Annual Report
2013-2014
Ukraine, Zaporizhzhya
August, 2014
A word from the Director
This year has been a significant year for us as the “Florence Centre” is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
All of our programs and projects are in operation, and we are very happy to see a rising number of different structures and organizations that are willing to work with us. Now we are able to co-operate with not only government but also non-government organizations.
The “Happy Child – Happy Family!” forum of public organizations, which was organized by the “Florence Centre”, was a big success. Our traditional “World of Big Hearts” concert gathers a big audience every year. The playground that was opened by our centre gives an opportunity to people in the surrounding apartment blocks to see our children with special needs. One of the senior citizens once said while passing by the children’s playground, “It is so nice to see children, and hear them laugh”.
There is also a growing number of schools that feel the need to cooperate with our centre. The very fact that our centre has proved to be useful for the schools gives us an enormous feeling of satisfaction.
There are more and more people who are willing to help us, in addition to those who are helping us already.
How much joy was experienced by the children during their trip to the swimming pool! This trip was possible because of the support provided by our sponsors. This makes us extremely happy!
We feel young, full of ideas, dreams and creative insights! This year was marked by the process of selecting new candidates for working in the “Kangaroo” program. Time showed that the workers who have been selected became competent members of our team! The main thing is that we are all united by our love toward people, and a desire to gladly offer them our help. It is so wonderful to see our professionals bringing their children, husbands and parents to the “Florence Centre” as if it would have been their second home.
In addition, we all started to make choices toward a healthy lifestyle. All of our colleagues said no to their bad habits and spend their spare time in the swimming pools and at the stadiums. We are working on strengthening our health, on improving of our interpersonal relationships during the joint sporting events, and are trying to be an example of people leading a healthy lifestyle to our clients. As an additional benefit, everybody has such a wonderful mood after doing sports!
Director Lucy Romanenkova
“Healthy Lifestyle”
 One of the goals of our “Healthy Generation” program is to improve the psychological climate in school bodies, to take care of students’ psychological health. The school teachers noticed fairly quickly that after our sessions the students became closer, and were standing up for each other. As a result, the schools started to invite the “Florence Centre” professionals more and more often.
One of the types of activities that we organize for schools is the joint children-parents events. During one of such events, we had a chance to witness a curious development. A particular boy, who had a tense relationship with his mother, suddenly observed her victory in a series of contests. He heard the cheers of delight and applause in her honour, and one of the children whispered to his ear, “Your mom is so cool!” Seeing all this, the boy felt truly proud of his mother. He sincerely greeted her with the victory and sat down right beside her. From now on he saw her in a completely different light! Isn’t it true that a good relationship with one’s parents is a great achievement?
Our “Healthy Generation” program was especially successful this year. Receiving additional financial help through a grant gave us an opportunity to increase the amount of school sessions up to 260. We were able to cover five themes. Our main focus was on the “Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders”.
Our co-workers who were visiting schools were able to present this information in a lively, appealing and memorable manner. Also, they were able to connect with children and adults of different ages. Children were taking in the information with genuine interest, were very receptive and asked a lot of questions. As for the school teachers of Zaporozhye, they were able to learn the details of how to work with FASD children in order to discover and develop their talents and abilities for a greater chance of success.
The news about this program was spreading from school to school by word of the mouth, without any need for advertising. There were more and more people interested in hearing the facts about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and its prevention. The unusual format of the session, an opportunity to ask a lecturer any question and fascinating discussions between children and adults – all of these triggered authentic interest. As a result, the “Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders” program was able to reach more than 35 schools in our city. These sessions were presented in front of 200 classrooms, or approximately 5,000 people.
This year we were able to convince hundreds of boys and girls of the danger associated with alcohol, and to make them more educated in matters related to HIV prevention. Those classrooms, where fights and arguments were very common, became more open and friendly.
Our intention for the next year is to continue our work with the schools. The obtaining of the grant opened up the opportunity for us to offer sessions on the prevention of HIV/ AIDS to more than 2,500 students of Grades 9-11. In our view, this is the most serious problem, as, in all of Europe; HIV is spreading the fastest in Ukraine. We are very hopeful that our program might help to prevent fatal consequences in the future.
Students’ Practicum
Kostya came to our centre for his practicum along with other students. He successfully participated in many activities, but he had the biggest success working in the schools of our city. As a joyful, lively, smiling and energetic individual, he won children’s hearts right away. He would participate in different contests together with the children, he would create cheer chants, was very happy when children won, and would try to comfort them when they didn’t. Absolutely every single child was trying to be on his team, and to receive a handshake from Kostya became a high honour. Shortly after, one of the city schools formed a Kostya fan club! For many girls and boys Kostya, became a hero, an indisputable authority figure.
 Once we came to one of our regular sessions without Kostya. What a disappointment it was for all the children! They were asking about him every minute. “Where is our friend? When is he going to come?” It was very difficult to get them enthused and carry on with the lesson.
This type of genuine children’s love showed Kostya what a fascinating experience it can be to work in school. Before the practicum he had no idea that the work of the social pedagogue could be so interesting. He understood how wonderful it is to give joy to the children, to teach them how to be friends, support each other and develop their talents.
 Every year we see a recurring picture in the “Florence Centre”. At the beginning, the newcomers come with cautious attitudes as if questioning, “Where did we end up? What is awaiting for us?” But with time these feelings change to joy, inspiration and delight. Those students, who at the beginning were dreaming of simply getting their credit and moving on, do not want to leave; they work late and come back again and again, even when heir practicum was over a long time ago.
How is the “Florence Centre” able to foster such a change? Our recipe is simple: we include students into a work routine right away by recognizing and utilizing their talents. We cheer them up, encourage, support, give them the freedom to do whatever they think is necessary, and we create a friendly atmosphere. As a result, by the end of their practicum term, a lot of students develop so much enthusiasm that they often implement their own projects.
This year we had 39 students – future social workers and pedagogues in our centre. During their time here, we prepare young people for solving real-life problems that are experienced at the “Florence Centre”. This year, working together with our students, we were able to achieve the following:
 - To hold an event for people with special needs that was timed with a particular holiday;
- To have many sessions within the “Healthy Generation” program;
- To organize sporting events for the children of the Social Rehabilitation School of Komishevaha;
- To work with special needs children through the “Kangaroo” program;
- To organize an integral “World of Big Hearts” concert for children of regular and specialized schools of Zaporozhye city, which we hold every year.
The students, who came with new energy and a new view on things, helped us tremendously in all of our multiple and different directions of work. With each year going by, we become more successful in identifying each student’s potential and helping them in finding themselves professionally.
“Volunteer”
 This year the “Florence Centre” was visited by approximately 75 volunteers. Since this was not our first year of having volunteers work for us, we were able to find something to do for everybody.
There was a young female volunteer who came to us during the time of planning and organizing the “World of Big Hearts” concert. She wanted to be a part of the team responsible for preparing this event. As we found out later, she has heard a lot about this integration concert before, and of course, we accepted her into our team. At the end, she told us, “I knew that it was a big event, but I had no idea that this was project was of such an immense scale! I am so proud that I was a part of this great celebration which made many children so happy! ”
 Indeed, we also were astonished by the number of volunteers who were helping us this year! It was up to the point when some of our volunteers did not even know us, workers of the “Florence Centre”. All of the instructions and assignments were passed on through a chain of helpers.
There was absolutely no program at the “Florence Centre” that did not involve the participation of volunteers. Because of their energy and enthusiasm, we were able to provide help to even more people.
This year the largest number of volunteers was involved in the functioning of the “Kangaroo” program. Our students were taking children for walks, working on the development of professional resources for the lessons, etc. One of the volunteers, whose name was Natasha, and who was always happy to come and help, once said, “When I know that today I have to go and see the children, I wake up with such a good mood! My day gains meaning. I don’ know how I could live without them before! They bring such happiness into my life!”
We are very happy to see each volunteer, every person who offers us their help. We are very grateful for their priceless input into our work.
“We are just like you”
During the last five years, the “Florence Centre” was collaborating and offering volunteer support to the School of Social Rehabilitation of Komishevaha. Every month, students from Zaporozhye National Technical University (ZNTU) and students from Zaporozhye National University (ZNU) visit children of this school and organize different sporting events for them. These events included soccer games, volleyball games, sport rallies, as well as educational sessions on behavioral skills, support techniques during the tourist hikes, and many others. Students also bring to these children different treats – pies, cakes, buns and other sweets.
Both students and children really enjoy participating in interesting contests. Why? First of all, we have joint teams that combine all the participants, which increases interest in what is going to happen. Secondly, during the game participants need to use their wit and fast reactions. Every team tries to win; therefore, when at the end of a game the winner is ahead of the rest of the teams by only one point, the reactions can be quite emotional. Much deserved applause and gifts await all the participants.
From the comments of the students who are part of these trips, they see how important these meetings and events are for the children of this rehabilitation school. It is also a pleasure for the students to organize these events with the children and communicate with them.
For the last three years, the head of this group of students had been one of the professors of the Faculty of International Tourism, Institute of Management and Justice at Zaporozhye National Technical University. Bulatov Sergey Viktorovitch is a sportsman, an enthusiast of tourist hikes, and a person who genuinely loves people.
 A big event in our lives, as well as in the life of Sergey Viktorovitch, was a victory in the national contest, “Charitable Ukraine” in the “Volunteer – a physical identity” nomination. The reward of “Charitable Ukraine” contest was a charitable “Oscar”, a unique statue of an “Angel of Kindness” made of amber. The amber angel is the result of a joint project between the “Ukrainian World of Amber “association and Ukrainian journeymen.
Every time Sergey Viktorovitch visits the School of Rehabilitation, he brings the joy of communication to the children who get inspired by the example of a courageous and open human being; by the way he lives, he is a role model to others.
We are very grateful to Sergey Viktorovitch for his help in the work with these teenagers, and also for his immense input into the work of the “Florence Centre”. Congratulations with your victory!
During the last year, we took a part not only in sporting events, but also in different celebrations. For New Year’s, children received new soccer balls, volleyballs and basketballs. We also paid for the transportation for their trip to the circus.
In addition, we taught a workshop seminar that addressed the topic of “Teenage Aggressiveness” to the staff of the school.
For the period of September to July, we visited this School of Social Rehabilitation nine times. We had 80 volunteers who took a part in different activities.
We plan to continue our work there.
In-service training of social work practitioners
 We had been collaborating with specialists of the social field for many years. This includes work with specialists who provide social services through government social organizations. These city and oblast organizations would provide their services to single and senior citizens, to children with special needs, to troubled families, etc.
The workers of the “Florence Centre” were invited as consultants to hold a workshop for the employees of the specialized boarding school “Dzherelo”. The goal of the workshop was to discuss the aspects of effective education and development of children with Down syndrome in the existing educational system, using lessons as an educational unit of a school day. During this workshop, we discussed the attitude towards people living with Down syndrome in our society and possible ways to improve it. One of the main issues discussed was the special way of working with the parents of such children. As a result, the attitude of the specialists of this school towards the problem of educating Down syndrome children themselves, changed. From our viewpoint, this is the key point in the process of solving any challenging situation.
In addition, the workers of the “Florence Centre” were invited to the Institute of Teachers’ Professional Development to teach classes to social field professionals. This time the main areas of interest were the preparation of social pedagogues to implement AIDS/HIV preventative interventions among school students, and the creation of a positive social and psychological climate in the school environment. Those social pedagogues, who came from the oblast and participated in the workshop, mentioned that besides the new skills acquired during the session, they really enjoyed the process. One of the social pedagogues, an older person, was involved in the process so deeply that he started to sing songs and recite poems.
 Furthermore, we facilitated a workshop for the workers of the city’s social services. The title of the workshop was “Socio-psychological climate in a group.” During the session, we covered the following topics:
- What is socio-psychological climate;
- What are the types of socio-psychological climate;
- How to diagnose it;
- What are the effective ways to improve it.
The participants of this workshop shared their experience in terms of creating positive relationships, and factors that impact the climate in the group. Such sessions are held in a friendly environment.
The best comments we received at the end of our sessions were: “Invite us more often! We love everything what you prepare for us!”
There were 50 people participating in this program.
Social Activities
This year we had our fifth “World of Big Hearts” integral concert. The goal of this concert is to promote the integration of special needs people into society. The central idea of the concert is that everybody can be talented, no matter what their abilities are.
This event consisted of two parts. The first was the carnival where children participated in different games and contests to try to win prizes. The second part was the concert itself.
 It was possible for all the children to experience sweet victory and to receive a token. After that, tokens could be exchanged for those items that were close to the children’s hearts – candy, toys and souvenirs. There were a number of unusual gifts, such as a fancy hairdo, a painted temporary tattoo, the option to learn a dance and to make origami.
 After all this, the guests were able to enjoy the concert. The first entertainers were the “little stars” from the “Kangaroo” program. Their number was very bright, lively and touched everybody’s heart. In this concert, we had participants from the boarding school for the hard-to-see students, and clients of the Centres of the Social Rehabilitation of handicapped children. Also, students of the dance studios and the College of the Style and Fashion helped to make this event upbeat and memorable.
Everybody was very well received by the audience, and the youngest participants were warmly encouraged by the applauses. As a result, each child that entered the stage was able to experience their “star moment.” Everyone, including children with autism, Down syndrome or Cerebral Paralysis could say to themselves: “I can, I am capable!” A lot of children were able to overcome their stage fright, and with the help of admiring eyes and the generous applause of the audience, shyness transformed into self-confidence.
The priceless help of our friends/volunteers made this event sparkling, bright, lively and full of joy.
We are so grateful to all those people who were interested and took an active part in this noble endeavor.
“My child is a real star! I would have never imagined seeing my child on stage, but today a real miracle happened! Our family is very happy! We are so glad that this concert helped us, as well as everybody else, to see that each child is gifted!”
“Kangaroo”
 The motto for the “Kangaroo” program of 2013-2014 was, “We love our children because we are from “Kangaroo!” The focus of the program was directed toward creating conditions for the well-rounded development of a child with special needs in accordance with his/her inclinations, skills, knowledge and abilities.
This year the “Kangaroo” program was working in a day group format. During the year, 32 children visited our facility. This year we developed a new daily schedule where the main focus was placed on individual sessions for learning concepts including mathematics and grammar, cognitive correction, memory, attention span, gaining some life and social experience, and developing basic life skills. Every day we had classes dedicated to one of five activities: Monday – construction, Tuesday – colouring, Wednesday – working with modeling clay, Thursday – collage, Friday – puppet theatre. During the year, the children partook in sessions of regular and rehabilitation massage, physiotherapy, sporting events, and classes with speech and music therapists. One of our new methods of work this year was fairytale therapy that we used before nap time. This type of therapy was very beneficial for the  psychological development of children. Weekly visits to the swimming pool had a positive influence not only on children’s psychological and emotional development, but also their physical development.
This year we also had a chance to improve our time spent outside: we built our own playground where children were able to take sun, air and water baths, to take part in active games, and play in the sand.
Our centre developed new traditions that make our lives more exciting – celebrating children’s birthdays, taking them to monthly fieldtrips, exploring the environment around us – creating a “pet corner” and a little garden, and taking care of them. One of this year’s innovations was taking children out of the centre for numerous fieldtrips. This type of activity was a wonderful way for the children to gain an important experience of social interaction with other people around them, and to learn appropriate behavioral patterns in public places. These skills that were acquired by the children during the fieldtrips would be used by them in their everyday lives. The most memorable trips of this year were:
· visit to the district Androsov’s library nearby;
· outings to the “Gemini” entertainment centre;
· performance at the “World of Big Hearts” integrated concert;
· taping a TV show with the performances of our talented children;
· trip to the museum of fire safety;
· boat excursion along the Dnieper river.
This year we were fortunate to collaborate with a large number of students who became our volunteers and friends. Their tremendous input into our work, the process of them becoming “Big” friends and advisers to our children, their attempts to understand the needs and desires of the little ones, not only gave the student volunteers a lot of positive emotions, but also a huge opportunity to develop their professional skills in practice, as all of them are planning to work with children in the future.
As an important part of the “Kangaroo” program, we develop individual programs of rehabilitation which include developmental diagnostics and achievement tracking using Walter Strassmeier’s method; sessions in individual as well as group formats; active involvement of children in the interaction with other children and adults, teaching them basic everyday life and social skills, and even changing their diet. As a consequence, we have experienced fascinating results: most of our children were successfully potty trained (and could do it independently), they learned table manners, were able to get dressed by themselves, and became active in discovering the environment around them. Our children learn all this in the atmosphere of love and friendship.
Love and a positive attitude towards the children is one of the fundamental values of our “Kangaroo” program. This key principal was successfully fulfilled this year. Every “special” child opens up his/her own unique positive qualities and abilities, grows and develops, shaping her/his own exceptional personality, when she/he is surrounded by love, comfort, attention and kindness.
The Fifth anniversary of the “Kangaroo” program
 In the beginning of October, the “Florence Centre” was celebrating the fifth anniversary of the “Kangaroo” program. The goal of the program is early social and physical rehabilitation of children with special needs from 0 to 6 years of age.
As a part of our celebration, two representatives of an integrated daycare “Kinderförderwerk” – Dr. Dieter Dammering (director) and Oliver Vering (head of the working at-home program “Mowgli”) – visited the “Florence Centre.”
The “Happy Child – Happy Family” forum became the most important event of our celebration. In one auditorium, we gathered together parents of the special needs children, representatives of organizations that are working in this field, and also, delegates from the municipal administration.
A critical part of the forum involved the presentations of parents who have children with special needs, which demonstrated the difficult situation these families find themselves in as a result of their children’s handicap.
This forum gave an opportunity to all the participants to get to know each other better, to exchange the information on the services provided by different organizations, and to discuss possible solutions on how to improve the quality of life for people with special needs. In addition, everybody who was interested, had a chance to ask representatives of the integrated children’s complex “Kinderförderwerk”, some questions.
The “Florence Centre” prepared brochures containing information about the organizations that provide social services and work with special needs children for each participant of the this forum.
The most touching part of this gathering was hearing the words of moms addressed to other parents: “Our children are the best! Enjoy each day that you spend with your child! If the child is happy, we are also happy, and our main task, dear parents, is to make our children happy! Don’t fold your hands, go forward!” These very words, spoken with tears in their eyes, helped a lot of parents to look at their situation from a different perspective and to not give up.
 Another part of the celebration of the “Kangaroo” program’s anniversary was meeting with parents where everybody got to enjoy a warm conversation and a sweet slice of cake.
The facilitator at this parental meeting was Oliver Vering. This reunion gave people an opportunity to share their life stories, to get to know each other on a deeper level, and to tell others about the reasons of why they enjoy being a part of the “Kangaroo” program, and to offer their opinions on how to improve it.
At the end, Oliver presented each family with a T-shirt for their child with the “Kangaroo” program logo, a picture of a cute little kangaroo.
We think that the main achievement of the “Kangaroo” program and the forum is the fact that the parents were reassured that they are not alone, that they have friends who will help them to overcome their difficulties in life.
Family Club
The program “Family Club” began its work in May 2007. Psychologists are leading trainers. The program is aimed at optimizing the psychological state of a woman during pregnancy and psychophysical preparation for childbirth.
Objectives of the program:
1) Preparation for childbirth and parenthood;
2) The formation of parental competence, taking into account features of the maternal and paternal functions.
Directions used in the program:
- Voice therapy (using sounds and voice in childbirth)
- Art therapy (painting, sculpture, tale)
- Body psychotherapy (generic techniques of breathing, relaxation with a directed visualization, massage and gymnastics for pregnant women)
- Exercises aimed at partnership during childbirth process.
The program is designed to train pairs to become parents. A separate version of the Program is to train women who, for whatever reasons, have decided to be single parents.
Oksana and Sergei. Interesting couple. Oksana came from Poltava, marrying the Zaporizhzhian man. Came through a dramatic life history in her 40th. Her daughter (16 years old) and first husband died the same year. Met Sergei, agreed to be his wife and moved to Kiev. Pregnancy was a great joy for her and gave hope and meaning of life. Both spouses participated in sessions. For Oksana first birth was a heavy and very long process. How to behave during childbirth is already forgotten, and to Sergei this experience was for the first time.
In addition, he had a great desire to help his wife during delivering and after the birth of the baby. During the sessions, in addition to information and participation in exercises, Oksana shared memories about her daughter, about her experience of motherhood. In mid-July they had a boy. Wife called and was very grateful for our preparation, because during childbirth due to the knowledge and practical skills gained in our courses, Oksana successfully went through the process of delivering, and Sergei gave her psychological and physical support. Jointly spouses overcome fear and panic, and used all possible self-regulation skills and natural pain relief during childbirth. Now the baby is growing, and the mother successfully breastfeeding him. And if she has questions she calls the instructor and receives some advice and support over the phone.
This year the “Family Club” attended 12 couples and 3 women. Classes are held mainly in the presence of 1, at least 2 pairs or individual women.
 Very significant is the fact that the fathers, who, as a rule, initially reluctant to our courses from the first class are interested, are drawn into the process until the end of the course. Actively participate in all the processes taking place in the training. Here are some thoughts from the questionnaires:
"Thank you so much! Now I have an idea about childbirth, prenatal and postpartum period and how I can help my wife. Now I know what I would do before, during and after childbirth", - Vladimir 30 years.
"I want to express my gratitude. The idea of my wife to take these courses, sounded very skeptical for me. But after the first class I realized that it was so fascinated! I learned so many new things here, I now look at my wife differently. Time has flown by so quickly that even sorry to leave. It was fun, informative and most importantly useful", - Alexander, 35 years old.
"I understood that I had to be with my wife at childbirth", - Paul, 32 years old.
"Thank you for the informative lectures and interactive learning. I think that with this amount of information which we received here , for childbirth and child-rearing, we are fully prepared", - Sergei, 34 years old.
"I was always scared of blood and I thought that everything associated with childbirth is related only to a woman. I did not even want to know it. Now, after I learned a lot about the female body, about delivering, watched the video, did a lot of exercises, it all became accessible and understandable for me. No more frightening mystery. I want to be next to my wife and to help her during childbirth with the baby. " Eugene, 27 years old.
Both men and women said in their reviews that exercises of art therapy - drawing, modeling, work with fairy tales were very important for them. They seemed to again come into contact with the world of their childhood, getting pleasure from it and realized a lot about themselves and their lives.
All the couples in the final questionnaire indicate improvement in relations with a spouse.
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