Drawing conclusions of 3-year period of activities on care of labour migrants children in Novovolynsk

14.11.13, Volyn
Review conference on project “Development of the Network of Social Centers for the Children of Labour Migrants” was held at the end of October in Novovolynsk. The project was implemented by “Caritas-Volyn” Volyn oblast charitable foundation since September 2010 till October 2013. The achievements of the project were displayed in form of presentations, in particular “Results of social project in activities with labour migrants children”; booklet “Think about your child before going abroad” and “School of financial education and basics of entrepreneurial work for children of 7-10 forms”.

The event was aimed to strike the balance on 3-year period of work, present results of activities that were implemented, exchange experience with specialists on work with children. Almost 20 people participated in the conference:  vice-principles on character building work in educational establishments of the city, representatives of the education administration, social and state services, central city library, local media and TV.

The number of labour migrants children increases in Volyn region and generally in Ukraine, though official sources conceal the real data. Problem of so-called ‘distant’ families and children who grow up without parents will have a serious impact in some years – when the majority of labour migrants kids will become adults and will be looking for their path in life, create own families.

Victoria Skrynnikova, project coordinator, presented results of activities and achievements of the team. Opening of the first Social youth center in Novovolynsk became one of them. Nearly 120 people have benefited from services of Caritas Volyn center for 3 years of its work, added Mrs. Victoria. Children in need receive social and psychological support; they are secured with activating events and group lessons on social cohesion, correction of self-esteem, development of communicative skills, revealing inner resources.

Moreover, Caritas in Volyn conducts information and educating events for youngsters, information events for parents and caregivers. There are possibilities for varied active and beneficial leisure, backpacking, excursion trips that favor team spirit and motivate cognition process, provide conditions for manifestation of own skills among children that found themselves in crisis living circumstances and require significant attention and socialization.

After the main part of the conference there was a discussion on labour migration with representatives of state services, education departments and the mass media. The leading specialist of Education Administration Kutsyk Zoia Kuzmivna spoke about the importance of labour migration problem for the city and thanked the project stuff for the considerable contribution to work with children of labour migrants. Moreover, she provided some examples on labour migration of one or two family members and impact of such situation on psychic and emotional state of a child.

Afterwards, to continue the conference Natalia Gavronska, the project psychologist, presented the booklet “Think about your child before going abroad”. This edition makes use of materials elaborated by psychologists of “Rozrada” center in Kyiv and creative works by the children of labour migrants who participate in the project in Novovolynsk. There are certain myths in the society that are used by parents while making a decision on going abroad to earn a living. Six main myths tell that a child won’t feel the absence of parents, will be able to fulfill own desires and will be happy, value mother and father even more, the trip won’t last too long and the upbringing of the child lays of the grandparents shoulders. Comments to these myths deny the illusions on advantages of labour migration for the family.

Tetiana Galytska, social teacher of the local Caritas project, presented a new approach to the social work with clients, provided examples of development in this sphere in Germany which is more focused at creating of positive action. “In Ukraine because of little experience in social work we try to explore the problem of the client in crisis by our own means and we dive into it till we are exhausted at psychological level; we are ready to solve the problem and to impose solutions on the client. It’s absolutely ineffective! It’s important to give needful individual freedom for own actions! We should move forward and use new methods of social work and policy, adopt the best European and global experience,” added Mrs. Tetiana.

Olga Lakysh, Director of Social services center for family, children and youth, expressed words of support on new social strategy of work with clients. She said that it’s the matter of time and advanced an opinion on the importance of changes and increase of financial resources redistribution in the state.

At the end of the conference Caritas Volyn team presented School of financial education and basics of entrepreneurial work for children of 7-10 forms. Nearly all teenagers and youth can’t manage their money, don’t know their value and spend them thoughtlessly and with harm for own health. It often leads to situation when children get angry at parents, to worsening of the relationships and it doesn’t favor competency in future independent life.

It was pleasant to hear the conclusion at the review conference of Caritas Ukraine regional organizations, held recently in Lviv, – model of school of financial literacy for children and youth was implemented in activities of other social centers as a perfect one.