Autonomous non-profit organization for the rehabilitation and social adaptation of disabled children “Dignified Special World”
Important help
Main values
Geography: Moscow Oblast, Tula Oblast, Yaroslavl Oblast
CSS contribution, rubles
Total budget, rubles
Implementation period, months
Project idea
The "Important Help" project is an educational program designed to support teenagers and adults with mental challenges. The course is tailored for students and professionals in psychology, social pedagogy, special education, and rehabilitation.
The course will be accessible to 100 participants. For the most dedicated participants, an internship opportunity will be available within a related project of the Village Foundation. The internship will consist of seven educational trips to facilities where teenagers and young adults with special needs reside and learn to live independently. During the field trips, course participants will apply their theoretical knowledge through interactions with individuals who have mental disabilities. Interns under the project program will have the opportunity to apply techniques and methods in practical scenarios.
The project aims to establish a community of compassionate individuals with expert knowledge to support a greater number of teenagers in need.
Participants in the project will acquire distinctive knowledge and their initial professional experience, while experts will enhance their expertise and establish themselves as professionals in the domain of social psychology for individuals with mental challenges.
Relevance
In Russia, adults with mental challenges do not typically achieve independence.
Without assistance, they find it challenging to acquire social, domestic, and communication skills, resulting in an extreme dependence on their parents. Despite this, Russia still lacks a formal state system for training specialists to assist individuals with mental challenges in preparing for independent living.
Meanwhile, any step towards independence improves the quality of life for these young people. The foundation for positive change lies in a specially crafted supportive environment and the assistance of specialists who will impart the necessary skills. Currently, only a limited number of NGOs offer training for professionals and volunteers to support adults with mental challenges. However, these programs are insufficient to meet the needs within this social sector. Further practical steps are needed. This is why it is crucial to develop a training program aimed at cultivating new specialists who will assist young individuals with mental disabilities in integrating into modern independent life both swiftly and securely.
Social effect
Enhancing the independence of adults with mental challenges by training specialized professionals.
KPI
KPI
Project Results
Training for students and professionals was conducted throughout the academic year. The course comprised both an online theoretical component and an in-person practical segment.
During the internship, the course participants visited the village of Romanovo, home to teenagers and adults with mental challenges who are learning to live independently.
More than 100 individuals had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with both the theoretical and practical aspects of organizing supported living arrangements. Students and specialists from Moscow, Tula, Rostov-on-Don, and other Russian cities met with the participants and educators of the project, gained insight into the inner workings of assisted living projects, expanded their professional expertise, and received answers to many questions.
Two trips to the Black Sea, ten trips to the base in Podmoklovo Village (Moscow Region), and two trips to the base in Novoye Village (Yaroslavl Region) were organized. Between eight and twenty individuals with mental challenges participated in each trip. The counseling of interns at the trips was conducted interactively during direct engagement with the mentees.
Project progress after CSS funding
Once funding has been ended, the project is expected to proceed. Requests have been received from various regions to facilitate training trips for teenagers and young adults with mental challenges, which would include direct, on-site instruction for professionals.
From the standpoint of project development, this entails the hiring of specialists and providing recommendations for the support of teenagers and adults with mental challenges, as well as their parents. It involves establishing an educational foundation for the training of professionals and collaborating with the country's higher education institutions to prepare personnel to assist teenagers and adults with mental challenges, along with their families. The project team will sustain the courses through grants, subsidies, and collaborative projects.
