Autonomous non-profit organization of social services «Yom-Yom Inclusive Center»
Want to be together: Regions
CSS contribution, rubles
Total budget, rubles
Implementation period, months
Project idea
The core concept of the project is to integrate children with special health needs and their typically developing peers through shared activities and daily interactions. To assist children with special needs in integrating into the group. To enable them to actively engage in society by providing opportunities to work, rest, learn, play, and socialize. To create an atmosphere of friendliness and acceptance, free from intolerance, aggression, avoidance, or exclusion.
The project aims to deliver specialized psychological support to residents in non-metropolitan areas, including families with children who have special health needs, as well as teachers and professionals who encounter societal rejection and resistance when dealing with individuals with special developmental needs.
The work will be structured as supervision, counseling, and case discussions. The experiences of all participants will be considered, as it is intended to transform the acquired knowledge into a shared resource to aid children with special health needs in the future.
Relevance
According to the Federal Register of Disabled Persons, as of August 1, 2021, the number of officially registered disabled children from 0 to 17 years of age is 22,486 in St. Petersburg, 12,252 in the Samara Region, and 9,138 in the Omsk Region. Among them, 60% have been diagnosed with psychiatric or neurological conditions and congenital malformations.
Numerous parents are either unwilling or unable to undergo the extensive procedures required to register their child as disabled.
The reality is that certain developmental disorders are identified right at birth, while others, like ASD, are diagnosed much later. In such instances, it is crucial to seek evaluation from highly qualified specialists, including medical professionals, psychologists, and defectologists, as well as to tap into the extensive resources available to parents.
In today's society, individuals with developmental disabilities face significant challenges in achieving full inclusion and participation.
There are several reasons for this:
- The near-complete lack of an inclusive environment.
- The rejection of children with special health needs by their typically developing peers.
- Shortage of qualified specialists dedicated to preparing children with special needs for societal integration.
- The undue popularity of homeschooling deprives the child of the chance to interact with a peer group.
Experts from the All-Russian People's Front (ONF) and the National Education Resources Foundation have compiled the results of their monitoring of educational accessibility for children with disabilities.
The findings are disheartening: one in three parents are unwilling to educate their children in an inclusive setting, and 14% of parents have categorically dismissed any learning opportunities for their child.
Social effect
Enhancing the independence and social integration of children with special health needs by creating a high-quality inclusive environment and providing specialist support.
KPI
KPI
Project Results
The project participants were educated on effective methods for the socialization of children with special developmental needs and acquired practical knowledge to assist them in adaptation and communication.
All lectures were recorded, allowing everyone to familiarize themselves with the information at their convenience.
Throughout the project, efforts were made to engage parents and institutions that were not among the participants.
In Ufa, there were ten such childcare facilities, while in Novy Urengoy, there were over twenty.
Meetings were also held with parents to alleviate fears and dispel mistrust regarding inclusive settings.
During the training, participants exchanged knowledge and contacts, broadened their social networks, discussed urgent issues, and shared resources for solving these problems.
Thirty case studies involving work with children have been compiled for the purpose of familiarization and potential replication of these techniques.
Relationships were formed among educators and organizations from various regions to exchange experiences, documents, and insights gained.
Throughout the project, specialists employed diverse strategies to effectively integrate children with a range of challenges and unique characteristics into the team. This expanded the opportunities for these children to participate in exhibitions, festivals, and to engage in group activities and classes.
Teachers assisted parents in overcoming their fears and encouraged them to venture beyond the restricted paths with their children. Time was allocated for personal interactions between parents and teachers, facilitating the discussion of more individualized issues.
Weekly discussions about the project's achievements, involving both parents of neurotypical children and parents of children with special health needs, helped to dispel stereotypes concerning society's negative attitudes toward "special" children.
Project progress after CSS funding
In the future, plans include the development of a platform to foster a support network for inclusion, broaden the user base, fortify the community, and enhance collaboration with local authorities.
Funding is anticipated to be sustained through grants, subsidies, and local resources, as well as through the autonomous initiatives of Support Network participants.
