Project LifeStart is a project funded by
the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA). CIDA is a
branch of the Canadian government that distributes money designated for
international development projects to Canadian organisations.
Project LifeStart Odessa is a three year
project, which started in spring 2010. It is jointly operated and implemented
by World Hope Canada and World Hope Ukraine.
The primary goal of Project LifeStart is to influence the Government of Ukraine
to implement an improved model of care for at-risk young people in the Odessa
region. The project has two main components: a life skills curriculum to be
implemented in local orphanages and a foster care pilot for six at-risk young
women.
Throughout 2010 and into 2011, Canadian
volunteers and project staff worked in cooperation with Ukrainian staff to
develop the life skills curriculum, minimum standards of care for foster
families, and training materials. In June, Canadian and Ukrainian staff and
volunteers came together for training and to at last launch the project. Over
the summer of 2011, foster parents were trained, homes were prepared and young
women were placed in foster homes. From September, our life skills teachers
have been teaching the curriculum in three orphanages in the Odessa region.
In addition to working directly with young
people, World Hope Ukraine staff have been developing connections in the
government, locally and nationally, and with orphanage Directors. The goal of
these connections is to promote a foster system and life skills curriculum as a
means of improving the standard of care for at-risk young people.
To date, Ukrainian staff are teaching the
life skills curriculum to approximately 100 young people in 3 orphanages in
Odessa. In addition, six at-risk young women are living with families as part
of the foster pilot.
From here, we hope that the government will
see the benefits of Project LifeStart, take interest, and expand the project to
help at-risk young people throughout the Odessa region and beyond.
For updates on specific to Project
LifeStart Odessa follow the Project
LifeStart Odessa blog.
Our Canadian
Volunteers are:
·
Team LifeSkills: Beatrice
Partington, Cathy Blok, and Candice Reaney.
·
Team Foster Care: Rick and
Anita Pybus.
·
Translation: Zoia Grytsenko, Platon
Boiko, and Anastasia Smolentseva.
·
Team Videography: Matt Tomalty
and Adam Klein.
Project
LifeStart Staff are:
Team Ukraine:
·
Project Coordinator: Kostya
Peretyatko
·
Foster Care Coordinator: Dina Svystun
·
Life Skills Teachers: Alyona
and Valya
Team Canada:
·
Project Assistant: Andrea Reid
·
Researcher: Alexei Durglishvili
·
Researcher/Assistant: Kim Howson
No comments:
Post a Comment