Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund (ROOF)

ROOF’s International Summer Camp

Belskoye Ustye Orphanage for children with special needs, Pskov oblast

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Who are we?Since 1998 ROOF has offered support to Russian orphaned children and youth living in or having left Russian orphanages.

Our main areas of support are: - post-orphanage adaptation; - additional educational services in orphan care institutions; - educational services for orphanage graduates; - promotion of volunteerism in Russia.

Our main projects are located in: Moscow and the Moscow region: - Post-orphanage educational centre (Moscow), - educational programme in orphanage №26 (Moscow); - educational programme in orphanage №4 (Moscow); - educational programme in Podolsk orphanage (Moscow region); - the Jewel Girls programme in Naro-Fominsk vocational school №112 (Moscow region). Pskov and the Pskov region: Belskoye Ustye orphanage for children with special needs.

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Why do we work with the Belskoye Ustye orphanage?

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children do not receive the necessary care and attention to their education

they suffer from unadequate medical treatment

lack of specialists

poor communication and life-skills development

At present there are 29 000 children with severe difficulties living in special needs institutions across Russia. Life in one of these

institutions means that

Very often children’s problems become more complex after years in such institutions, where they don’t get any help or support they

need so much.Since 2000 ROOF has been running its programmes in the

Belskoye Ustye orphanage to change this sad situation.

What has been done?

Since 2000 ROOF has implemented the following programmes for the children of the Belskoye Ustye orphanage:

- «Abilitation centre ROOF» - post-orphanage adaptation programme that has helped some orphanage graduates start their independent lives with help of ROOF’s teachers and carers; - «Weekend fostering» programme (2001-2002), that helped some children from the orphanage develop relationships with families from the nearby town of Porkhov. After the end of the project 4 families kept on maintaining contacts with their foster children;- project «Baranovo» (2005-2006) that provided educational support to all children from the orphanage and created an educational centre with a wide range of materials for working with special needs children from the orphanage;- «ROOF’s International Summer Camp», one of the most successful ROOF’s programmes helping the children improve their communication skills and making there lives happier.

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ROOF’s International Summer Camp in the Belskoye Ustye orphange

past, present and future...

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Why?

Our goal: help children of the Belskoye Ustye orphanage overcome social-isolation and develop communication skills essential for successful living.

Our main tool: communication and personal relationships development

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How?conducting developmental and educational classes using gaming methods of teaching

involving the children in young role-models of social interaction

developing children’s creative abilities and talents

widening their horizons

boosting children’s self-respect and self-esteem

providing new ideas of working with children to the orphanage staff

improving attitude towards the children within the local community members

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The childrenThere are 87 children currently living in the orphange

Age: 8-18 years old

Diagnosis: intellectual deficiency, neurological problems, physical disabilities, behavioural problems

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Opinion of a volunteer:During our first meeting with the children it seemed that they were completely normal children who lacked any symptoms of mental disability. They were very friendly, socially active and curious. they showed interest in meeting new people and were eager to communicate and discover new things. -Nataliya Pirogova, Moscow

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Summer Camp volunteers

about 60% - students from Moscow universities

about 30% - students from the U.K. and other countries

less than 10% -Pskov university students

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Opinion of a volunteer:Russian volunteers come mostly from Moscow, although the orphanage in situated in the Pskov region and it would be logical to expect that Pskovites should be interested in their home- region development.

- Lyubov Fedotova, Pskov

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Working at Camp

daily classes;

festivals (theme days);

discos.

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Volunteers work in groups of 2-3 people. One group of volunteers works with two groups of children for whom they organise:

Volunteers work 5 hours a day, 6 days a week.

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Daily classes

arts and crafts

developmental games

outdoor activitis

walks

discussions

acting

yoga

... and many other fun things!

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Volunteers decide themselves what and how they would like to teach. Last year’s activities included:

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Festivals

Jolly fair

Pirate day (treasure hunt)

Sports day

Talent show

Day of nationalities

Circus day

Day of nature

...and lots more!

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Ideas for festivals (theme days) are defined before the beginning of Camp. Last year we had:

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Discos

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Weekly discos bring together the children from the orphanage and the villagers providing them a chance to interact and over come existing barriers.

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Who can become a Summer Camp’s volunteer?

age: 18 years or older;

work experience: not important;

languages: Russian (essential), English (desirable);

excellent leadership skills;

open minded, easy-going, hard-working, interested in helping children.

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We need young, creative, enthusiastic people to work with

us at Camp!

A perfect volunteer should be:

How can you join us?

If you would like to join the Summer Camp team or have any questions please contact the project co-ordinator Alina Lobzina via email alina@roofnet.org or phone +7 909 950 0330

Please visit our website for more information www.roofnet.org

THANK YOU!

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Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund ROOF

LET’S HELP TOGHER!ROOF’s INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CAMP in the

Belskoye Ustye orphanage

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