Caritas Volyn’ Offers Activities that Suit Everyone

22.03.12
In September 2010 the charitable organization Caritas Volyn’ opened the project, Developing a Network of Social Centres for Children of Labour Migrants, in Novovolyns’k. Its goal is to create the social and psychological conditions that allow children to develop, study well and more. Eighty children visit the Social Centre; of them 45 are children of labour migrants, the rest are from other vulnerable groups such as orphans, children from disadvantaged families, and single parent families. At any given time there are 20-25 children at the Centre.

The Social Centre gives children a chance to socialize with peers, offers interesting and beneficial recreational activities, developmental games, discussions, trainings, educational excursions, meetings with interesting people, sporting and artistic events. The children work in groups; participate in quizzes, sports, excursions, hikes, and interesting trips.

“From its inception, the project utilized a new model for working with children—the Swedish family model.

This approach is unique because it allows children to do what interests them when they’re participating in group activities. The Centre offers traditional arts and crafts such as painting, clay modelling, bead work, puzzles, technical models and more contemporary workshops such as plastic modelling, origami, and paper filigree. These activities help children harmoniously develop the various aspects of their personalities,” explains Victoriya Skrynnikova, the Creative Coordinator.

Paper filigree is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. Children from Caritas Volyn’ use the paper spirals to make flowers and designs which are then used to decorate cards, albums and frames. Children, youngsters and adolescents enjoy paper filigree. 35 eager children made cards for their family and friends for Valentine’s Day and March 8th.

Origami is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding. 17 children, including 11 boys, participate in origami workshops regularly. In a month they learned to make evergreens, rabbits, swans, etc.

These activities don’t just occupy the children’s time; they also provide an outlet through which they can release stress, notes the local Caritas’ psychologist. The creative process releases tension and eases the trauma children endure when they are separated from their families.