DISCOVERY PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD - VERY EXCITING

MOVING FORWARD WITH

DISCOVERY PROJECT

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND STAFF

LEADERS AT WORKSHOP SHARED THEIR NEEDS AND IDEAS

OLGA PRESENTED A FULL WORKSHOP ON INCLUSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INTO SOCIETY

HELEN - FROM UKRAINE - LEADS AN INITIATIVE IN THE SCHOOLS IN UKRAINE AND GAVE HER EXPERIENCE HERE TO THE PARTICIPANTS

Our Discovery Project if off to a great start.  Let us update you on some of the initial activities:

    1.   Larisa and Tanya went to Alaska for training to bring skills and knowledge back to use in the work they are doing working at Iskra and other places.  They will be teaching workers at Iskra and will be visited the Alaska team to view their progress on implementation of the work they are doing.

    2.   We have another person who has applied to go to Hope Alaska – and we have been asked to help in the selection of additional persons to be chosen for their training.  The new applicant was interviewed by our Residential Director – Olga and we will be bringing this person into our programs to work as a volunteer before and after she goes to Alaska.  It was decided she is a good candidate for the experience.  She is an older university student – attending the International University of Central Asia.

    3.   Olga brought together moms who have children who have cerebral palsy – with a certified trainer who teaches therapeutic massage.  This training was done at Dayspring.

    4.   Olga and Costa have had several meetings with different individuals who are working with persons with disabilities and we have a contact where we can offer both computer classes and exercise equipment for use of those with disabilities.

    5.   Olga won a scholarship to go to Budapest for training on Inclusion of the Disabled into Society.

BREAKING NEW DEVELOPMENT

YESTERDAY, JUNE 18, 2013

Our residential director, Olga did a workshop in Mayor's office yesterday for 25 social workers and staff from the child's police department.  She presented issues about inclusion of persons with disabilities into community life.  She discussed what could be done by government and NGO’s working together creating models and pilots that bring ideas and hope to others who can make a difference as well.

Olga shared her experience of learning that she received when she was in Budapest last month. She shared what laws she learned about, how things were done in other countries and gave some suggestions and ideas for consideration.

Olga’s mother is in Kyrgyzstan at this time.  She also shared at this meeting about her work in Ukraine.  She is leading a project in the schools called "THE RIVER OF LOVE" about inclusion of children with disabilities into the area of education.

Olga said that it was interesting that at the end all came to conclusion that our first and most important task is to change the paradigm of thinking, and start teaching younger generation the right things.

Many social workers went to Olga after, thanking her for the workshop.  Many of them work with particular schools, and they told her that it would be good to do such a workshops for the teachers and then for children in the schools as well. 

Discovery Project is moving forward and most  importantly – using the locals to become engaged in changing the present realities to future possibilities!

We are so thankful for Hope Alaska and Eileen Lally for "kickstarting" this very important project!  We are so thankful for this wonderful opportunity to serve those who are often forgotten in the countries in which we serve.