than two thousand children’s lives caused the idea of elaborating a unique social mentoring programme initiated by the Kherson Women Union.

In October 2017 the Kherson Women Union announced the start of the new programme “Krok za Krokom | Step by Step” to help orphan children. In early October first working visits were implemented to the selected institutions-participants of the programme, namely Boarding Orphanage "Radist'" (Kakhovka) and Novokyivka Special Boarding School (in the small village of the same name in Kalanchak district). We shared our emotions, feelings and impressions about first acquaintances and long-expected meetings with those under our care with the readers.

Since that time we have made more than ten working visits. We have been teaching and learning improving the programme and our knowledge and skills, more and more getting aware of the importance of the deed we had started.

On January 22-23 the training seminar was carried out within the Kherson Women Union's programme “Krok za Krokom | Step by Step”. Among the participants, there were the Kherson Women Union social mentors, educators and pedagogs of Novokyivka Special Boarding School, the Boarding Orphanage "Radist'", representatives of Bilozyorka, Oleshky and Kherson Regional and City Social Services for Family, Children and Youth Centres.

Despite the blizza

rds of those days, there was the warm and hearty atmosphere in the conference hall, as there were people who care for children living in orphanages and boarding schools of Kherson Region.

During discussions, conversations and group work they discovered new knowledge, had myths and stereotypes ruined.

The Kherson Women Union invited Olexandr Mitkov as a training leader. He is a trainer, facilitator, OSCE projects expert at supporting a dialogue during social conflicts, UNDP training expert at social solidarity, coordinator of the project "Cooperation between administrations and NGOs in the sphere of social services" (Dnepr Region). The participants were presented with the individual mentoring programme elaborated by Odna Nadiya NGO and implemented in Dnepr and Kyiv Regions in 2012-2013. The programme is not being implemented at the moment.

Due to the facilitator's talent and two days of productive work, communication and interaction, our group managed to get answers to important questions and run the gamut of knowledge, from nuts and bolts of mentoring, that is defining goals, a purpose and objectives of such communication with children, to profound understanding of the serious and unique character of our work.

Group mentoring has not been elaborated and implemented in Ukraine yet. Moreover, the Kherson Women Union was able to assemble ten best practical psychologists of Kherson who not only work with children of any ages but as well carry out training seminars for the staff of orphanages and boarding schools to prevent them from emotional burnout.

To be continued

Check for updates on our website and follow us on Facebook. We are going to inform you of the implementation of the programme, its peculiarities, main characters and participants, first successes and achievements. Keep in touch.

Photo – Nataliya Timanova

Translated by Anastasia Kistanova

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Юлія Майнер

Філолог за освітою та покликанням. Обожнює дітей і все, що з ними пов'язане!

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