Annual Report

2016 – 2017

Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya
August, 2017

A Word from the Director

"Florence" Centre in Zaporizhzhya has flourished for thirteen years. There is much to rejoice over the many years we continue to grow in our community! Looking back, we are excited how much was accomplished during this period of time! Despite many difficulties involving economic and political life, we, as always, work joyfully, with optimism and with a huge love to people!!!
The year 2016/2017 was interesting, full of various deeds, projects, new people and new organizations. We were able to accomplish cooperation with new public organizations of parents of children with special needs ("Conscious Parenthood", "A Child with a Future", the “Red Cross”, etc.).
As in the previous year, there were nine projects and programs in the Centre. Priority projects and programs are related to work with children with special needs; with schoolchildren, teachers and parents; with families; students; volunteers. Children also have a new speech therapist. Autistic children who do not visit our group could study individually with a therapist on the basis of our Centre.
The new project for us was work with women of retirement age, which brought us much joy and unexpected results! We hope that women also received something new and interesting in their life! We attempted to do our best to make them look and see themselves beautiful both inside and outside!
It's great to realize that there are more and more young people around who want to do something good for a community! This is, first of all, our friends, volunteers - students! They render huge help in different projects. Particularly important is their role in the program with children with special needs.
The number of conferences, seminars and round tables in which we took part or organized ourselves increased. This made it possible to widely publicize the work of the “Florence” Centre and share experience on various projects.
The success of the work depends on the staff. I'm proud that these people are responsible, creative, honest, dedicated and sincerely love people!

Director  L. Romanenkova

The Project "I am Beautiful!"

"This project was for me a straw for a drowning person. I had tragic days, and this project brought me to life, made me believe in myself. All my life I try to help other people, but I forgot about myself. The project told me that you are also a woman, pay attention to yourself, that life is always good, at any age! "
A healthy lifestyle, careful care for oneself, a positive outlook on life, well, and, of course, a well-chosen wardrobe - these are the keys to women's attraction. Therefore, the main goal of the project was the desire to dispel persistent stereotypes and discrimination towards older people. And also help the participants to regain their confidence and feel themselves not as a grandmother, a pensioner, but as a Woman who could catch the admired looks.
During the year, two groups passed through our training curriculum. In addition to the style of clothing, make-up and body care, the cycle of classes included such topics as the building of positive thinking, relationships with the family, planning of free time, as well as questions of love. A total of 26 women of golden age from different parts of the city of Zaporizhzhya attended our course, consisting of 10 sessions.
A special activity was a complete transformation of appearance of all the participants of the project. Thanks to the specialists of the training center “Estetic Education”, every woman received the opportunity to learn how to do make-up by a professional make-up artist. Besides this specialists have chosen a hair color and haircut. All these tangibles make women irresistible.
And, of course, the "Florence" Centre could not ignore such changes, so for all the participants a professional photo session was organized. Professional photos, unique images - all this became possible thanks to the skill of Estetic Studio employees and photographers of the city of Zaporizhzhya. Each woman for a while felt herself, if not the center of the universe, then just a star on a world scale!
The final event of this intense and responsible work for the first group of participants was a joint concert with students of the Zaporizhzhya National University. A bright final point of the evening was the fashion show of participants in evening dresses, which was kindly provided by the chain of stores “Massa”.
As a result of the work for the second group was a visit to the theater. This was a small test for women as they were supposed to choose the image, determine the style and choose the right accessories for the event.
The most exciting moments for each group during the summing up of the work on the project was the presentation of "Before and After", related to their transformation. All the participants looked at the screen with a sinking heart. Each slide was accompanied by enthusiastic exclamations and applauses. Incredible reincarnations, cardinal changes... There was not a single person who could say that the image failed.

Participation in Seminars, Conferences

This year, the staff of the “Florence” Centre participated in the round table "Actual issues of rehabilitation of disabled children with autism", organized by the regional department of labor and social welfare on the basis of the specialized boarding school "Dzherelo". The participants of the meeting discussed the interaction of various organizations working with children with autistic disorders.
Also, our employees were invited to hold a round table on the topic "Physical development of a child with Down Syndrome" in the framework of the conference of the Faculty of Social Pedagogy and Psychology of the Zaporizhzhya National University. Specialists and students discussed the issues of separate or joint education of children with Down Syndrome with children with other diseases. Opinions were divided. In the "Florence" Centre we adhere to the point of view of joint education of children with different diagnoses.
At a seminar on working with older people, which was held on the basis of the Zaporizhzhya geriatric boarding house, our new project "I-beautiful!" was presented. The project is aimed at improving the image of the elderly.
In addition, we held two seminars to support class supervisors of the 5th grade of the Aleksandrovsky district of the city. Such seminars help teachers formulate the problems that they encounter in working with children and gain the support of experienced specialists in solving these problems.
For the second year in a row, the "Florence" Centre together with the Zaporizhzhya National University and the Foundation “A Child with a Future” have been holding a practical seminar on autism. Subjects of the current seminar "Autism: diagnosis, sensory integration, learning". The main speaker at the seminar was the Consul of the European Association "Autism-Europe" Inna Sergienko, who is also the mother of a child with autism. The seminar was attended by parents of children with early childhood autism, employees of urban social service centers, boarding schools, kindergartens, schools, sanatoriums, psychiatric hospitals, private and public organizations. In total, the event was attended by about 240 people.
This year the experts of the Florence Centre took part in the II International Scientific and Practical Conference "Psychological and Pedagogical Problems of Higher and Secondary Education in the Conditions of Modern Challenges: Theory and Practice". The conference was held on the basis of the Kharkov National Pedagogical University named after G.S. Skovorody. The main goal of the presentation was to show how in practice, in working with clients, it is possible to apply the social and pedagogical knowledge that is given in universities. The participants listened with interest to the presentation and asked many questions. On the outcome of the conference, the chairman suggested further inviting public organizations to conduct such master classes. This, in his opinion, will combine theory with practice.
The staff of the Centre traditionally took part in the summit of the Mennonite Central Committee, which discussed the issues of the protection of children's rights. At the end of the summit, all those who work with children were asked to develop a Guide on the protection of children's rights in their own organizations.
The "Florence" Centre was also invited to the medical school with a lecture as part of a day of psychological health. The students listened to the lecture "The Theory of Love." This topic aroused a keen interest of the audience and improved the psychological mood of all present.

Training Workshop

"The training workshop is expanding," - we decided to add new topics to the list of training sessions we usually offer. One new topic is on mediation.
Continuing fruitful cooperation with our partners - Volunteer School No. 612 - this year we conducted three full-fledged training sessions: two trainings on the topic "Management of Volunteer Organizations" and one training on "Basic Mediator Skills". In total about 45 people took part in the classes - interesting, active representatives of various organizations, volunteers, coordinators of volunteers and just good people who want to serve the community and to do something good for the society.
The volunteer management classes, discussed with interest the painful questions, and all together tried to find answers to them - How to organize the work of volunteers? How to inspire them for effective help? How to encourage volunteers and find a way out of difficult situations? Where to take resources for yourself, so as not to burn out in the work with volunteers? These are far from all the things that we have considered.
We also mastered a new topic for training - mediation. Young volunteers from all over Ukraine gathered at the volunteer camp on the bank of the Sea of Azov, who very much wanted to learn the basic skills of the mediator.
Many participants heard about mediation for the first time, so it was especially interesting for them to get acquainted with new technologies of work. Thanks to their activity, we managed to realize all the tasks set: the participants shared deep and frank reflections, personal life-related realizations and stories. According to the training participants, information about mediation seemed to them quite simple, but in practice it was not immediately possible to implement everything. Especially, in their opinion, it was difficult to remain impartial in resolving conflicts, not to assess the actions of people, but simply to help them in understanding the situation. At the end, many participants expressed a desire to continue practicing their skills, and some decided to introduce mediation ideas in their own cities.
It was not without incident - several participants initially understood that the training will be devoted to meditation, not mediation, so they were somewhat surprised by its content. But in the end, all the activists were satisfied with the results.

Healthy Lifestyle

"Before, I did not talk to Katya at all, and now we sit with her at the same desk," told Olya, a fifth-grade student after the training sessions on communication.
"We were in the same team and became friends, I did not know her at all. But our sessions helped me to see how good is this girl. Now I will always be a friend with her! ".
This is how our "Healthy Lifestyle" program is seen by children. By "health" we mean not only physical, but also mental, spiritual and social health. In recent years, requests from schools to conduct lessons on the correction of children's mental health have increased. Conflicts, fights, insults among both fifth-graders and high school students - all this has already become a common phenomenon in schools. Therefore, gradually we are more and more engaged in team building, the formation of a communicative culture, the prevention of conflicts, and less and less in the promotion of physical health and the prevention of bad habits.
This year we conducted about 40 classes in 6 schools for a total of 150 students from the 5th to 9th grades, as well as for 100 parents.
In the classroom we see that the students lack basic knowledge about each other - the ability to be friends. That's why we conduct classes aimed at team building, development of friendship. We know that true friends are those who know not only our good sides, but our weaknesses, and at the same time accept them. Our task is to teach children to be friends, think, accept, reflect, protect each other. Hopefully, the life of the children in the school becomes more joyful and comfortable.
We also realized that working with classes is much more effective for several years in a row - it allows children to get used to the trainers, to have time to realize the tasks assigned to them. Next year we plan to continue our cooperation with schools.

The Project "Territory Z"

(Part of the Program “Healthy Lifestyle˝)

Television, radio, Internet - the information flow that pours into the "fragile source" of a modern child, is huge. Advertising alcohol and tobacco assures: a bottle and a cigarette are real attributes of adulthood. The same is claimed by the leaders of the "cool" courtyard companies. After all, the child (most of all in the world) wants to be an adult and independent. How difficult it is to resist the colorful advertising of something forbidden! Especially when the mind is not yet strong, and it is difficult to make an informed choice.
To help Zaporizhzhya schoolchildren overcome many of these abstractions the “Florence” Centre in September 2016 started a three-year project "Health Education at Schools". Children's minds gave in to "counterattack" - a decisive, bright and exciting propaganda of a healthy lifestyle. What a variety of methods were used by the leaders: trainings, games, quizzes, conversations, individual consultations. There was laughter, excitement, and sadness. There was no time for boredom! The first year of the project, high school students from three schools were involved in this project. A total of 270 schoolchildren were enrolled, 450 parents (not only mums and dads, but also grandparents) and 75 teachers and administration staff.
The teens learned about the four components of health during the classes, they understood that the spiritual component is the basis of health; as well as social, physical and psychological components. They became acquainted with people who lead a healthy lifestyle. They also had the possibility to implement their own charitable projects related to a healthy way of life. Beside this, parents learned something new - a fresh look on the younger generation. This information was especially valuable for grandparents who raise grandchildren, since children of the XXI century for them are like children from another planet. How to make sure that the child does not brush off the words of an adult, but took them as an authoritative person? How not to break the cry, not to put pressure on the child and not to scold, but calmly negotiate and cooperate with him? What are the differences between the education of boys and girls? All these and many other important issues were raised during meetings with adults, on whose shoulders is placed a difficult task - to bring up a moral person.
For teachers (once a month) meetings were held within the framework of the Balintov’s group: share complex pedagogical cases, exchange possible solutions to problems, learn to look at the situation in a new way - this and much more was discussed during case studies.
The results of the thoughtful, complex and non-standard filing of the program did not take long. Today, children who have listened to a course of 10 sessions, not only refuse to drink or smoke, if older teens offer them, but also tell them about the harm of nicotine and alcohol. Parents note that they began to better understand the needs of children, take their useful activities, limit the loss of time on the Internet. And the majority of teachers adopted cognitive games and quizzes, which were in the arsenal of lecturers. Thus, the "Territory of Health" has become really crowded!
In total, the "Florence" Centre plans to continue the activities for the “Health Education at Schools "project until May 2019. 

The “Kangaroo” Program

The "Kangaroo" program is targeted for children with special needs. The age period is from one to seven years.  In 2016-2017, 22 children attended the program.  The families are provided 14 individual diagnostic consultations; for kids - 203 group sessions and 390 individual sessions, 14 clown sessions, 5 hippotherapy sessions (horse riding), 32 pool visits, 38 music therapy sessions, and 70 sessions with a speech therapist. In addition, during the year  trips are made to children's playgrounds of our district, Alexander Square, excursions to the nearest hypermarket, the cascade of the Rainbow fountains, the Oak park, the Children's Railway, the local children’s  library, the Theatre for Young Spectators, the recreational centre "Aurora". All this has helped the children to cope with their fears, to acquire more social skills. Thanks to our trips, V. stopped being afraid to travel in public transport; A. began to visit more often public places.
The program "Kangaroo" in 2016-2017 worked under the motto "In a healthy body is a healthy mind!" This year our program won a grant from the Foundation de France for the equipment of the physical rehabilitation room. We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Fund and it’s chairman Philippe Laghatt. With their help, we purchased a sports and games complex "Almu", a children's exercise bike and sports equipment for classes with children. Daily exercises, gymnastics awakening after a day's sleep, active outdoor games and indoors, exercise therapy, massages, swimming pool - all this contributed to improving the physical and mental condition of our pupils.
There was a new service for children who do not attend the group - these are individual classes. The teacher is engaged in the development of mental processes, speech, training in social skills, elements of ABA therapy. This service is used by 11 families.
The employees of our program constantly improve their professional level, exchange experience with other specialists. This year our employees made several presentations  at different institutions:
- Student international scientific and practical Internet conference of the Glukhov National Pedagogical Institute . The title of the presentation "Theory and practice of using social therapy technologies in working with children with special needs";
- a conference in Zaporizhzhya National University on the theme "Physical development of a child with Down syndrome";
- a workshop for parents dedicated to the inclusive education of children with special needs in the Walfdorf school in Zaporizhzhya;
- All-Ukrainian forum "Parents for Early Intervention in Ukraine".
All year we continued the old traditions: the celebration of the new year, the making of dumplings for Christmas, the celebration of the international women's day with the manufacture of handicrafts for beloved women, swimming in the inflatable pool during the summer period, the final picnic at the end of the year. Also have some new activities: for a birthday each child get kangaroo toys, the holding of relay batons with the presentation of certificates, the staging of puppet theater by children.
This year our kids took part in the annual integrative concert "World of Big Hearts" - 8, where they played with pleasure on musical instruments. For the charity auction, the children prepared festive Easter cards.
This year, we were visited by partners from Magdeburg: Director of the Kinderförderwerk Magdeburg e.V. Dieter Dammerings, along with colleagues from the Board of Directors. The purpose of the visit is to provide consultations for specialists, parents, students, work with children with special needs. Methodical recommendations on work with each child were distributed at the parents' meeting. In addition, our colleagues visited several families and held consultations at home for parents.
Thanks to the sponsorship of charitable organizations from Ukraine and abroad , we have got  electric heaters, wooden chairs, dishes and pillows. We also continue to receive clean water from "Kisson". Also, we purchased, developing methodical games and manuals, a new musical column, which made the classes more fascinating.
We would like to express special gratitude to students and volunteers who help us in every possible way during excursions and trips, as well as for their invaluable contribution to the preparation of didactic material.
Also we would like to mention the successes of our kids: D. thanks to systematic studies with a speech therapist and constant work with parents, he learned to negotiate, make compromises (he was the first to get hysterical). B. overcome the fear of the pot (he used to be afraid of a pot and toilet, went to the toilet in panties). N. thanks to the visit to the Centre, began to hold a spoon on her own, saying some words: "Thank you", "Eat", and told her name.
Many children began to eat by themselves, say "Thank you", wash their hands before eating. The use of poems, songs, cards to indicate the regime moments helped children to master all these processes much faster and easier.
Next year we plan active work on involving parents in the process of teaching children, holding preparatory introductory lectures, so that each parent understands the significance of his work for the development of the child, and knew the limits of the permissible in working with children.

The Program "We are Just Like You!"

During the last nine years, the “Florence” Centre has cooperated with the Kamyshevahsk School of Social Rehabilitation for boys (detention centre). The detainees are juvenile delinquents aged from 11 to 14 years old. The period of stay is from several months to several years, depending on the severity of the crime.
Given that the school is far from the city, we have the opportunity to travel only once a month. During December 2016 we visited twice, celebrating the New Year in addition to the current activities with children.
The number of meetings during 2016-2017 was seven.
Volunteers who organize sports events are students of different universities. These are the Zaporizhzhya National Technical University (specialty "International Tourism") and the Zaporizhzhya National University (specialty "Social Pedagogy").
Within the framework of the planned program of work in school, we, first of all, hold sporting events. Especially we try to organize such types of activities that involve teamwork. This is due to the fact that adolescents who commit offenses tend to have a very strong individualistic approach (each survives by himself!). The guys are happy to participate in soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton and track and field.
Children try very hard to win every game, and students support them in every possible way. This year, as a reward for winning one of the football tournaments, the pupils of the school received T-shirts of a famous football club.
A new activity in the past year was teaching children to enjoy the individual elements of aerobics. The boys, together with the students, joyfully repeated funny movements. After intensive training, they even got a harmonious dance.
Also we continued lecture classes for the guys. In the classroom, subjects related to the character of the person were discussed. We saw that it was easy for children to recall and discuss negative traits of character; and, it is much more difficult to talk about positive features. It turned out that the children could not name the people from whom they wanted to take an example. Therefore, we worked on what qualities should be inherited, with what people to be friends, and with what not. Additionally, training sessions for communication were conducted with teenagers. The guys learned to be attentive, active and observant.

Training of Specialists of Social Sphere

Some of the experts' reviews of the experiences they received:
"Many thanks for the seminar, I was very inspired by new ideas!"
"I'm so glad that I finally heard about how to establish relationships with older colleagues."
"I realized how to highlight the main thing and not very important things in the work, it greatly reduced my stress. Thank you!”
In 2016 - 2017 our Centre twice hosted students of the Institute of In-service training who work as social pedagogues in the system of public education. Lecture and practical classes were held for these students of in-service training program.
When working with the first group, we covered the topics related to the goals and objectives of the Florence Centre. We shared some ideas about working with children of autism. Lots of attention was devoted to the questions of a healthy lifestyle among high school students. With great interest they accepted the information about supportive Balint’s group for teachers. We received very positive feedback and many interesting questions and observations. Particularly useful for specialists was information about work in schools, as well as practical recommendations for working with children having autism within the school system.
Work with the next group were issues of effective time management of social pedagogues/psychologists at their workplaces. We also discussed the success and challenges of NGO. During presentations, lectures and  discussion the following topics were opened: how to enjoy the work you do, working with children at risk, with children with special needs, forming relationships with older teachers, working with parents of schoolchildren, sex education of schoolchildren, etc. Participants noted the tremendous usefulness of such a seminar and expressed a wish to invite the Centre's staff to their schools.
The "Florence" Centre was visited by boarding school No. 3, where children with special needs are trained, as well as children with the status of "social orphans".
The meeting was devoted to the problem of opening classes for children with autism. For us it was a very interesting meeting. Since our children with special needs after the end of the program "Kangaroo" (when they are 6 years old), there are not so many alternatives where to study. Most educational institutions do not accept them. Therefore, a new direction in the work of the boarding school № 3 would open up opportunities for many children with autism to continue their education.

Students’ Practicum

"In the mornings I wake up with great pleasure and "fly" to the “Florence” Centre."
"It is very cozy at the Centre. Very much like at home!"
"I learned a lot about my classmates, just see them differently now. I could say that I did not know them before that!"
"I saw what I was doing wrong in my life and understood where I am going now."
"The only thing I did not like at the Uni is that we were given little time for practice. I really want to stay here longer!”
These and other comments of students after practicum best confirm the necessity of our work.
This year, we have in practice 30 students - 30 active, purposeful and professionally oriented young people.
21 of them are students of the Economic and Law College of Specialties Social Work and Social Pedagogy, 8 students are from Zaporizhzhya National University specializing in social pedagogy and one student is a psychologist from Zaporizhzhya National Technical University.
The students were always busy at our place! They participated in training sessions discussing various ways of personal development, helped with the endless methodical work of our Centre, participated in all programs, developed lectures and learned to be indispensable multifunctional specialists.
The students provided special help in organizing the annual concert "The World of Big Hearts” - 8. The students helped us to prepare all the materials for the concert, participated in the decoration of the hall, hanging posters, worked as volunteers at various stations. In a word, they became a part of this grandiose holiday.
According to the students' feedback, after the concert they changed their attitude towards people with special needs - they were imbued with compassion and understanding, which was not seen beforehand. Also, the students would like to benefit the community, and they are happy to participate in all our new projects.
Despite the various professional tasks that we set before the students, we saw that one thing unites them - a sincere desire to benefit society. All the young people in their own way helped us to develop the agency, brought new interesting ideas. During their practicum, they became out partners and friends.
At the summing up session, all students expressed sincere gratitude for such an active, rich and professionally oriented practice.

Work with Foreign Specialists

Throughout the year, the "Florence" Centre cooperates with foreign specialists. These include consultations, discussions, recommendations of plans and programs, the formation of a vision for the further development of the "Florence" Centre, or simply informing visitors about the work being done by this organization.
Last year the "Florence" Centre was visited by groups, delegations and simply colleagues from Canada and Germany. Partners from Winnipeg (Mennonite Benevolent Society), Canada discussed the issues of working with children having special needs, including the participation of children in the annual integrative concert. We represented new projects, such as a self-help group for parents of children with early childhood autism. We shared our experience about the work done in our new project for elderly women "I'm beautiful!" Colleagues offered to write a grant application for it and carry out this project in several social work agencies during the whole year.
As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Mennonite Cultural Centre (Molochansk), our Centre was visited by guests from all over Canada. Visitors expressed interest in various activities of our organization. We talked about the areas of activity in which the Florence Centre is involved with the support of Canadian partners (CUAD, Communitas, Rotary club, etc.).
The specialists from Magdeburg (“Kinderförderwerk”, Magdeburg e.V.) during the visit shared the German experience in work with disabled children. During the visit they met with parents of disabled children, visited several families, delivered lectures to social pedagogues and psychologists of the Zaporizhzhya Institute of In-Service Training, as well as to students of the Zaporizhzhya National University. The main issues that were discussed during the presentations were the integration of children with special needs into school systems.
Additionally, our German colleagues talked about the work of their integrative complex in Germany with examples and photographs, arousing great interest among the listeners and solicited many questions. Participants of the seminar were especially interested with questions as to how starting and organizing integrative classes in Ukraine could be accomplished.

"World of Big Hearts" does not Need any Advertising

Each year we organize this concert; and, less advertizing is needed. Children are waiting for this event with impatience; their best clothes are prepared for wear, friends are invited. This happens every year before the concert “World of Big Hearts” which has been held for eight years in our city. The aims of the concert is to integrate people with special needs into society. The concert expands, grows, plays an increasingly important role in the life of Zaporizhzhya. This year the event gathered about 500 spectators!
For the eighth year, guys from regular schools and children from boarding schools with disabilities come here and side by side, hand to hand, participate in quizzes with amazing prizes, play and communicate, and then - become spectators of a big concert or even act on stage.
Over the years the scheme of the event has been worked out to automatism.
The guys participate in the Toy Library, earning "chips". They answer the puzzling questions of the quiz, the experts of the cartoons guess their favorite characters, the lackeys spill out energy in the mobile contests. To sing your favorite song in karaoke, guess the object with a blindfold and get it as a gift, untangle the sea knots on the rope - everything was there that is necessary for children's happiness and entertainment. The guys ran from station to station, afraid of missing something - everything was so interesting before. This magic was created by the hands of both old partners of the "Florence" Centre and new friends. Each participant has brought his own unique contribution, and as a result, a brilliant cocktail has emerged, which was never seen before.
The received "tokens" could be exchanged for each child for the prize, which is more to his/her liking: creative master classes, drawings of henna and aqua-grim, braiding of braids and, of course, various books, notebooks, pens, soap bubbles and much more in the range presented in the shop of prizes .
Running, laughing, showing themselves and getting deserved prizes, the children go to the concert hall, where they are waiting for the concert parts, most of which are prepared by the  guys  themselves. And the participation of a magnificent team of showmen led by Sergei Kulikovsky made this mixture also incendiary! Where did spectators come from to laugh at new jokes and applaud new performances? And there were good reasons to make a standing ovation: dance groups glittered on stage, their singers touched the souls of their vocalists and caused delight in circus performances.
The ancient sages claimed that 8 years is a time-tested for the need. "The World of Big Hearts" brilliantly passed this test and clearly demonstrated: Zaporizhzhya has a need for such an event!

Volunteer

"Who, if it’s not me?" - this is the phrase that the volunteers of our Centre often say.
And it is these people who bring invaluable help in everything they could. This year, our work was supported by about 50 volunteers, who tried to help in everything: to walk in the playground with children with special needs, to develop methodological materials for classes, to organize a toy library at a concert, etc.
We are very happy that the volunteer movement in Zaporizhzhya is slowly growing. It is very encouraging that our volunteers are young people from different Universities, colleges, schools. Some of them are just friends of volunteers who decided to help us. And we try to find things to do which will be interesting for people to do.  Our doors are always open to new people and ideas!

Counseling

This year we continued to provide counseling services to various categories of the population: teens and their parents or grandparents, individuals and families. People come with different problems. It is the relations with a spouse, children, problems at work - we tried to help everyone as much as possible in these issues.
As in the past year, the topic of computer dependence of children has not been left without attention - this problem continues to be of particular concern to parents who have teenage children. Together with them, we tried to find solutions to situations and implement them, thereby improving the quality of interaction between loved ones.