Ukrainian Step by Step Foundation
Ukrainian Step by Step
Foundation (USSF) is a non-governmental, non-profit
membership organization whose aim is to
promote the process of democratic reforms in the
educational system by initiating, developing and
implementing activities in educational sector. Through
these activities we aim to ensure equal opportunities
for high-quality education for all children with
active parents' and community involvement, thus supporting
the processes of decentralization of education and
developing community-based education. Underlying
the USSF programs are the principles of democratic
and civil societies and an appreciation of the fundamental
needs of all children and families.
USSF's activities
grew out of the Step by Step Program, which was launched
in 1994 with the support of the Open Society Institute
(New York, USA), Children's Resources International
(Washington, DC, USA) and the International Renaissance
Foundation (Kyiv, Ukraine) to promote democratic
values, as well as parents' and community involvement
in the educational process. USSF was established
on June 15, 1999. At the time of USSF's establishment,
the Step by Step Program was being implemented in
17 regions of Ukraine (out of 25), reaching more
than 15,510 children and their families.
Mission
Statement:
The Ukrainian Step by Step Foundation
aims to promote equal access to high-quality education
for all children, especially children with special
needs, children of national minorities, children
from socially unprotected families or homeless children,
with active families' and community involvement.
In the framework of the reform process of Ukraineís
educational system, this mission is being realized
through the following programs:
Teacher Training
Program
(Basic and advanced courses, ongoing education
of preschool, primary and secondary school professionals
and university teachers):
The USSF`s primary activity
is the provision accessible and high-quality trainings
for different categories of educators (pre-school,
primary and secondary school teachers, school administrators,
university teachers, parents) and on-going in-depth
consultancy. The content and the format of the training
are continuously developed, based on our ongoing
needs assessment and evaluation activities. Our trainings
are consistent in the principles that lead our methodology
but flexible enough to vary the design according
to the targeted audiences.
Inclusion Children with
Special Needs Program
(Teachers training, seminars,
round table discussion, conferences, publishing):
The Step by Step Foundation uses the approach of
partnership with government and non-government organization
dealing with issues of integration of children with
special needs into active life of Ukrainian society
aimed at the implementing and disseminating the best
teaching practices based on child-centered approach,
active parents and communities involvement as well
providing possibilities for implementing it through
school support. Also, developing the public awareness
as for necessity of inclusion children with special
needs into regular classrooms is realizing through
conducting the series of round-table discussions,
developing films, publishing materials.
Education
for Minorities Program
(Teachers training, seminars,
round table discussions, conferences, publishing)
The Program is operated in the regions where the
percentage of national diversity is the highest:
Transcarpathian region (Uzhgorod), Crimea, western
part of Ukraine (Chernivtsi), southern part of Ukraine
(Kharkiv, Izmail). Program activities include trainings
for teachers on best teaching practices including
individual approach, parents' involvement, adaptation
and development educational materials.
Child Abuse
Program
11 schools in Ukraine- cities Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk,
Dnipropetrovsk, Lutsk, Bila Tserkva, Bucha, and Kyiv
implement the Child Abuse Program in primary classrooms.
Since Program development in 1999 the manual for
teachers and parents “Child Under the Umbrella
of Law” was published and included materials about
the
actuality of the problem, the description of the
terminology, kinds of abuse, characteristics of the
children who suffered from abuse, the main law documents,
which exist in Ukraine. The study on Children`s Rights
has been developed and implemented in 2001.
Publishing
Program
The USSF started its Publishing Program to
be able to reach out to a wider audience with its
program activities and relevant, accessible publications
to the educators of different categories of educational
community and, thus, contribute to the mastering
of the theoretical knowledges and practical skills
related to the early childhood child-centered curriculum
as well as interactive teaching methods to nonprofit
management. Our publications also serve to promote
the training services and other projects and events
of the foundation.
Publish professional Journal “Steps to Democratic
Education,” which was intended
for different categories of teachers, faculty who instruct preschool or primary
teachers, and other educational professionals interested in child-centered teaching
methods is published four times per year. It emphasizes change and educational
transformation, based on the experience of the Step by Step Program participants
and those who are interested in democratic education.
Community School Development Program
The goal of the Community School Development Program is to develop the partnership
between schools and communities through the organization of the work of the
schools as the community centers, which initiate and implement community programs
based on the community needs assessment and involve community members into
decision-making process. The program was launched due to the support of Charles
Mott Foundation (www.mott.org) and international renaissance Foundation (www.irf.kiev.ua).
At the time of 2004 7 community schools in 4 oblasts of Ukraine operate as
the community schools.
Board and Staff of USSF in 2002
Board members of USSF in 2002-2003:
Nadiya Bibik,
Chair of the Board, Vice-Director of Institute of
Pedagogy
Igor Kornienko, Head of Laboratory of
Psychology, Lviv Institute of Education
Vira Kuzmenko, Head of Department
of Pedagogy and Psychology, Kyiv University
Svitlana
Martynenko, Head of the Department
of Pedagogy, Kyiv University Mychailo Minakov, Head of Educational Programs,
International Renaissance Foundation
Mykola Swarnyk, President of Parents' Association
“Nadiya”
Vyatcheslav
Zasenko, Vice - Director of Institute of Special
Pedagogy
Current Staff of USSF:
Natalia
Sofiy, Director
Julie Kavun, Program Coordinator
Olena Olishevska, Child Abuse Program
Coordinator
Olga Grynko, Accountant
Nick
Kondratenko, Office Manager
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