Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya" continues, together with its partners, to support initiatives aimed at sharing best practices and enhancing the professional skills of specialists who provide comprehensive services to people with disabilities.

These days, physical therapist Claudia Leu has been working at the Municipal institution "Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities "Carpathian Pleso" of the Zakarpattia Oblast Council, with the support of the Association "Parasolka" (Switzerland). She conducted a series of sessions with the Center’s residents, who currently live in the renovated "Narcissus" building. This is not the first visit by the specialist from Switzerland to the social facility in Vilshany. Last year, she helped set up the physical therapy room in the new building and configure assistive devices for the residents. Claudia Leu continued this work this year and also facilitated professional development by collaborating with the team of the local inclusive resource center, which serves, among other areas, the village of Vilshany.

As part of the project "Bridging Gaps for Resilience: Strengthening Social Cohesion, Peace, and Protection for Children and Youth in IDP and Host Communities in Ukraine," 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 Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the first training and familiarization visit of future physical therapists—three students from Uzhhorod National University—took place in Vilshany. They familiarized themselves with the specifics of the Center’s staff’s work and also observed a Swiss specialist at work.

"We continue to adhere to the principle of professionalizing expertise in the social sector, something we have been working on for a long time together with our Swiss colleagues from the Association "Parasolka". Claudia Leu’s visit to Vilshany is part of this process. The physical therapist not only worked with the children but also helped optimize work with the children—she provided valuable advice on organizing meals and leisure activities for children with disabilities. Local staff, who have had numerous opportunities to observe the work of Swiss specialists both in Ukraine and directly in Switzerland, are gradually integrating new practices for the care and support of the children with disabilities into their work. We rejoice in every achievement, as it is proof that our efforts have not been in vain. This time, we went a step further by creating conditions for an initial internship for future specialists who are currently studying "Therapy and Rehabilitation." This is important given the current demand in the country for specialists who, in addition to their education, also possess the relevant practical skills," says Lesya Levko, project coordinator of CAMZ.

In their feedback, Andriana Chopey, Zlata Bilohub, and Viliena Muchychka shared their impressions of the training session at the "Carpathian Pleso" Center, emphasizing that they had gained a valuable and unique experience that helped them see the profession of physical therapist in a new light. They expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to see the work of a specialist from the inside, gain new knowledge and practical skills, and become even more convinced of the value of their chosen profession.

"Over the course of three days, we had the opportunity to observe a physical therapist from Switzerland working with children who had various severe developmental disabilities. We were struck by how professionally, patiently, and at the same time warmly she approached each child, turning therapy into play and genuine communication. For us, it was essential not only to observe but also to participate in the sessions, try working with the children on our own, and learn through practice. In addition to the practical component, we received a lot of useful theoretical information: we were explained the specifics of working with different diagnoses, approaches to children, and the primary role of proper communication and adapting exercises. The staff also shared their own experiences and demonstrated their daily work, which allowed us to see just how responsible, emotionally challenging, yet socially significant this profession is. We realized that sometimes even the smallest movement, smile, or interaction from a child is already a major achievement and the result of great teamwork," wrote Andriana, Zlata, and Viliena following their visit to Vilshany. 

"Both our interns and we, as the organizers of the visit, took our collaboration at the "Carpathian Pleso" Center seriously and responsibly, because, on the one hand, it’s about professional growth, and on the other—and most importantly—it’s about supporting children with disabilities. This was a study visit that lays the foundation for developing the competencies of future specialists who provide psychosocial support and rehabilitation for members of vulnerable population groups. I am glad that we have an effective consensus with our colleagues from Uzhhorod National University regarding the need to synchronize the theoretical and practical components of the educational process for socially in-demand specializations," notes Tetiana Hoydash, coordinator of the project "Bridging Gaps for Resilience: Strengthening Social Cohesion, Peace, and Protection for Children and Youth in IDP and Host Communities in Ukraine."

Among other things, the students were given a tour of the Center’s workshops, they visited the school and spoke with the children there, who were relaxing in "Kolo" (Circle)—a space for shared leisure time created last year by volunteers from "Parasolka" and CAMZ, with the participation of staff from what was then the Vilshany Orphanage and its children. 

"We don’t keep track of our visits to Vilshany—there have been countless of them over the past 26 years. But we always notice the changes. For example, right now, a physical therapist from Switzerland and future Ukrainian specialists have the opportunity to work in the renovated buildings and conduct sessions in the new physical therapy room. But personally, I feel the greatest joy from the changes taking place in the children—they are becoming more open, more emotionally stable, and these emotions are positive. The children learning independence are also already seeing success: they plan their days differently, master more and more new skills, and become more responsible for their daily lives and activities. The products at "Kosytsia" are not just a showcase of items from the workshops, but the best souvenirs from Vilshany. All of this is the result of long and difficult work, but it’s worth it. Everyone involved in these changes will understand me," concludes Nataliya Kabatsiy, director of the Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya".

As a reminder, the renovation of the additional buildings of the Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities "Carpathian Pleso" (formerly the Vilshany Children’s Residential Care Home or Vilshany Orphanage), which currently house the "Supported Living School" and a department for minors with severe disabilities, was carried out by the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya 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," with the support of "terre des hommes Deutschland e.V." and funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.