The friends from the Centre of Rehabilitation of Children with special needs ‘Promin’ arrived in Feldman Ecopark to celebrate the Old New Year. The attended the performance ‘Old New Fairy Tale’ presented by the Theatre of Children and Animals, watched the performances of the artists from the Horse Complex in the show ‘The New Year Vernisage,’ and had an opportunity to ride the sleigh harnessed by horses and donkeys. Later the guests and the hosts traditionally gathered at the friendly table with fragrant tea and treats. The similar visits to Feldman Ecopark of children with special needs from the Promin centre are the part of their psychosocial rehabilitation and are made by popular tradition.
“Our centre takes care of children and teenagers with difficult problems of mental development. There are more than a hundred children and adults in the centre. We teach them to live independently: to take care of themselves, to cook, to go to shops, pharmacies, and to use transport if it is possible,” the educator of the municipal Centre of early general social, pedagogical and labour rehabilitation of disabled children and persons disabled since childhood ‘Promin,’ Valentyna Yahniuk told. “They draw here, make soft toys, dance and sing. We take care of their cultural development: take to the museums, theatres and other institutions were people are ready to welcome us. We were very lucky to find people with the same views, the managers and the workers of Feldman Ecopark. They are always ready to help, we are always welcomed and our children feel happy here.”
It should be noted that children from Promin centre attend the Regional Landscape Park once a week for the equine-assisted therapy lessons. This cooperation exists for almost a year, as it started in February 2016. Last summer they spend the whole session in the Children’s health-improving and educational camp. They rode horses and ponies, took care of animals and plants, took part in walking tours and sports competitions, plays and swam. In short, they plunged into the cheerful and active life of the Children’s Ecology and Nature Study Academy of Feldman Ecopark.
“Our task in the work with special children is to help them to become the full-fledged members of society. And we want the society to understand and to accept them as they are,” the head of humanitarian projects of Feldman Ecopark Iryna Yavorska noted. “For this purpose we are trying to provide them with the possibility to spend time communicating with each other, with animals and with the nature. We fill their leisure time with pleasant impressions for them to believe in good and to love the life.”
It should be reminded that in summer 2016, the Children’s health-improving and educational camp Feldman Ecopark was organized for the second time. During the season, more than 600 young residents of Kharkiv and Kharkiv oblast were able to rest there free of charge. The new direction of its work was the special rehabilitation session for children with special needs. The recreation and the lessons with them were carried out according to the special program, but together with common children in joint groups.
