ESC: Yerevan Special School N 14 for the Children with Visual Impairments

Yerevan Special School №14 for the Children with Visual Impairments was founded in 1939, and it’s the only one in its kind, where the education is organized with Braille system. The pupils come from marzes (regions) of the Republic of Armenia as well as Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. They have various degrees of eyesight impairments. In the course of the existence of the school thanks to the knowledge and education that they obtained most of the graduates were able to find their place in the society, achieving success in various spheres of sciences. The school is not a merely educational institution, but a place insuring a 11 years of safe, secure, interesting and productive life for blind children. There are various artistic working groups in the school – painting, dancing, singing, piano, violin, etc which gives the pupils the opportunity to have a closer contact with different fields of art. The school also provides with professional education, the pupils get the degree in massage acquire computer skills, they actively participate in inter-school educational Olympiads in different subjects – being rewarded with certificates and 1st rate diplomas. The staff of the school consists of 21 teachers of different subjects, 13 educators that come after classes are organizing the leisure time for children, help them to do their homework, run artistic workshops. There is a 24 hour good medical care provided in the school: nurse, oculist, therapist. The organization has a many-years experience of hosting international volunteers for short (international summer workcamps) and long term (EVS/ESC volunteers). The staff of the school is well experienced in working with the volunteers and providing them with a rich learning experience. The staff of the school needs help to organize more activities and different workshops for the children, help in teaching foreign languages and bring new ideas and interests to their work. The European volunteers will bring with them new fresh ideas, new games, new culture, new language and just love and joy. The kids feel their love, their kindness, warmth and devoted work, which is the most important above all for the center. The main aim of the project is to work with children who have different kinds of problems concerning eyesight, blindness. Apart from working with the children, the volunteer will have a possibility to spend his/her free time with them and to learn a lot about Armenia. The volunteer will be involved in discussions and seminars about the future programs of the children and will be able to share his/her opinion on the situation. With the help of the volunteer the staff of the school will be able to organize more workshops, in which the children according to their health can draw, sculpture, sing and dance. The volunteer will participate in most activities with the children and have a variety of different tasks. Through volunteer projects within the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), young Europeans are offered the opportunity to cooperate with the children, providing their skills, knowledge, promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities.