Every child believes in miracles, but these children believe especially. They wait that a kind magician will raise its wand — and everything they dream will be fulfilled. A fine holiday for the children from Osa and Rudnichny children’s houses was organized with the help of the Management agency of Perm Regional social services. These events were held in the course of the regional goal program «Family and children of the Perm region during 2007–2010» with the attraction of charity means.
The representatives of Management agency of social services — Kuzhelnaya M., the assistant chief, Kel Ò. the chief of the department on the distribution of children-orphans and children, left without parental care, to families and the chairman of the Perm regional fund of children-orphans and children left without parental care support " Let’s help children " Volkov A V arrived there together with Father Frost to congratulate Osa children-orphans.
Mr Volkov told our correspondent about the event that took place and the project:
-Alexander Vitalievich, tell us how the idea of «Father Frost’s train» appeared?
— The coming to the project of the fund «Let’s help children played a major part in the project «Virtual parents». There were planned different virtual events, organized on the basis of the internet site www.virtualparents.perm.ru and a complex of events, out of the children’s house, that also were aimed at all-round support, development and improvement of the psycho-emotional state of the children-orphan and children left without parent’s care, who are raised in regional children’s houses.
— What did «Father Frost’s Train» present itself?
— Our train visited two regional children’s houses in Osa city and village Rudnitchny of the Kyzel region. In Osa we managed to organize a huger event. It was connected with the fact that children, raised in Rudnitchny children’s house, have more serious problems with their health and so they have far less possibilities to take part in active events in comparison with the Osa children. But we tried as much as possible to bring a part of the holiday to every child. Father Frost and Snow Maiden came even to lying children and gave presents to them. The members of the volunteer squad «Sapphire» and their chief — Irina Levina helped us to hold the event in Rudnitchny.
— Did you manage to bring a miracle to children?
— We hope so! In Osa we had 150 children at this event. They played active games with pleasure as it was a bit December-frosty. Not to get the children cold we sent them from time to time to get warm into the building.
First, buffoons played with the children. Then the children danced joyfully in a ring around their fir-tree. Then they all called Father Frost. Father Frost and Snow Maiden came to children on a real Russian troika, their costumes were so beautiful that all — children and adults believed in fairy tale. It was so spectacular, if you could just see the children’s reaction — firstly, their eyes wide open and then — absolute delight!
The script of the event was written so that we could play games, hold competitions and ride the troika simultaneously. Each teacher knew beforehand which child and at what time should be placed in Father Frost’s sledge.
This horse ride and other games left in the children a lot of positive emotions. All of them were really happy. They were so delighted that we, those who came with the Father Frost’s train, felt the desire to ride that wonderful troika, but the coachman had more than many passengers even without us.
In the end of the feast the children touched magic — Father Frost led the children to the Magic Tree — it was a special tree of light diodes — a present from our sponsors to the children’s house. The children touched the branches of the tree and made wishes. And then, of course, there was giving of the presents!
On the whole, there were bought quite a lot of presents. Part of them was given as prizes during the games, other presents were formed in big sets, each for a group. The sets were collected considering the wishes of the children and the teachers. We considered different interests: toy plates and dishes, various development games, soft toys, puzzles, construction sets, sports stock etc. We tried to consider all the interests and needs of this category of children.
— Such scale action for certain demanded some great spadework.
— Yes, we have done very serious job, and we would not cope it without our experts. I’d like to thank from the bottom of my heart the group of professionals led by Arseny Valerevich Nemchenko. He provided carrying out of the event at the highest level. Arseny Valerevich Nemchenko and I preliminary went to the place, and discussed details of the organization. For example, the troika was picked up and brought from Ust-Kachka; also the technicians came in advance, and fixed the light-emitting diode tree.
— How much hard was it to consider the features of the children’s health during the organization of the holiday?
— Children in general feel more delicately the emotional mood, and for the given category it is especially important. It is easily seen by the way they communicate with each other — with special care about each other, more tenderly, gently. When they thank for something, console or express pleasure, they embrace, and take your hand without hesitation. These children are very open to the display of love, friendship and care. If they see sincere kind feelings in relation to themselves they contact openly and with pleasure, therefore it is really pleasant to communicate with them. But such communication imposes special responsibility on the adult as he or she, understanding the specificity of the child, should be extremely attentive. One can’t be insincere with these children.
Communication with children with the limited health abilities is a big emotional loading because, while communicating with them, it is impossible to be unaffected to them, or not to share their problems. Somewhere on the background there is always a thought, that, having played with them and having had fun, you will leave, and they will remain here, in these four walls. It is not easy to accept it.
— And how do the children react to the visitors and new people in their boarding school?
— Though we only had time to get acquainted, at once they treated us with greater interest and accepted us warmly. They, as any other children, try to reach everything new, aspire to learn the world around them as far as their opportunities allow, and any new contact for them is not only joyful event in their life, but also the invaluable opportunity to expand the communication circle and to pass social-psychological adaptation. They are more open and, probably, therefore they are less protected.
Their ability to display attachment is very high. During the holiday when we went aside to give an interview to Osa TV, children watched us with melancholy, but did not dare to approach, understanding, that the adults have their own affairs. Thus it was clear that they wanted us to return very much — they waved hands to us, smiled, and tried to draw our attention somehow. And in such minutes you feel especially deeply the sense of de Saint-Exuperie words: " We are responsible for those whom we have tamed «.
— What prospects of the «Virtual parents» project’s development can be planned?
— It is necessary to point, that «Father Frost’s Train» was the first great action of the fund «Let’s help children». It was organized owing to joint financing: basically — with the support of the regional target program «Family and children of the Perm region», and the gifts were bought due to the charitable means collected by the Perm regional fund «Let’s help children». In this case the joint effort of the authorities and the public brought good results. We made a good promising beginning.
After the event on December, 23rd we carried on negotiations with the management of the Osa children’s house. Together we agreed about the beginning of the big system work under the project within the course of the target program calculated till 2010. Both from children’s institutions and from the fund’s sides we will define the persons responsible for the project.
— The project seems to have no analogues in Russia, what purpose does it pursue?
— The project is really unique. It is directed first of all on expanding the communication opportunities for the pupils of the boarding school. Because now they, as a matter of fact, are in the closed space; though this category of children has higher need for emotional contact. The second task is the carrying out of social-psychological adaptation of boarding schools pupils. We plan to allocate from these children those who can be prepared for an independent life. It is, certainly, a super-task.
The main thing is that we have all the opportunities for this purpose: the majority of children have the habitation set after them. However, they nearly always require care and control after them as due to the features of their mentality they are less protected in the household plan, than other people are. They overreact emotionally and they quickly switch from one thing to another, their attention is scattered. They don’t always manage to do such simple things as not forget to switch off gas or water. When they leave houses-boarding schools they are recognized as incapacitated and in most cases they are transferred in psycho-neurological boarding schools for adults and houses for the aged.
But if we manage to rescue even any part of the children with the limited health abilities, it will be a greater victory. Children appeared in these institutions not due to their fault, and they, as well as any person, should be given a chance to change the life too.
And, finally, simply due to humane reasons we should diversify their life, facilitate them fate, as to be constantly in the closed space with the same people is hard for any person, and for them — especially. Let the acquaintance of these children with the external world and other people empathizing them, will begin firstly virtually, on the site www.virtualparents.perm.ru, and then it will grow to warm human relations and become for them that saving thread which they need so much.