The Original Project Proposal

Background information on the project: extracts from the original proposal

Needs Statement

"People with learning difficulties are people first and foremost.

The fact that they have intellectual/physical/sensory disabilities should never obscure their humanity."

Mair Rees

Attitudes towards the 109 children at Belskoye Ustye psycho-neurological orphanage have, in the past, very much gone against this sentiment. With difficulties, various - from some severe and profound cases to mild and non-existent problems - the children in this institution have been denied any education whatsoever for decades and thus had no chance of any future other than institutionalisation. Years of developmental neglect would leave any child entirely ill-equipped for independent life after eighteen. For the powers that be, these children's difficulties equalled an incapacity for learning, leaving them untaught and supposedly unteachable. The truth of the matter is that these children, deemed unteachable by the state, a label reinforced by public opinion, are entirely capable of being taught. Our educational efforts with the children to date, including testing and re-testing this summer, have shown, even the children with the most severe learning difficulties, responsive to teaching and fully capable of developmental and intellectual advancement.

The children at Belskoye Ustye have been put there for many a varied reason. Some children do suffer from severe learning difficulties, while others show no signs of difficulties whatsoever. Behavioural problems, although much less serious of late, have been another reason for referral to Belskoye Ustye It is very difficult to extract inherent learning difficulties from response to the trauma and neglect, which many of, if not all, the children have suffered to some degree. Some children do not have any parents, while others' parents have rejected them, sometimes because of their learning difficulties. There are some children at Belskoye Ustye whose parents tried to kill them when they were younger. A considerable number of the children have parents living nearby, who cannot look after their children alone; some are alcoholics and others are in prison. Other considerable trauma or neglect aside, the very process of being separated from one's parents is a significant psychological event for anyone. It is a common mistake to assume that people with learning difficulties do not think clearly or fully understand such situations. It would be difficult for anyone to express themselves in such a situation, never mind people who have historically been denied any "talking cures". Learning difficulties are no balm for emotional trauma. In denying these children any education or even developmental encouragement, we are denying these children a voice, an exploration of the self and an intellectual foundation which could profoundly help them to explore, to articulate and in some way understand, that which they have experienced, and which we have, historically, been so intent on ignoring.

In the last year, especially, the situation in the orphanage has much improved. There are now some (although often in practice haphazard) attempts at educating at least some of the children. The appointment of the new Director of Studies, Maria Vasilievna Kniazeva, has made a radical difference to the atmosphere in the orphanage and the general attitude, of staff and children alike, to learning. The education of the children has at least become a concern of the orphanage administration. Indeed, since December 2004, the government has provided 48 of the children with 20 hours of lessons each week and ROOF educational programmes are in place, providing the same children with extra classes and employing local artisans and a psychologist to work with the children. Although incredibly encouraging, given the situation at Belskoye Ustye a few years ago, this is most certainly not adequate provision for the children. This is no time to sit back and relax.

This is a crucial phase in the orphanage's development.

There is an awfully long way to go. The educational programme caters only for a select few children. Only 40% of the children are entitled to an education, even now. The four Miloserdie groups, in particular, receive no educational input whatsoever. The very label Miloserdie (mercy) seals their fate, excluding them from that which they so sorely need - regular and structured developmental training. One girl we spoke to this summer had been moved from the 9^th group to the 12^th - from the group of girls with the most severe difficulties, be they physical/intellectual/psychological/sensory, to the other group of "invalid" girls, a group whose abilities have been grossly underestimated. When asked how she felt about the move, this girl looked up and said: "I'm glad. They're retards and now I don't have to be with them." The very language used in the orphanage is performative, reinforcing existing misconceptions about the children, including, dangerously, the children's own perceptions of themselves.

Attendance to classes is poor. The classes are not obligatory as such and many of the children do not go to classes regularly and some not at all. The director is of the opinion that children will not learn if they are forced to attend classes. Qualms with such an attitude aside, there are no attempts made to motivate the children to learn. The classes, themselves, are often haphazard without any real direction or structure, There are no coherent educational goals or precise schemes of work followed and there is very little encouragement for the children to learn independently.

One of the biggest problems, is the lack of assessment. There are no records, detailing each child's abilities, progresses, problem areas or most effective methods of learning. Descriptions of each group are limited to a few labels: "not so many mental defects" or "more mental defects". Although the psychologist has more detailed records of the children's abilities, these are not used by teachers and the children are not assessed regularly. These records are, however, an excellent start and show an excellent understanding of the children's developmental priorities.

“Allow us to tell you what we are thinking or feeling.

Whether our voices are big or small; whether we whisper or shout it, paint it, draw, mime or sign it – listen to us and hear what we say.”

Right Number 23, United Nations Children’s Fund

This project aims to provide practical support for the staff and children of Belskoye Ustye, to help them position themselves confidently within the learning process and to create a tangible dynamic atmosphere, which embraces learning and development, in a multi-dimensional way. We want to introduce regular lessons for the Miloserdie groups (9, 10, 11 and 12), breaking down current pre-conceptions, priming them for future development by pushing vital pre-skills and illustrating their potential for progress.

Another issue which needs confronting is the children's social difficulties; these often manifest themselves in an inability to concentrate, emotional outbursts, extremely rude behaviour towards others and a lack of respect for themselves, their own health and well-being. This is hardly surprising, given the years that many children spent being neglected both inside and outside of institutions. In our work with the children, both teaching volunteers and the psychologist have seen how most of these difficulties can be overcome by spending time with individual children and changing their behaviour through love, patient work and positive thinking. We would like to work with all the children on self-expression, self-esteem, social skills and emotional intelligence through art therapy, music and movement, drama games and circle time. The lack of these skills is glaringly obvious and equally as important for the future as academic studies.

We want to provide support, motivation, role-models and a healthy external space for the older children. These children have endured life in the orphanage at its absolute worst, when neglect extended to basic physical necessities as well as the intellectual. They were socialised at a time when aggression and Darwinism were the order of the day. They have suffered the most from the neglect of developmental training and need much input in order to equip them for life after the orphanage. Given the neglect they have endured and the fact that aggression was the only effective mode of communication for them for so long, these children have done remarkably well. They are all competent intellectually and respond to teaching, picking up things very quickly. It is in these children that we have seen the greatest thirst for knowledge. None of these children need be institutionalised after the orphanage. We must work hard to secure them alternative futures, for each and every one of them deserves a real chance of a real future.

One of our priorities is to encourage independent learning, to teach the children how to learn. Crucial to the richness of their learning experience is training the children to study alone, to develop information literacy and other library skills. Self-motivation and independent study skills are the most valuable things we can provide for the children.

Indeed, our greatest aim should be creating dynamic working atmospheres both in and out of the orphanage - to encourage everyone, staff and children alike, to become active intellectually, to engage with the learning process, to enjoy and embrace learning. Our efforts should be as multi-dimensional as possible, exploring basic skills through a variety of different approaches, games and media. Only them can we hope to find a way of engaging as many children as possible. We think it is important, too, to create a healthy external space for the children. A separate place of learning, a stimulating and independent environment, is incredibly important in promoting positive work attitudes, encouraging independent learning and building self-esteem and confidence.

We intend, then, to attempt to change the direction of the children's futures, not through instruction, criticism or theorising, but rather through illustration, co-operation and action. We hope to lay foundations for the future in every aspect of our work, creating long-lasting structures, habits and enthusiasms.

Our goals are, then, as follows:

Aims and Goals

This project aims to provide practical support for the staff and children of Belskoye Ustye, to help them position themselves confidently within the learning process and to create a tangible dynamic atmosphere, which embraces learning and development, in a multi-dimensional way.

1. To work on foundation skills with the Miloserdie groups: basic pre-skills, the foundations of basic numeracy/literacy and study skills.

2. To create a positive and interactive learning environment, in and out of the orphanage, which is stimulating and encourages the children's pride in their work and independent study.

3. To create a healthy external space for the children. Especially the older children, for whom we should look to provide healthy role-models and whom we should support in their preparations for independent life - intellectually, practically and emotionally.

4. To create a detailed file on each child, plotting their intellectual ability and developmental progress. We should measure, too, cognitive and memory skills, creative ability, attention span and receptiveness, listening ability and responsiveness.

5. To further improve relations with the administration and Vospitatle, seeking to engage them as much as possible in the learning process.

6. To awaken the children's a) respect for themselves.

b) ability to self-express.

c) capacity for independent learning.

7. To increase morale and motivation generally, among staff and children; to stimulate a desire to learn.

Executive Summary

PROJECT NAME

Project Belskoye Ustye

Educational programmes in Belskoye Ustye (basic skills training and multi-dimensional social and psychological provision), plus the introduction of an Educational Centre in Baranovo.

STATEMENT OF NEED

·         Only 40% of the children in the orphanage are entitled to any educational input whatsoever.

·         This provision is far from satisfactory.

·         Without extra help, many of the Belskoye Ustye children will be institutionalised after 18. This is unnecessary and an extremely miserable option.

·         All the children are entirely capable of intellectual and developmental progress.

·         In order to equip these children for any sort of future outside institutions we need to start as early as possible.

·         Vital areas of support for the children who have endured much in their lives are missing: self-esteem, social skills, self-expression and emotional intelligence development are all lacking.

·         Both children and staff lack motivation; they are not engaged with the process of learning.

BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project aims to provide practical support for the staff and children of Belskoye Ustye, to help them position themselves confidently within the learning process and to create a tangible dynamic atmosphere, which embraces learning and development, in a multi-dimensional way. We want to provide a programme, which tackles the most neglected areas, and focuses on getting every child in the orphanage involved with learning. With many of the children this will involve working intensely on the pre-skills required to begin to learn seriously. We also want to offer sorely missing support in non-academic areas - self-expression, self-esteem, social skills, independent study skills, practical domestic skills.

We will offer:

·         Strong educational basics (pre-primary and primary teaching in numeracy and literacy and science)

·         Creative arts (art, crafts, music, drama)

·         Circle time

·         Self-expression and self-esteem training

·         Staff seminars and workshops

·         Domestic/practical skills for life beyond

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

·         To work on foundation skills with the Miloserdie groups: basic pre-skills, the foundations of basic numeracy/literacy and study skills.

·         To create a positive and interactive learning environment, in and out of the orphanage, which is stimulating and encourages the children's pride in their work and independent study.

·         To create a healthy external space for the children. Especially the older children, for whom we should look to provide healthy role-models and whom we should support in their preparations for independent life - intellectually, practically and emotionally.

·         To create a detailed file on each child - plotting their intellectual ability and developmental progress. We should measure, too, cognitive and memory skills, creative ability, attention span and receptiveness, listening ability and responsiveness.

·         To further improve relations with the administration and Vospitatle, seeking to engage them as much as possible in the learning process.

·         To awaken the children's a) respect for themselves.

                                            b) ability to self-express.

                                            c) capacity for independent                                                 learning.

·         To increase morale and motivation generally, among staff and children; to stimulate a desire to learn.

BENEFICIARIES

·         The 109 children in the Belskoye Ustye Children's Internat, especially the 60% of whom are not, at present, entitled to any sort of educational input whatsoever.

·         The staff of the orphanage whose work is demanding of them and whose burden will be lightened by the time our teachers spend with the children.

·         Those involved in the Social Hotel schemes - a scheme, which provides some lucky children with 5 years of support post-orphanage, equipping them for independent life. Our efforts aim to make their challenge easier and, in the long run, reduce the amount of time it is necessary to spend in the Social Hotel, so that more children could benefit from it.

TIME SCALES

We have set ourselves a two-month period in which to run an initial pilot project and establish the Educational Centre. This runs from the 13^th of October to the 15^th of December.

Should this prove successful, we would continue the project indefinitely. Our ultimate goal is to involve teachers from the Pskov Pedagogical Institute and ideally employ at least one, better several, teacher(s) to work with the children.

PROJECT STAFFING

(see appendix 5 for staff information)

Project Managers(Russia) and teachers: Rhea Stevens and Fern Bunyan

Project Manager (UK) and teacher: Simon Lewis

Project Supervisor: Georgia Williams

TOTAL BUDGET

$ 45000

RESOURCES ALREADY AVAILABLE

·         ROOF already own a house in Baranova, the village next to Belskoye Ustye, suitable for the Educational Centre we wish to establish.

·         Various cards/materials created for these children for circle time/information literacy, created for this year's summer camp.

·         The teachers that will be working with the children already know and have the trust of the children from the past two years camps. We know the children well and have been gathering information on them and have the results of this summer's testing and re-testing to work with. We have also established good relationships with the orphanage administration, especially the Director of Studies and the Psychologist.

·         We have been donated a computer for use in the Educational Centre, complete with software.

·         We have collected a number of books, both informational for us and others to use, and books for the children. We have, then, the beginnings of a library for both staff and children.

·         We have various resources, games and books in Belskoye Ustye, which we use each year for the summer camp, and have proved most useful, year in, year out.

Methodology

On the basis of these priorities, the programme will operate in four main areas:

1. The Miloserdie Groups (9, 10, 11 and 12)

Skill Area

Specifics

Basic Numeracy

·    Counting between 1 and 10,

    progressing to between 1 and 20.

Counting both forwards and backwards

Number recognition

Concrete concepts of quantity

Patterning

Basic addition and subtraction

Concepts of less and more

Shape

Size

Dimensions

Basic Literacy

·    Letter recognition

Basic reading skills

Literary response

Story retelling

Letter formation

Pen control

Phonics

Creative Development

Self expression through various art forms

Self Representation

Representation of others

Global self positioning

Discussion of emotions through art, colour and texture.

Movement games

Literary Response

Reactions to Art and Music

Development of Imagination through art, craft and music

Make-believe

Drama games

Receptiveness

·     Memory Games

Revision games and activities

Story-time

Literary Response

Logic and Memory Skills

Memory Games

Patterning

Logic Games

Puzzles

2. The Baranovo Educational Centre

The Baranovo Educational centre will be a positive and interactive educational space which is external to the confines of the Orphanage. By providing an environment devoted to learning and self-expression, we are offering the children the opportunity to develop their sense of self-esteem in a separate space to the Orphanage, which is their only environment and source of stimulation throughout the year.

The centre will be open to all the groups of children in the orphanage, but we will make special provision for the oldest children in the orphanage who do not receive any education at present, namely groups 1, 2 and 3, offering them regular academic classes, domestic skills lessons and encouraging independent study.

The Baranovo Educational centre will be divided into three educational spaces: a classroom, a sensory room, and a music and movement room.

Educational Space

Skill Areas

Main classroom

·         Educational basics

·         Organised academic sessions

·         Library provision

·         Information literacy

·         Independent study skills

·         Art and Craft activities

·         Art therapy

Sensory Room

·         Sensory stimulation

·         Self-awareness activities

·         Diary writing

·         Literary response

·         Musical response

·         Self-esteem activities

·         Self-expression

·         Independent study skills

Music and Movement room

·         Movement activities

·         Drama games

·         Self-awareness

·         Self representation

·         Self-esteem activities

·         Social skills activities

·         Self-expression

·         Imaginative development

The educational centre will also be the living space for the teachers who are responsible for the educational programme. This will provide the children with suitable role-models, an opportunity to observe independent living and to take part in daily life. By involving the children with and exposing them to a home environment, we are encouraging them to develop many of the vital skills necessary for independent living.

3. Detailed evaluation of progress

One of the most serious issues at Belskoye Ustye is the lack of adequate information on each child, their background, abilities and areas of difficulties. To be able to adequately quantify each child’s development, we will keep accurate and detailed files on each child, plotting their ability and progress over time. Their development will be evaluated in a number of different areas:

·         Involvement in the learning process

·         Academic achievements

·         Desire to learn independently

·         Cognitive development

·         Responsiveness

·         Concentration span and levels

·         Development of manual dexterity

·         Self-expression

·         Self-confidence

·         Behaviour

·         Emotional intelligence

·         Imaginative development

4. Provision for staff training

Staff at the orphanage will be invited to participate (if this year's summer camp is anything to go by, they may be expected to participate by the administration) in our lessons. Co-operation, learning from each other, is key for this project to be successful. The Educational Centre is the ideal location for weekly workshops/ideas exchanges/tea parties etc with the Vospitatle. Guest speakers from ROOF and from various charities working in Moscow and Pskov will be invited to give seminars and workshops.

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