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“You need to know this method if you are to work with children with severe disabilities!” – was what several participants of the workshop “The Basic Principles of the Portage Methodology in Individual Work with Children with Disabilities” were bluntly told.
We continue to work non-stop on the spreading of the ‘Portage’ method in Russia. Throughout the world, many have long been convinced of the effectiveness of the Portage methodology, but in Russia it is still little known about it and it is a country rather behind in how to treat children with mental disabilities. Yet some places in Russia have solidly grasped the concept, such as in the Ryazan region, several orphanages have been working on it for more than ten years, and children who were previously considered “uneducated” and “hopeless” are now successfully developing – having mastered motor and cognitive skills, learning self-service, developing speech, active socialization etc.
Together with our partners, we are striving to equip Moscow specialists with this simple and effective method to help as many children as possible to develop and carry out more high quality lives Hence, in 2016, after the same workshop, the Portage pilot project was successfully carried out at the Center for Assistance to the Family Device “Doverie”, the first time in such an institution in Moscow. The project was successful – even with only half a year of work, children with severe disabilities reacted positively in means of development. In 2017, after the workshop was conducted again, the team of Center for Assistance to the Family Device “Doverie”, expanded, and a new pilot project was started in the Center for Assistance to the Family Device “Skolkovskiy”.
In April, twenty nine specialists took part in the workshop. They were from 10 organisations which work with children with developmental disabilities that are within Moscow, Pskov and the Kostroma region.
Trainers of the seminar consisted of:
• Nina Veddell – Program Development Assistant of Charity Organization “The Promise” (UK); the head of the first Ryazan team of student volunteers who carried out social patronage of families with “special” children using the “Portage” model; coach for “Portage” and the manufacture of specialized furniture of the technology “Papier-mache”
• Gavrilova Olga – teacher, member of the Portage team of the Elatma orphanage for mentally disabled children
• Krasnokutskaya Ekaterina- master, teacher-psychologist, coach on the model “Portage”
All sections of workshop were described as interesting to participants. They were especially impressed with visual photos and videos from the Elatma orphanage and the Ryazan family from UK. Furthermore, practical classes in done groups made it very easy to understand the application of the Portage methodology in real life situations.
Feedback was generally positive, for example:
- “Aimed being a useful working tool which can be applied, not just theory “
- “A good seminar, the materials of which will help in setting goals and easily explainable to parents”
- * “Information was presented in an understandable, simple way with many examples to follow
- * “Productive” “Detailed and visual”, “Useful”, “Needed”, “Necessary”, “
- *”It is interesting and applicable in a professional way”
- “I want to use the Portage system in my work now
- “Super” and even “Cool!”
Overall we would like to mention the following:
We thank the trainers of seminar for their benevolence, professionalism and endless love for children and for their work!
We are grateful to our partners – Charity Organization “The Promise”, ANO “Promise”, and “Elatma orphanage for mentally disabled children” – for their enthusiasm in disseminating the meth and assisting in the workshop!
We are grateful to SSCV “Vera.Nadezhda.Lyubov” for the kindly provided premises for the workshop and assistance in its implementation!
And we thank the attendance of all the participants of the seminar – for their involvement and interest in the methodology!
Together with you, we really improve the lives of children with disabilities!
