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Youth Volunteers Help Peers, Develop Awareness of Special Needs Education in Novokuibishevsk

By Susie Armitage

Volunteers as young as 12 and 13 years old are already making a difference in Novokuibishevsk, in Russia’s Samara region. Under the micro-grant project “Education for All,” the Resource Center of Novokuibishevsk recruited and trained 20 middle- and high-school-age volunteers to work with 30 children with special needs. The project was made possible as part of the USAID-funded US-Russia Volunteer Initiative (USRVI), administered by IREX. Over the course of Education for All (February 1 to April 30), the volunteers conducted over 100 after-school sessions, assisting the kids with their homework and playing developmental games with them.

Most of the volunteers had never volunteered their time before in any capacity. To prepare the new volunteers, the Resource Center, in cooperation with the Samara Community Organization for Disabled People, “Desnitsa Association,” conducted trainings on understanding disabilities and how to facilitate educational activities for children with special needs. Resource center staff members were available for phone and in-person consultations throughout the project to support the young volunteers.

Volunteers, children, and their parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the program and expressed interest in continuing the activities after USRVI funding ends. One-hundred percent of the parents surveyed said that the volunteers’ services were helpful, and 71% hoped their children could continue spending time with the volunteers. Seventy-three percent of the children surveyed reported learning new things during their interaction with the volunteers, and 87% would like to work with the volunteers more often. In addition, 86% of volunteers reported a greater understanding of children with special needs, and 100% would like to continue volunteering at least from time to time.

Irina Bredikhina, an eighth-form student, commented, “I’m a volunteer, and I’m really happy that I made this choice! It’s interesting for me to work with the kids, play developmental games, and help them with their homework. I think that if you have free time, you need to spend it well. Don’t just sit at home and watch TV—do something good. Maybe tomorrow I’ll need help, and who will help me if everyone just thinks about him or herself?”

In addition to the after-school sessions, resource-center volunteers conducted a resource drive for local schools and kindergartens that provide services for children with special-educational needs. Six educational institutions received new books, educational games, and toys.

Overall, the project promoted awareness of disabilities and tolerance for those with special educational needs, encouraged volunteerism among youth, and provided needed services to children and their families.

June 2008

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