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IREX/ASSISTANCE TO RUSSIAN ORPHANS (ARO) PROGRAM News and Updates ...
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IREX/ASSISTANCE TO RUSSIAN
ORPHANS (ARO) PROGRAM
News and Updates:
September 2007
Summary:
The ARO3 team held a series
of educational activities throughout September. ARO representatives
organized three seminars for grant recipients in Tomsk, and held a project
seminar for child welfare specialists in Tambov.
Representatives from the
"Down's Syndrome Society" in Novosibirsk took part in an ARO study
tour to the "Downside Up" organization in Moscow, which specializes
in Early Intervention for children with Down's syndrome.
The Child Helpline Program,
which seeks to improve the quality of emergency psychological assistance
provided specifically to children in need, conducted a study tour in
September for helpline consultants from the city of Reutovo in the Moscow
region.
Activities:
Tambov
Project Seminar
Forty-five specialists
from the "For the Sake of the Future" Center for Family Forms of
Care for Orphaned and Abandoned Children and representatives from 14
Tambov Oblast orphanages that provide support to foster families participated
in an ARO project seminar on September 6-7 in Tambov.
ARO Expert Consultant Dmitry
Grigor'ev discussed the development of a standardized system that
would provide training and support to specialists working in the child
welfare system, with a particular focus on family forms of care for
children currently living in state institutions. Based on the
recommendations received, the participants developed a preliminary work
plan for a standardized system for child welfare specialists in the
Tambov region.
Participants during the September seminar on family forms of care in
Tambov
Grant Management Seminar
in Tomsk
On September 11, ARO Grant
Department Head Julia Monakhova and Grant Coordinator Marina Safronova
lead a seminar in Tomsk on grant management for recipients of grants
financed jointly by ARO, the Tomsk Department of Family and Children
Services, and Vostokgazprom. Twenty project managers and accountants
gathered from four regions of the Tomsk Oblast to learn about ARO grant
management.
Child Helpline
Study Tour
From September 15 through
October 12, 15 child helpline consultants from the city of Reutovo in
the Moscow region attended daily classes at the Gavrosh Helpline in
Moscow, which was created with support from the National Foundation
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 2004. The consultants
studied techniques used in the provision of emergency psychological
assistance to children and adolescents by telephone. The event will
assist the participants in the launching of the Reutovo Child Helpline,
scheduled for October 15.
Educational Center Seminar
in Tomsk
ARO Expert Consultants
Irina Alekseeva and Ilya Novosel'skiy conducted a seminar for 30 ARO
grant recipients in Tomsk on September 19-22. The seminar highlighted
how to effectively organize educational centers that provide children
from disadvantaged families with a safe environment and teach them essential
life skills. The specialists learned that educational programs
can be tailored to best meet the target group's needs by identifying
the specific issues facing at-risk children, thereby improving the success
of such projects.
After-school Activities
Seminar in Tomsk
ARO Expert Consultant Ekaterina
Selenina conducted a seminar on September 20-22 for 18 ARO grant recipients
in the Siberian city of Tomsk on how to organize after-school programs
for children at risk of child abandonment. As the beneficiaries
of such programs are typically youth from disadvantaged, often alcoholic
families, these programs are essential to ensure that at-risk children
do not slip through the cracks of the child welfare system.
By providing children with
a safe environment where they can learn valuable life skills and receive
help with their school work, as well as psychological aid, after-school
activities serve as a safe and enjoyable alternative to the abusive
home environments and substance abuse at-risk youth often encounter
in their daily lives outside of school.
Early Intervention Study
Tour to Moscow
On September 24-28, the
ARO Program organized a study tour for four representatives of the Down's
Syndrome Society in Novosibirsk; the only organization in the Novosibirsk
region that works with children with Down's syndrome. Tatyana
Esipova, Tatyana Loza, Viktoriya Malysheva, and Olga Tonkikh traveled
to the "Downside Up" Early Intervention Center for Children with
Down's Syndrome in Moscow to study family-focused Early Intervention
for children with Down's syndrome between the ages of 0 and 7 years
old.
Early Intervention, which
involves a team approach to the selection of individualized development
programs for young children with developmental delays, has proven extremely
effective for persons with special needs. While in Moscow, the
study tour participants observed classes for disabled children at "Downside
Up" and accompanied specialists on home visits to families with special
needs children. The Novosibirsk representatives also had the opportunity
to learn more about the child abandonment prevention model for children
with Down's syndrome currently used in Moscow. During a visit
to Preschool #1465 the study tour participants studied models for mainstreaming
children with Down's syndrome and effective teaching methods for integrated
education.
The program participants
from Novosibirsk, upon their return from Moscow, plan to introduce Early
Intervention to the Down Syndrome Society in Novosibirsk.
Upcoming Activities:
October 1-5 (Tomsk): Final
child welfare workshop conducted by Dr. Eileen Lally and Antonina Shepina
for the New Development Charity Foundation.
October 1-15 (St. Petersburg):
Focus groups with vocational school students and reworking of HIV informational
brochures.
October 10-11 (St. Petersburg):
Training for education specialists on planning and monitoring HIV prevention
activities on a municipal and regional level.
October 11 (Khabarovsk):
Seminar on supervision for specialists from after-school activity programs
in Khabarovsk.
October 11 (Angarsk): Seminar
for personnel from preschools on ensuring access to preschools for children
affected by HIV.
October 13 (Khabarovsk):
Seminar on organizing clubs at municipal libraries for at-risk children.
October 15-17 (Tomsk):
Seminar for supervisors on team therapy conducted by Alexander Shadura.
October 18 (Novosibirsk):
Study tour for representatives from the Novosibirsk mayor's office
on the organization of child helplines in the Altai region.
October 25-27 (Moscow):
II International Child Helpline Conference entitled "Psychological
Assistance to Children."
October 26 (St. Petersburg):
Workgroup meeting on social services for people affected by HIV.
October 28 (Novosibirsk):
Seminar on Early Intervention and casework conducted by Sergey Borzov.
October 29 (Tomsk): Seminar
on project management for ARO grant recipients
IREX/ASSISTANCE TO RUSSIAN
ORPHANS (ARO) PROGRAM
News and Updates:
September 2007
Summary:
The ARO3 team held a series
of educational activities throughout September. ARO representatives
organized three seminars for grant recipients in Tomsk, and held a project
seminar for child welfare specialists in Tambov.
Representatives from the
"Down's Syndrome Society" in Novosibirsk took part in an ARO study
tour to the "Downside Up" organization in Moscow, which specializes
in Early Intervention for children with Down's syndrome.
The Child Helpline Program,
which seeks to improve the quality of emergency psychological assistance
provided specifically to children in need, conducted a study tour in
September for helpline consultants from the city of Reutovo in the Moscow
region.
Activities:
Tambov
Project Seminar
Forty-five specialists
from the "For the Sake of the Future" Center for Family Forms of
Care for Orphaned and Abandoned Children and representatives from 14
Tambov Oblast orphanages that provide support to foster families participated
in an ARO project seminar on September 6-7 in Tambov.
ARO Expert Consultant Dmitry
Grigor'ev discussed the development of a standardized system that
would provide training and support to specialists working in the child
welfare system, with a particular focus on family forms of care for
children currently living in state institutions. Based on the
recommendations received, the participants developed a preliminary work
plan for a standardized system for child welfare specialists in the
Tambov region.
Participants during the September seminar on family forms of care in
Tambov
Grant Management Seminar
in Tomsk
On September 11, ARO Grant
Department Head Julia Monakhova and Grant Coordinator Marina Safronova
lead a seminar in Tomsk on grant management for recipients of grants
financed jointly by ARO, the Tomsk Department of Family and Children
Services, and Vostokgazprom. Twenty project managers and accountants
gathered from four regions of the Tomsk Oblast to learn about ARO grant
management.
Child Helpline
Study Tour
From September 15 through
October 12, 15 child helpline consultants from the city of Reutovo in
the Moscow region attended daily classes at the Gavrosh Helpline in
Moscow, which was created with support from the National Foundation
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 2004. The consultants
studied techniques used in the provision of emergency psychological
assistance to children and adolescents by telephone. The event will
assist the participants in the launching of the Reutovo Child Helpline,
scheduled for October 15.
Educational Center Seminar
in Tomsk
ARO Expert Consultants
Irina Alekseeva and Ilya Novosel'skiy conducted a seminar for 30 ARO
grant recipients in Tomsk on September 19-22. The seminar highlighted
how to effectively organize educational centers that provide children
from disadvantaged families with a safe environment and teach them essential
life skills. The specialists learned that educational programs
can be tailored to best meet the target group's needs by identifying
the specific issues facing at-risk children, thereby improving the success
of such projects.
After-school Activities
Seminar in Tomsk
ARO Expert Consultant Ekaterina
Selenina conducted a seminar on September 20-22 for 18 ARO grant recipients
in the Siberian city of Tomsk on how to organize after-school programs
for children at risk of child abandonment. As the beneficiaries
of such programs are typically youth from disadvantaged, often alcoholic
families, these programs are essential to ensure that at-risk children
do not slip through the cracks of the child welfare system.
By providing children with
a safe environment where they can learn valuable life skills and receive
help with their school work, as well as psychological aid, after-school
activities serve as a safe and enjoyable alternative to the abusive
home environments and substance abuse at-risk youth often encounter
in their daily lives outside of school.
Early Intervention Study
Tour to Moscow
On September 24-28, the
ARO Program organized a study tour for four representatives of the Down's
Syndrome Society in Novosibirsk; the only organization in the Novosibirsk
region that works with children with Down's syndrome. Tatyana
Esipova, Tatyana Loza, Viktoriya Malysheva, and Olga Tonkikh traveled
to the "Downside Up" Early Intervention Center for Children with
Down's Syndrome in Moscow to study family-focused Early Intervention
for children with Down's syndrome between the ages of 0 and 7 years
old.
Early Intervention, which
involves a team approach to the selection of individualized development
programs for young children with developmental delays, has proven extremely
effective for persons with special needs. While in Moscow, the
study tour participants observed classes for disabled children at "Downside
Up" and accompanied specialists on home visits to families with special
needs children. The Novosibirsk representatives also had the opportunity
to learn more about the child abandonment prevention model for children
with Down's syndrome currently used in Moscow. During a visit
to Preschool #1465 the study tour participants studied models for mainstreaming
children with Down's syndrome and effective teaching methods for integrated
education.
The program participants
from Novosibirsk, upon their return from Moscow, plan to introduce Early
Intervention to the Down Syndrome Society in Novosibirsk.
Upcoming Activities:
October 1-5 (Tomsk): Final
child welfare workshop conducted by Dr. Eileen Lally and Antonina Shepina
for the New Development Charity Foundation.
October 1-15 (St. Petersburg):
Focus groups with vocational school students and reworking of HIV informational
brochures.
October 10-11 (St. Petersburg):
Training for education specialists on planning and monitoring HIV prevention
activities on a municipal and regional level.
October 11 (Khabarovsk):
Seminar on supervision for specialists from after-school activity programs
in Khabarovsk.
October 11 (Angarsk): Seminar
for personnel from preschools on ensuring access to preschools for children
affected by HIV.
October 13 (Khabarovsk):
Seminar on organizing clubs at municipal libraries for at-risk children.
October 15-17 (Tomsk):
Seminar for supervisors on team therapy conducted by Alexander Shadura.
October 18 (Novosibirsk):
Study tour for representatives from the Novosibirsk mayor's office
on the organization of child helplines in the Altai region.
October 25-27 (Moscow):
II International Child Helpline Conference entitled "Psychological
Assistance to Children."
October 26 (St. Petersburg):
Workgroup meeting on social services for people affected by HIV.
October 28 (Novosibirsk):
Seminar on Early Intervention and casework conducted by Sergey Borzov.
October 29 (Tomsk): Seminar
on project management for ARO grant recipients