| Family Service and Community Education Centre “Florence” of Zap Family
Service and Community Education Center ‘Florence’ is one of the
1st non-governmental public organizations in Zaporizhya
based on the experience in Social Services of foreign countries.
Center ‘Florence’ was registered in 2004.
The
philosophy of the organization is to serve community, groups and
individuals to improve the quality of life in macro-, mezo-, micro-
levels.
The
aim of the organization is to provide social, psychological,
pedagogical and judicial services and support to various categories
of people in society.
We
share the idea of the development of civil society on the basis of
democratic and civil initiatives, when the community identifies its
own needs and finds ways of solving the problems.
FSCEC
‘Florence’ works with the clients of various ages – children,
teenagers, men / women of middle ages, senior people.
We
collaborate with the governmental and public agencies (NGO), families
and private individuals.
Key Individuals
Director
– Kleho Tatyana
Coordinator
of the Programs – Romanenkova Ljudmila
Psychologist
– Sokolova Natalya
Programs
Manager – Novikova Olga
Office
Manager – Kozachenko Julia
Specialists
of the ‘Kangaroo’:
Ivashko
Alexandra
Tymoshenko
Natalya
All
the specialists of the NGO ‘Florence’ have equal rights in
decision making in area of projects functioning.
Activities:
Psychotherapeutic
consultations on the problems of stress, depression, alcohol and drug
abuse, mental health.
Psychological
counseling on the problems of conflicts, including family conflicts,
family violence, loneliness etc.
Pedagogical
counseling: parent – child relationships, issues of rearing and
socialization.
Information
support in social and judicial problems (care-giving, adoption, home
care).
Educational
workshops/ seminars/ lections for specialists from Social Services,
for clients, students, teachers, pupils.
Scientific
Research/ Evaluation.
Support
in self-help groups’ organization and development.
Practicum
of students.
During
the period from September 2007 till September 2008 NGO FSCEC
‘Florence’ ran several programs.
Program ‘School
– Teenager’.
Program
‘Volunteer’.
Project of school
aggression and violence prevention ‘Guys! Let’s live together in
Peace and Friendship!’
Project
‘FASD” –Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder’.
Education of
specialists of Social Services.
Cooperation with
foreign specialists.
Early pedagogical
intervention - Program ‘Kangaroo’.
Juvenile Justice -
Project ‘Kamyshevaha’.
Clubs for parents
of children with special needs of local City Social Service
Agencies.
Self – help
group for parents with children, who have diagnoses Early Child
Autism.
Practice of
students.
Collaboration
with Mennonite Family House for Senior People.
Student
Pedagogical Club ‘Insight’.
Preparation of
methodical materials.
Individual
counseling.
Project 1.
‘School and Teenager’
During 2007 – 2008
school year the co-workers of Center and volunteers continued to lead
the trainings with the teenagers. The specialist of the Center
developed new program ‘Art and Technique of Communication ’,
which was approbated in a few grades of School # 76. The trainings
are created for students of various ages: 6 – 7 grades and
teenagers in 9 – 10 – 11 grades.
Program
purpose is to teach teenagers the constructive skills of
communication.
During
the sessions the students could not only become familiarized with the
various aspects of communication but also they could work them out in
practice. So, for example, teenagers studied to express the emotions
both verbally and not verbally.
The
program «Art and technique of intercourse» helped
teenagers to open themselves emotionally. During the trainings all
participants were in a position to talk about themselves positively,
select the good features and tell about them to the group, also to
hear pleasant words from other.
Except for it teenagers
met with such concept as «tolerance», with the features
of tolerant personality, discussed the importance of tolerant
attitude to people. And what is most important, each of participants
of trainings became acquainted with a term «conflict»,
with its structure and elements, with the variation of behavior in a
conflict and ways of their resolution. Teenagers studied to build the
relationships with coevals, parents and adults.
The
amount of hours – 60.
The
amount of clients – 83.
Class
teacher: ‘Children became more open and easily express themselves.
They are not afraid to start the dialogue, discussion of certain
subject or problem ’
One girl was very
reserved in the beginning of trainings. She was afraid to express her
point of view in-group. At the end of the program this girl came
forward before all class and told, what this program gave her: ‘By
this program I became more opened. I learned freely to express my
opinions, senses, emotions. I’m no longer afraid also to speak in
front of auditorium, I learned to express and defend my point of view
assertively’.
Project 2.
‘Volunteer’
Center pays much
attention to bringing in volunteers to the collaboration in public
activities. As a variety of programs run in the organization, Center
is able to give the volunteers possibility to work with the people of
various ages, to test themselves in a role of a coach in a teenage
training-group, organizer of leisure for seniors, or the lecturer in
auditorium of people of various ages.
In
2007 – 2008 years 7 volunteers worked in Center. Some of them want
to continue the work in organization in future.
The
volunteers of Center ran (conducted) the trainings with teenagers of
7, 9 and 10 grades on program ‘School and Teenager’ in amount of
50 hours.
Project
3. ‘Kids! Let’s live in Peace !’
In
December 2007 the co-workers of Center developed a project directed
against violence and bulling (term which means a ‘mockery’) at
schools. This project was selected as the best on the small grants
competition of the Incorporated Company ‘RUSAL’ (‘Russian
Aluminum’).
From
January 2008 our organization started to run the program in two
schools of city Zaporizhya. In program participated students of 9th
grade (School# 66) and 10th grade (School# 76), and also
junior school children in 2nd and 3rd grades
(School# 22).
The
project contains various forms of work in prevention and correction
of violence. It is diagnostics of students, watching and discussion
of film ‘Class’, lectures in on issues of violence, aggression,
behavior of victim and rapist (abuser), trainings of communicational
skills, conflict solution, round-tables with pedagogical personnel
and parents.
Using the
materials of Program the co-workers of Center ‘Florence’ prepared
the methodical manual ‘KIieds! Let’s live together in Peace!’
directed to help teachers, psychologists and social pedagogues.
The
Center plans to continue work in this direction, because we consider
it as very actual and important.
The
search of sponsors for the extension of this direction proceeds.
Project 4. ‘FASD –
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder’’
Nowadays
in Ukraine the problem of alcoholization of population stands
sharply, and especially among teenagers and young people. It causes
the large disturbance of different specialists – physicians,
teachers, social pedagogues, psychologists.
Because of this, one of
major work directions of FSCEC «Florence» in 2007-2008
was a prevention of alcohol addiction in student's environment, and
also spreading of information about consequences and risks of the use
of alcohol by women during pregnancy and feeding of a child.
The
specialists of Center prepared and approved materials, in basis of
which exclusive works of the Canadian social work specialists lie
(Community Services «EHRLO», Regina). The materials were
given to us by the author of presentation, Dave Wieb, during his
visit to Zaporizhya in 2006 year. During two years we were adapting
the data of experiments for work in different audiences, tried to
provide the serve of material at different levels. The specialists of
Center provided lectures and did multimedia presentations at schools
of city for the students of 2th, 4th, 8-9th, 10-11th grades. They
also spoke before teachers and in paternal audiences.
At the report
period 12 presentations (26 hours of lectures) were provided.
The specialists of
FSCEC «Florence» continue to work in this direction and
plan to bring in and prepare volunteers to work on these materials.
Program 5. ‘Education of
specialists of Social Services’
FSCEC «Florence»
continues to collaborate with various social services of our city.
In
2007-2008 the specialists of Center provided:
Presentations of
director of Social Services Complex Steve Tissen (British Columbia)
about work of social services in Canada. Presentation was made for
the leaders of territorial centers, and also for the district
specialists of Department of Labor and Social Protection of
Population of the Zaporizhya area;
Lecture «Effect
of combustion and ways of overcoming a crisis» - for the
social pedagogues of Zhovtneviy territorial center;
Lecture and
discussion the «Psychic deviations in development of junior
age children» - for the social teachers of Zhovtneviy
territorial center;
Lecture
‘Peculiarities of education of children who have a diagnosis of
Early Children Autism’ for the teachers of Khortitskiy TC;
Training
«Effective resolution of conflicts» - for educators and
social pedagogues of Zavodskiy TC;
Lecture
«Psychology of happiness» – for social workers and
administration of Ordzhonikidzevskiy TC;
Discussion
«Effective resolution of conflicts» – for social
workers and administration of Ordzhonikidzevskiy TC;
Seminar «Ways
of including people with the special needs in European society»
with participation of Diter Dammering, director of child's
integrated complex «Kuschelhauz» (Magdeburg, Germany) -
for the leaders of rehabilitation centers;
Seminar «
Peculiarities of work with senior people» for the district
specialists of Department of Labor and Social Protection of
Poppulation.
Total
amount of sessions is 17 hours.
In future we plan to
provide the help to the specialists of social structures according to
their necessities with the purpose of improvement of services
provided to the various categories of people in Zaporizhya.
Program 6.
‘Cooperation with foreign specialists’. FSCEC
‘Florence’ constantly organize meetings, lectures, seminars,
round tables, consultations of foreign specialists for the city
community including students, teachers, professors, specialists of
social area, parents and clients of Center.
In the period of 2007 –
2008 we hosted:
Professor,
Emeritus Professor of ZNU Otto Driedger; Doctor, Emeritus Professor
of ZNU Florence Driedger (Regina, Canada);
Professor,
Emeritus Professor of ZNU Volf Bleumers and Doctor Dieter Dammering
(Bohn, Magdeburg, Deutschland);
Psychotherapist of
Naymegen University Rozhe Queens (Naymegen, Netherlands);
The Group of
Canadian specialists, who work in Social Justice area (Canada,
British Columbia).
In
2007-2008 286 working hours were devoted to work in this direction.
Program 7. «Kangaroo»
Ukrainian - German
Project «Kangaroo» (FSCEC ‘Florence’ -
Kinderförderwerk, Magdeburg) began its work in March 2008.
The aim of the
project is early pedagogical intervention, work with children which
have delays or deviations in mental and psychical development.
One of the most important
parts of the project is work with parents of children with special
needs. This work includes help, correction and assistance, and is
provided either at the center itself (in a specially designed room)
or at client’s home where child is familiar with his/her
surroundings.
Number of
specialists (social pedagogues) – 2
Number of families – 13
Amount of
working hours – 421
Project 8. ‘Juvenile Justice – ‘Kamyshevaha’
In 2008 ‘Florence’ center had
organized a series of sessions in a specialied school of social
rehabilitation for boys called ‘Kamyshevaha’. It was a mutual
meeting of the group of experts from Canada, co-workers of ‘Florence’
center, and administration and teachers of this school.
Students
of the school were able to get a TV as a Christmas gift. This was
possible because of the financial help from their Canadian guests.
There were
also given some lectures to teachers and other workers of this
school. The topics of the lectures were as follows:
Sex education of boys in closed
specialized institutions;
Effective decision making;
Work with children
and teenagers diagnosed with FASD Fetopathy;
Seminar ‘Behaviour in a
conflict situation’;
Seminar presentation ‘Sexuality
of teenagers’;
Lecture ‘What does the
pedagogue need to know about HIV - AIDS’
There
were also 4 seminars (2 groups) on establishing of adequate
self-esteem which were organized for students of this school.
Amount of
working hours – 82
Project 9. ‘Clubs for parents of children with
special needs’
In
2007-2008 specialists of ‘Florence’ center were giving classes
and lectures for parents of children with special needs. These
classes were taking place in Zhovtneviy, Chortizkiy and Zavodskiy
territorial centers of Zaporizhya city. Topics of these meetings were
as follows:
Productive communication;
Ways of conflict resolution;
Special aspects of raising
children with Early Childhood Autism;
Anger management;
Stress management;
Parents home – the beginning
of all beginnings (role of family traditions);
Typical mistakes of parenting.
‘Florence’
center organized a meeting of pedagogues from Children’s
Departments with Dieter Dammering, German specialist in remedial
pedagogic. During this meeting Mr. Dammering shared foreign
experience in this field, and also answered questions of parents and
pedagogues. Later on, German colleague, together with specialists of
‘Florence’ center made a presentation of project ‘Kangaroo’.
In addition, there was a
series of classes for students from Zaporizhzhya National University
who had their practicum in ‘Florence’ center. These classes took
places in different departments of territorial centers.
Project
10. ‘Self-help group for parents of children with Early Child
Autism (ECA)’
‘Florence’
centre worked with parents who raise children diagnosed with ‘Early
Child Autism’ (ECA). A number of meetings and consultations with
local as well as foreign specialists was organized. At this point
parents consider these meetings rather informational, pedagogical and
psychological support. Unfortunately, understanding of the actual
idea of ‘parental self-help group’ is not forms yet.
Amount
of working hours – 52.
Project
11. ‘Students’ Practicum’
In
2007-2008 there were 13 students who came to ‘Florence’ center
for their practicum. These social pedagogue students came from the
Faculties of Social Pedagogic and Psychology of Zaporizhya State
University and Zaporizhya National Technical University.
Students
visited territorial centers of social service, gave lectures and
organized workshops. Their audience were clients and specialists of
social services, school teachers, teenagers and parents of children
with special needs. During their practicum students were able to work
with already existed materials, as well as develop their own, new
tools under the supervision of ‘Florence’ center specialists.
Students prepared and gave lectures using the information given by
the Faculty of Psychology at Yale University, USA. The topics of
lectures were: ‘Love’, ‘Psychology of happiness’ and
‘Sexuality’. First, these lectures were given to other
students of their class, and later – to the social workers of
territorial centers. Also these students created and implemented
workshops on ‘Behaviour in conflict situations and the ways of
conflict resolution’. This workshop was introduced to high school
children, and teachers and pedagogues of Children Department of
Zavodskiy territorial center.
During
their practicum students completed a scientific research on
determining the qualities of service provided to the public by the
local social centers of Zaporizhya.
With the great
interest students participated in a two day seminar which was given
by Rozhe Queens, a scientist from Netherlands, who was a guest of
‘Florence’ center at that time.
All
students noted their professional growth during the practicum in
‘Florence’ center was at a high level. Three of those students
expressed a desire to become volunteers of the center.
Amount
of working hours – 342.
Quotes
from the students who had their practicum at ‘Florence’ center:
‘I
am very happy with this practicum! Lectures and discussions with our
teachers as well as seminar by Rozhe Queens left not only bright
memories, but helped to solve my own problems’
‘I think that
every student needs a practicum like this one. It is because this
experience gave us opportunities to not only demonstrate the
knowledge that we had already, but also gain a lot of new and useful
information. It is also an unforgettable professional experience with
much personal fulfillment’.
‘All the lectures,
discussions and seminars, movies and presentations that we have heard
and seen during this practicum, did not leave anyone indifferent. As
for me, I was impressed by the friendly and creative atmosphere in
‘Florence’ center, by the professionalism of our supervisors, by
their desire to share skills and knowledge with us’.
Project 12. ‘Collaboration with the Mennonite
Family Home for Seniors’
In
2007-2008 specialists of ‘Florence’ center gave a series of
lectures for the social workers of Mennonite Family Home for Seniors.
The
topics of lectures were as follows:
There
were also seminars on teaching relaxation techniques.
At
the same time there was help provided in organization and
implementation of extra-curricular activities for the clients of the
center. Volunteers used the following types of activities:
Moulding salted
dough;
Drawing;
Scrap-booking;
Origami, etc.
Project 13.
‘Pedagogical Club ‘Insight’
Students’ pedagogical
club called ‘Insight’ was open for the first time in 2007-2008.
This club was created on the basis of the Faculty of Social Pedagogic
and Psychology, Zaporizhzhya National University.
Main
purpose of this club was to provide professional growth for the
students by viewing and discussing movies with matters relating to
social pedagogical problems.
For the reported period
of time there were showed movies that pictured parent-child
relationship in the family; ‘student-student’, ‘student-teacher’,
and ‘teacher-parent’ relationships; teenage love.
Viewing
and discussion was based on the following movies:
There
were over 500 people at the viewing of the last movie. This film
caused a big impression and impact on audience.
University and school
students, teachers and psychologists, lawyers participated in
discussions of this club. Because of the great interest in this type
of activity, club ‘ Insight’ is going to continue its work next
year.
Amount
of working hours – 72.
Quotes
from participants of discussions:
‘Viewing
movies is a very interesting way of learning about the social
problems as well as professional solving of different issues.’
‘I
watched this movie not as an art creation but as a psychological,
life situation for the first time in my life. It is quite interesting
to watch a film from professional viewpoint. You can see problems or
mistakes that are made by the characters, and you start analyzing and
looking for ways of resolution right away. This type of activity is
very effective because the process of education is based on not ‘dry
theory’ only, but on ‘live and emotional material’, and
therefore, can be deeply and strongly remembered.’
‘When
I was watching movie ‘Class’, I had a chance to re-live bitter
feelings of deep offense and pain, because I was in a similar
situation when I was a school student. But when I was able to express
myself during the discussion followed the movie, I felt relieved as
if I let my past go...’
‘It
is very embarrassing that this (abuse) is happening in our class...’
Project 14. ‘Preparation
of methodical materials’
In
2007-2008 ‘Florence’ center prepared and published the following
methodical and scientific materials:
Monograph
‘Professional preparation of social pedagogues for work in the
health care field ’ by L.O. Romanenkova;
‘From Bolonjah
to Zaporizhya’ by W. Blemers and L. Romanenkova;
Methodical
textbook for the programme ‘Let’s live in friendship and
harmony’ by the group of authors – T. Klecho, O. Novikova, S.
Nosovskya, L. Romanenkova, N. Sokolova.
Project 15. ‘Individual
Counselling’
Specialists
of the center were providing counselling by clients’ requests on
ongoing basis. Requests were based on the following problems:
Family
relationships;
Parent-child
relationships and misunderstandings;
Conflict
situations at work;
Problems in public
speaking;
Stress;
Depression;
Indecisive
behaviour.
Family Service and Community Education Centre “Florence” of Zap
‘Children
inspire’
Forgive
children their mistakes,
Cause they
are the flowers of life.
When their
faith and patience are shaky –
Don’t ever
let them be alone!
To love the
children and believe in their victory,
To reach your
goals by being persistent,
To try
yourself what Sizif’s labour means.
Knock at the door and it will always be open!
You know, a
lot of roads lead us to the heart.
Results of
work will heal your soul broken.
And all this
means ‘the pedagogic art’.
Author –
Ivashko Alexandra,
Social
pedagogue, Program ‘Kangaroo’
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