Provider name NGO Emmaus Ukraine Partner Website Link Reference person within the institution Anastasia Zolotova anastasia.zolotova.emmaus@gmail.com Key words Social adaptation, leaving care, transition house Background NGO Emmaus is an organization founded in Kharkiv in 2011 with the aim of implementing social, educational and cultural projects. The mission of Emmaus is to create conditions for adaptation, social integration and personal realization of orphans, young people with disabilities and refugee children. Since its foundation, NGO Emmaus has successfully implemented more than 10 social and cultural projects. The organization's activities are aimed at (1) increasing the level of social integration of young people with disabilities through access to higher education; (2) promoting the socialization of marginalized groups (people with disabilities, orphans, refugees) through joint educational and cultural activities; (3) promoting the ideas of equality, tolerance and openness in society. In 2013, Emmaus opened adaptational center The Flying House, which functions as intermediate link between orphanage and independent adult life, namely accommodates orphans with disabilities in community housing and offers day programs for adaptation and socialization. The center, which currently has 5 residents and welcomes an additional 20 day-guests with disabilities, offers remedial coursework, vocational and life-skills training such as learning how to run a house, managing money, personal grooming, dealing with adults and moving independently around the house and the city. Also day-guests of the center periodically receive first-support packages, which include food, medicines, cloths and opportunity to take legal and medical advises. Intended outcome(s) Since its founding, Flying house systematically reaches positive results in several directions: 1. support, assistance in socialization and preparation for a full independent life of young people with disabilities and / or orphans after leaving the orphanage; 2. development of the professional community of Ukraine through conducting workshops and consultations with European experts in the social sector; 3. increasing the level of inclusion and the culture of philanthropy, volunteer and sponsorship support for social initiatives in Ukraine. The Flying House offers a new format for accompanying vulnerable youth and in the next 5-7 years, NGO Emmaus plans to scale the proposed model at the national level, as well as implement an advocacy campaign to use the developed model as recommended by the state. Established practice Transition house "Flying house" basic principle is relationship-to-grow - a method of deep social adaptation based on an individual approach to solving problems of each participant, creating a space of communication and support in which person learns to build deep relationships with people and the outside world, discovers his own value and confidence in his own potential Conclusions and recommendations The main goal of the project is to help young vulnerable girls and boys find their place in life and society after leaving the orphanage. Due to the main principle of our work - the person at the center - the solution of global problems we find in attention to a specific person and his or hers situation. This approach guarantees the effectiveness of the entire project: one by one we help young girls and boys with disabilities and orphans to pass entrance exams, go to colleges and universities, get professions, find jobs, make plans for the future and became independent and confident in their ability when it is time to enter an adult world. Additional information Link Link to materials Link Want more information on Care Leavers Network? contact us
