REPORT
ON ACTIVITIES IN SARAJEVO “LEARNING CENTER “
FOR THE PERIOD JUNE-DECEMBER 2009
The mission of the Organization is to include children and youth with special needs into the everyday currents of life, to educate them, and to support their parents and train them also.
The main project of the Association is a Day Care Center, for education and rehabilitation of children and youth with special needs, known also as the “Learning Center”. The total number of beneficiaries is between 75 and 125, including the children who stay in their homes, as they cannot move, and go out easily.
REPORT
ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE
FOR
2009
This report concerns projects for 2009 in the Learning Center for Day Care, Education and Rehabilitation of children and youth with special needs, in Association “Joy of Life”, in Sarajevo, BiH. The important mission of the Association is to include children and youth with special needs into the everyday currents of life, to educate them, prepare them for future, to support and train their parents. The total number of beneficiaries is 90, including the children who stay in their homes, as they cannot move, and go out easily.
Our children and young adults
go through the following Creative
workshop activities:
* Arts and CraftsMusic
*Sport and recreation
activities
*
-Psycho-social assistance and support to mothers and fathers
-Active participation of parents in supervising the development of their childrenin accomplishing their rights for regular education and inclusion.
-Training parents in team work skills through the workshops “Open Days”, having knitting, sawing, cooking instructions.
-Voluntary contribution of parents, students in project realization
Creative workshops:
Art and Music Workshops focus on psycho-motor, writing motor, and motor skills development through artistic and creative expressions in children with various types of disabilities.
Music workshops develop interest for music and open the ways to express themselves through it, strengthening positive emotions and need for socializing through music activities. Music stimulates motor senses on different levels. The individual approach, in some cases, is helping children to get music education, and learn about the music culture. This allows the children to be able to express their feelings and thoughts, and to overcome some learning problems by the mean of music. It is done by singing, playing on different instruments, listening to various songs, and dancing. We also organize visits to the music schools and associations, and participate in different events to help special needs children learn about others, and about their differences.
This project consists of 25 children and youth, organized into two groups, age 6-16, and age 16-35, led by the music teacher, Ms. Sladjana Skocajic-Drakovac, twice a week, 3 hours classes.
Art workshop puts together drawing, painting, sketching, modeling, and sculpturing. Children are able to progress in development, having practical, concrete, activities, experimenting with different tools and materials. It involves individual treatments, as well, focusing on concentration, attention and persistence. Team work, interaction, mutual respect and affirmation of individual abilities are cherished, and lead to mental and physical rehabilitation of the kids. They seem to be relaxed, content, and serene during the workshop, and it helps them to put away the negative aspects and problems of everyday life. They develop a sense of beauty, discovery, and exploration of the new and unknown.
Art workshop is organized for 25 attendants, in age groups, 6-16, and 16-35, run by the pedagogue and art teacher, Ms. Olga Prguda. It involves a helper, and several volunteers, recruited among parents, and students. It is organized twice a week, for 3-hour classes.
Sport and recreation activities are of the crucial importance for our children and youth. We have enabled them to participate in different events, like Special Olympics, swimming competitions, and training in Thermal Riviera facilities, in Ilidza, BiH. Fifteen children were able to enjoy these opportunities, once a week, in the afternoon hours, from 5-9 P.M.
There was also a possibility to use a Gymnasium in the local community, twice a week, for 3-hour classes, focusing on exercises and games, to develop motor skills, improve walking and running abilities, and learn how to play and compete as a team. It is led by the trainer Vjekoslav Saje, and one young adult student volunteer, as assistant.
Reading Therapy in groups is a good addition to the individual work, and helps in psycho-social development, socializing and interaction in the group. It develops positive perceptions and attitudes, communication skills, problem solving among peers, and helps individuals to become strong and firm in facing the unpredictable reality. This is of special importance for young adults who have not been included previously, in any of the programs, in their own community, or society. The purpose of this group activity can be seen from the following: the theme is selected, it is exercised through all the aspects available for this population, opinions and desires are expressed, etc. We work on humanizing genders and how we associate, behave, and communicate. It was done once a week, for 90 minutes. Specialists formed the relevant groups each week. Ms. Hana Mehic, a psychologist, was presenter in most of the classes.
It is worth mentioning that
students from different faculties, such as a Faculty of Social and Political
Sciences, are having their internships in the
By combining the individual
and group educational programs we expect to achieve the followings:
Individual special education therapy treatments are focused on each child in order to provide various exercises for motor skills development. Program involves children with cerebral paralysis, mental retardation, autism, and Down syndrome. Special attention is paid to children with no mental retardation, but with differences in learning, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity and aggressive behavior.They need support and assistance to be able to attend regular schools, and participate in updated programs of inclusion.This training is led by Ms. Silva Kebat, a special education and speech therapist, twice a week, as per schedule, presented in the expenses table list.
All the programs in the
Learning Center are aimed to build
self-confidence, and self-esteem in children, young adults, and parents, and to
give them tools to become relevant members of the community, and fight for their
civic rights. To that end, TWI for the Children has played an important
role in providing funds, expertise, and volunteers for the operational
activities, and basic projects, and enabling our programs and mission to grow
and succeed. Our Bosnian team of the
It is worth mentioning that we
have prepared project proposals and applied for funding from many other
institutions and foundations during this year, such as: Municipality New Town,
Cantonal Ministry for Social Policy-Sarajevo, SUMERO-Wake Up Consortium, USAID,
Sarajevo City Directorate, Raiffeisen Bank d.d.,
We are still waiting for reply, and the main issue now is that the budgets are cut, due to the crisis, exactly in the areas of humanitarian aid. We are right now preparing proposals for the Holland Cooperative Foundation CNF CEE.
Report prepared by the
Azra Saje
Click here to review the Learning Center Report for 2008.
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