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24/12/09
Connect2Mentoring Celebration brings together children, mentors and representatives of socially responsible business
As a part of Everychild Ukraine's ongoing commitment to work in the best interests of the child, EveryChild Ukraine organized an important get-together socializing event Connect2Mentoring Day on the 12th of December.
Ira from Clifford
Chance helps youngsters
to stand on ice
Connect2Mentoring Day was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and raise the profile of youth mentoring, it was an end of year celebration for all Mentors and Mentees, who have participated in "Leaving-care services and mentoring" project supported by Kyiv Lions Club, EveryChild Ukraine and British Embassy in 2008- 2009.
The aim of the event was to organize an exciting, memorable and fun socializing event for Mentees - 20 care-leavers (aged 14-16) - orphans and children, deprived of parental care, Mentors, donors in order to expand the scope of interests of children, benefit from the communication with each other and to ensure child participation.
About 20 orphans and children, deprived of parental care from Pereyaslav and Tarashcha, who benefited from the "Leaving-care services and mentoring project", 15 mentors, 5 specialists from internats and school of social adaptation for care-leavers, social services, 6 volunteers from Clifford Chance and Ernst and Young Ukraine, EveryChild Ukraine staff took part in the event which gave mentors the opportunity to share what they love about mentoring, what makes them feel supported and ways they can further promote youth mentoring in their community.
First hit After morning tea, volunteers and EveryChild staff members accompanied pairs of Mentors and a Mentees, communicated and socialized with them.
Based on a previous survey for Mentees, we suggested places of interest to visit altogether: attended theater play, visited dolphinarium, had an excursion the Water Museum.
Volunteers also had lunch with their pairs sharing impressions from the event. Later volunteers brought mentors and mentees to entertainment center "Dreamtowm" in order to have team activities (bowling, skating, playing videogames) together.
"What an exciting day I had today! I tried figure skating for the first time in my life, met boys and girls from Pereyaslav. I guess this day was romantic and unforgettable", - Viktoriya from Tarashcha internat said.
Her friend Anya added:
What an exciting
day I had today!
"I stood on real ice for the first time in my life, too, played in a team and seen how others do roller-skating, playing golf and other games I had never had an idea about. The day was rich and shiny. Thank you very much for doing this for us".
In the afternoon all the participants met together to share their experiences during the day.
"Thanks to EveryChild I had a wonderful day full of communication and impressions. This day is very important and necessary for children. Cooperation with Everychild Ukraine and their assistance to our local center of social services in Tarashcha can't be underestimated. Not only mentors but common people should take part in lives of orphans and care-leavers, that's why I was very happy to see volunteers at the event", - summarized Michael, mentor from Tarashcha.
On behalf of Everychild Ukraine we would like to thank all participants, volunteers and Clifford Chance for financial support of the Connect2Mentoring day, in particular paying for children's expences during the day. Your contribution and active participation made it possible to organise a real unforgettable experience for children and their mentors.
