Care in Action: 140 Smiling Children and Care Parents’ Faces

Turbota v Diji Summer Camps for Family Style Orphanages and Foster Families

“Mom, we are going to Paradise…”– my daughter Sophia exclaimed, as we were about to enter the venue of the camp, “and it was not only about the conditions but also about the camps’ program. It fills you up with good emotions, information, impressions,” says Maria Sakvuk, foster mom.

“I love this camp very much. I feel cosy here. Care in Action helped me to find more friends. Thanks to the activities and workshops in our group I can now more easily meet new people and cultivate friendships.” -Maria Mokryk, 13.

«Care in Action organized two 4-day long Family Camps for 18 FSOs and foster-families which embraced 140 care-parents and their children. L’viv City Department of Children’s Affairs also supported in parts one of the camps.”

Training courses, workshops and even some leisure time for the care-parents were as much part of the program, as were age appropriate STEP life skills lessons, games, sports, and more for all the children and teenagers. Our dedicated staff, trained volunteers and many interns (students of social work) divided the children into five different age groups. The children were kept happy and busy all day long with outdoor activities—driving velomobiles, donkey carts, and adventure therapy on the rope park.

The teens participated in a theatrical quest, played sport games, rode bicycles, getting to learn about themselves, and learning to trust a guide (while overcoming challenging levels at high-rope park), and cooked a lunch for all. They had interactive STEP workshops on “Sex Education” and “How to Present Yourself,” learned working in a team during group games.

“We had great time at the camp, made new friends, spent wonderful 4 days. I liked that we had the quest, accomplished the rope park, and played football. This camp is a cool idea to spend time with volunteers and parents”. -Dima, 13

“I wanted to meet you since a while and this week I had such an opportunity. Thanks a lot to all the volunteers, organizer and other people who make it real. You are a very cool organization. Keep at it!”–Anonymous teenager.

Foster parents had a chance to attend a specialised training course “Providing Secure Base,” to communicate between each other, and also to have some much needed rest and a break from their everyday 20/7 care of their children. All five sessions of the training course were led by our experienced British trainer Janice Lehnis (Care in Action Co-founder) and our psychologist Olena Petrushkevych.

I have received useful information for myself and for my work with children. Now it is very clear for me what aspects of the secure base model I have to develop in my situation…– FSO mother.

I am always looking forward to attending your interesting seminar and workshops which help to solve problems. Also I am very happy to see and talk to other foster families because we all built more friendly relationships here – like one big family. Everyone has their own experience and there is always something to be learned from others. -Svitlana, foster mother.

The improvisation theater, “Pan Kotsyk,” with their amusing comedy show was one of our special guests and brought a wave of happiness to all. Participants partook in a valuable First Aid course and Mr. Orest Hevak shared his unusual life experiences and talked with the care-parents and teenagers about achieving aims and the importance of trust in relationships, in spite of handicaps and major obstacles.

Ten social work students had their internship helping out at our camps:

“During the camp I have learned how to make the connection with children. I could always get pieces of advice and recommendations from Care in Action staff of how to interact with kids and teenagers.”

We are sincerely thankful to all the sponsors and partners who supported the camps, to Starnberg Fellowship who supports our work, to our staff and many volunteers and interns who worked so many hours with all the various groups of children, to the special guests and, of course, to all FSOs and foster families who participated and made these two camps a meaningful time and a real joy!

Care in Action – Turbota v Diji