Our workshops

The basis of work in the workshops of the Center "Sonyachne Podvirya"  is a relationship based on trust.
The most attention is paid to the strong sides and individual characteristics of young people with disabilities, and not their disabilities.
It is not so important for us what a person cannot do. It is much more important to find out what a person can succeed in.
In any activity we are trying to find an opportunity to use the already formed skills of young people with disabilities, which they prefer to use. The next step is to motivate and consolidate successful activities.
As a result, young people with disabilities develop a positive attitude, interest and readiness for work in general, as well as a working life position and the need for self-realization.
The main task of workshops for young people who are not able to work independently even for a short time, is the development of relationships, communication and personal abilities. At the same time, the main motivation remains useful work and feasible participation in common activities.

The candle workshop is absolutely suitable even for those with the most difficult disabilities.
A variety of operations, together with warmth, calmness, the smell of wax and honey provides interesting work for everyone.
We use sawing and grinding in joinery.
Here you can evaluate the result of your work: run your hand over the board, checking whether it’s smooth or not yet.
If the surface of the board is not sufficiently polished, the tutor will help to continue the work.
It gives young people with disabilities the understanding of their work success, creates a situation, where they can demonstrate the ability to understand how things are done.

Some can carry out the process from the beginning to the end, some can only perform one operation…

Particular difficulties, for example, high levels of anxiety, are considered in our work among young people with disabilities.
Work efficiency can be very low, and switching between operations can be frequent for one with intellectual disabilities.
The short duration of concentration and awareness of the sequence of actions also cause difficulties.
It is impossible to make these qualities more stable, but it is possible to help young people to use the already existing skills productively.
The complete and clear information about everything happening around helps in this case. It’s important to describe the meaning of each operation based on a visual sequence of a work process; joint actions “hand in hand”.

At this stage of development of the workshops of "Sonyachne Podvirya", the main task is to achieve the following skills:
To listen and understand what has been heard;
To express your position;
To observe the rules of etiquette;
To control your behavior;
To build communication in various situations.
The process of making quality products such as candles, kitchen boards, cookies, etc.,  based on these skills becomes possible. It gives the possibility to feel real pleasure with the results of a good work.