Social Habilitation and Rehabilitation Center "Parasolka" of the Transcarpathian Regional Council (Tyachiv) has launched a "School of Supported Living". Four wards of the institution – two boys and two girls who have undergone appropriate training and preparation – are now honing their skills in new living conditions, in a separate building with rooms equipped for independent living and a shared space.

"School of Supported Living" is an important step towards implementing the social service of supported living in the community. In practice, this is, on the one hand, a set of training practices and, on the other hand, a specially equipped building with rooms for separate living and common areas such as a kitchen-living room, hallway, sanitary facilities, bathroom, etc. All parts of the space are equipped with the necessary appliances, furniture, and kitchen utensils. New residents can decorate their rooms to their liking, including decorating them with their own crafts from the facility’s workshops, as Larysa Bohar did.

"We now prepare breakfast ourselves, having agreed in advance what the meal will be. Recently, we cooked tokan. But anyone can make sandwiches or tea if they want to. We haven’t divided up the responsibilities yet; we decided that everyone would participate in cooking, washing dishes, and cleaning the apartment", says Larysa Kanalosh.

When you visit the participants of the "School of Supported Living", you will definitely be treated to tea with cookies and candy, and if you arrive in time for breakfast, you will also be treated to a delicious meal (the teacher in charge is still helping with this).

"We are slowly getting used to it", says Arpad Virah, adding that the space is very well planned and equipped. "And the building is beautiful and reliable. I helped when it was being built", notes Arpad.

After breakfast, classes begin in workshops and clubs, then all the wards have lunch together, followed by free time for their own activities, while some help the staff with household chores. After dinner, they can organize leisure activities together, discuss plans and the breakfast menu for the next day, and here too, they need to develop special communication and interaction skills within the common space. But it is also possible to be alone, reading, doing creative work, communicating on social networks, etc.

Previously, the Center "Parasolka" introduced independence days – every Wednesday, residents learn culinary skills and do household chores: washing, ironing, cleaning, etc. It should be added that, in general, young people with disabilities who live in the facility are involved in its improvement and the arrangement of their own rooms. Everyone chooses a field of employment according to their own preferences: some help employees with livestock, some work in the greenhouse, others like to take care of flower beds, etc. The next stage involves not only improving everyday skills, but also acquiring new ones – in financial literacy, daily planning, choosing leisure activities, including those shared with neighbors at the "School of Supported Living".

The vision and concept of the School were developed jointly by the management of the Center "Parasolka", specialists from the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya, and members of the Association "Parasolka", who have experience in effectively transforming social institutions in Switzerland.

"Eighteen years ago, when the Committee and its partners were planning the construction of the institution in Tyachiv and its further development, they discussed the prospects of creating various services for people with disabilities at the Center "Parasolka", which would be accessible to the entire community. This year, "Parasolka" celebrated its 15th anniversary, and under its roof there are already an early intervention department (since 2019), a social services department (2022), and now a "School of Supported Living". But that’s not all, because we are preparing to open an inclusive café and pastry shop. To strengthen the facility’s potential, the Medical Assistance Committee in Zakarpattya installed a powerful solar power plant there in the fall as part of our "Hybrid Solutions" project, which we are implementing in Ukraine in partnership with the international organization "Electricians without borders" and with financial support from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs", says Nataliya Kabatsiy, director of the Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya". 

As a reminder, the Vilshany Orphanage, which has been under the Committee’s care for many years, is also preparing to open a "School of Supported Living", and the local inclusive café-pastry shop "Kosytsia" will celebrate its first anniversary on December 19. The building for the new department has been completely renovated as part of the project "Improving the Protection of Children in Emergencies in Ukraine by Providing Safe Shelters, Food and Non-Food Items, and Psychosocial Support", which the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya is implementing with the support of "terre des hommes Deutschland e.V." and funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.