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Since rehabilitation and social
service centers for children with disabilities are concentrated
mainly in Yerevan and there are very small numbers of organizations
dealing with problems of persons with disabilities in provinces,
Bridge of Hope decided to lend a hand also to children and youth
with disabilities living in the provinces as well as to their families.
The choice of the province was not accidental: high poverty level and disastrous consequences of war were taken into account. Today the doors of child development centers are open for children with and without disabilities of the province. The goal is to involve children with disabilities and children with special educational needs in the life of their community by means of various courses, social skill trainings, art and sports. Today Child development and family support community centers founded by Bridge of Hope function in Dilijan, Ijevan, Berd and Noyemberyan towns of Tavush province. The following organizations supported in establishment and development of child development and family support community centers: OXFAM (Great Britain); NOVIB (Holland) with co-financing from Embassies of Great Britain and Germany; UNICEF. Starting from 2008 Child development centers are financed also from state budget, by Republic of Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, as well as by Dilijan, Ijevan, Berd and Noyemberyan municipalities. The centers provide services to children with mental and physical disabilities and non-disabled children to develop their social skills to participate in school and community life. The large part of the learning experience is socialization through Art Therapy, Speech Development, Life Skills and Physical Therapy. Children learn to cooperate and share with peers, to take part in group activities and talks, and to take responsibility for their own actions and for their own learning. Through individualized programs children develop skills they need for social interaction and participation.
The training develops children's speech, communication, interaction, self-knowledge, world perception, decision taking, cooperation, self-service and other important routine skills that every child needs for full valued life and development. Special Education: Individual Studies Children with special educational needs develop their educational abilities and acquire skills that help their inclusion in schools, their equal participation in lessons and school life with their peers. Art Therapy Art therapy helps children to creatively express themselves, communicate, express their feelings and imaginations, and recognize themselves and the surrounding world. Unlike adults, children are not always able to logically express what they feel by means of words. But when they take pencils, paints and brushes, they forget about all the bonds hindering them, use their limitless imagination and soar freely in time and space. Art therapy helps children to see the differences and likenesses in people, surrounding world and nature, realize that it is this diversity that makes the world beautiful. Consulting Services The unawareness of persons with disabilities and
their families of permanently changing social sphere laws and policies
on the one hand and bureaucratic red tape and obstacles on the other
hand make them helpless. Consulting services inform people about
laws and policies, help to overcome bureaucratic obstacles at different
levels and learn about their rights. Physical Therapy The physical therapist restores and develops children's supporting-motional and minor functions, prevents limitations of functions; train children how to use orthopedic and supplementary equipments and wheelchairs. The ultimate goal is maximally develop children's independent living skills.
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