In the Lviv workshops of “Lyarsh” they conducted tours and talked about their work. Here they practice occupational therapy, improve household skills, communicate and socialize.
The heads of five regional communal institutions, which are managed by the department of social protection of the population, visited the international organization “Lyarsh”. They got acquainted with the work of workshops for pupils who have their own educational needs.
In communal institutions, they state that there is a lack of specialists who would be able to teach crafts pupils how to work with materials and make things with their own hands.
The leaders visited the “Vytaniya” assisted living facility and the “Lyarshu” office, got acquainted with the work of the “Nazaret” handmade workshop, the “Bdzhilky” carpentry and candle workshop, and talked with friends of the “Dreamers” workshop.
Cooperation and exchange of experience was agreed with the leader of the “Lyarsh” community, Lesya Larikova.
The public organization “Lyarsh” has been operating in Ukraine for about 25 years, and in the world for half a century. The organization was founded in France by a famous Christian philosopher, writer, former naval officer, Jean Vanier. During his life, Vanier visited Ukraine and Lviv several times.
In the Lviv workshops of “Lyarsh” they conducted tours and talked about their work. The workshop has a daily schedule, and each of the friends of the workshop has its own duties. For 6 hours a day, boys and girls, together with assistants, make original artistic handmade items – Christmas tree ornaments made of wood, necklaces made of beads and wool, embroidered cards, candles.
There is a considerable demand for products, and especially for necklaces. They are happily bought on the Internet, at fairs in Ukraine and abroad. The assistants who provide support have a special education – they have completed medical and psychological support courses from the Ukrainian Catholic University. Four pupils are under the care of each assistant.
In the workshop, friends practice occupational therapy, improve household skills, communicate and socialize. There is time for prayer, exercise and lunch. The pupil himself chooses the classes to his liking, and receives a fee for the work.
“Our mission is to show that people with special needs have a gift and value just like us. We go to camps, excursions, organize trips to cafes, theaters, movies. We have a house of supported accommodation, in which internally displaced persons currently live. Abroad, pupils live permanently in such houses. There are 5 workshops in Lviv, they operate at churches. The church helps us with premises and communal services. The organization is looking for funds to provide occupational therapy equipment and to pay assistants,” said Olesya Trush, who is responsible for the “Nazareth” program.
Next time, social workers from boarding schools will come to “Lyarsh” for a master class, who will adapt the experience of a public organization for their pupils. The next step of cooperation is the organization of joint events, fairs and visits of the organization to the communities of the Lviv region.