“Помимо глубоких знаний о важнейших рисках взросления и современных методах поддержки подростков, на тренинге Фонда “ФОКУС-МЕДИА” я получила и новые ценные инструменты для работы с детьми, оказавшимися в трудной жизненной ситуации. Особенно ценно, что программа учит видеть каждого ребенка как уникальную личность, помогая развивать в нём уверенность в себе и ответственность за свое будущее”, – Марина Братчикова, социальный педагог отделения соцреабилитации в г. Лахденпохья

“На занятиях я узнал, как можно держать себя в руках, чтобы избегать конфликтных ситуаций. Раньше я не задумывался над проблемой буллинга, теперь я знаю, что в любых ситуациях нужно иметь своё мнение и не подчиняться стадному чувству”.

Занятия по проекту «Конструктор Жизненных навыков» учат правильному отношению в коллективе, пониманию себя. Я стал задумываться, почему у меня плохие отношения с другими людьми. Я научился ценить и уважать интересы окружающих людей. На данный момент мои проблемы решились, но не все: я не могу договориться с учителями по некоторым организационным вопросам. Я пытаюсь найти общий язык и взаимопонимание со взрослыми, но пока у меня это не получается.

Занятия программы “Конструктор жизненных навыков” для меня ассоциируются с чем-то игровым больше, потому что для нас игра – это ведущий вид деятельности для взросления. Так как я училась на воспитателя, я вижу, что именно на игровых каких-то упражнениях работа идет лучше. Подстраивать программу в работу с подростками достаточно интересно и увлекательно. Настроение у программы для меня лично вызывает только позитив, радость, эмоции и классную энергетику. Если бы я была подростком, мне было бы достаточно интересно. Потому что какие-то важные темы они раскрывают именно в игровой форме. Мне участие в проекте дает какой-то опыт. Хоть я работала уже с подростками, с разными категориями. Но хотела бы и с такими поработать, как я работаю с детьми с ОВЗ. Это, на самом деле, интересно, очень огромный опыт. Изменения в детях видно. Они становятся более открытыми, более интересными. Они хотят пообщаться с тобой, узнать тебя. Ты хочешь их узнать. Во мне изменения, наверное, есть. Появилось больше понимания этих детей, потому что они многое в себе держат, а вот тут они открываются совершенно с другой стороны. В программе, наверное, нравится именно, как выстроена вся система занятий, что они в игровой форме. И достаточно очень полезная информация размещена. Нет воды. И все кратко, четко и понятно. Что нового узнали о себе? Ну, о себе, наверное, узнала только то, что я могу работать с такими детьми. И это интересно. А дети? Ну, как я и сказала, что они открываются совершенно с другой стороны. Я нигде не видела таких подходов именно в работе с такими детьми. В роли наставника мне нравится то, что дети у меня что-то спрашивают, интересуется.

I became a Champion a year ago. I joined the project after a three-day training. Me and another girl were invited to a re-fresh training. It was unusual because I didn’t come as a volunteer, but just as a new person.

I was very scared then. I was told: “Relax and be with everyone.” I really liked that no one asked about my appearance. Usually everyone asks, even teachers. No one asked about my peculiarity – albinism. This has been a sore subject for me since childhood.

And I realized that “Dance4Life” gives me the opportunity to consider myself from my strengths. And when you work on your strengths, your complexes disappear, you don’t notice your appearance. You learn to use what you are great at and develop it in yourself.

Why do I like being a Champion? I studied for a year and actively led groups, because psychology attracts me, and I’m going to retrain from next year. And now I lead separate psychological groups for teenagers. Dance4Life gave me some kind of base to run the trainings. And now, I understand how to make a structure, but on my own topics.

Alice:
I enjoyed the Journey4Life programme. It seems to me that the Champions coped with their task perfectly. We got all the most important and necessary things in the form of interactive trainings. After the Journey, only positive emotions remained!

Violetta:
I really like the Journey, it’s interesting, gives a charge for the whole week. Everyone respects different opinions. In general, it is interesting, useful and positive! I really like the interactive form of classes 🙂

Polina:
Thanks to this Journey, it became easier for me to understand myself and my emotions, as well as to cope with them. Excellent Champions listened to us and gave advice. And each exercise has left its mark. I am grateful to the Champions and creators of the Journey for this opportunity to get to know themselves and work out their blocks!

A student of the Sverdlovsk Regional Pedagogical College specializing in Primary Classes, and at the moment she is a teacher at the All-Russian Children Center “Orlyonok”, Alyona Kosheleva:

“I was a participant and then a mentor of the My Career project in the 2020-2021 academic year. And I am grateful for the fact that I was able to work with the students and I hope that I helped someone, as the project helped me.

My Career made my old dream come true: based on the knowledge gained on the platform, I successfully passed an interview at the All-Russian Children Center “Orlyonok”, where I had dreamed of getting for 5 years! Thanks to the organizers of the project for this!”

My name is Nadezhda Shevchenko, I study Banking at the Yekaterinburg College of Transport Construction.

Last year I was trained on the “My Career” platform. Most of all, I liked the courses on self-presentation, CV writing and time management. All this helped me to prepare for interviews and internships in Yekaterinburg banks. As a result, I got a job at the bank I needed and the position I wanted.

I think that “My Career” is a very useful resource for all students, without exception. It helps to prepare for a new stage after graduation from an educational institution and gives self-confidence.

Artyom Kholmatov, student of the Ural College of Business, Management and Beauty Technology:

“What have I learned thanks to the My Career platform? I acquired the skills of building successful communications and overcoming barriers. I learned to hear my interlocutor, and this is especially important for my future work in the hotel business. From the “Self-presentation” section, I noted that a person has 30 seconds to win over. And when coming to an interview, it is important not to be late, look neat, speak confidently and to the point. An important block for me was the course about “Time Planning”. After all, a lot depends on how you build and plan your day.

At the end of the training, I took a course on writing a CV and, having received 5 points for it, posted it on the My Career platform. The very next day I got a call from the Euro Hotel and was invited to an interview, which ended with employment. I have been an employee of the hotel for six months now and would like to thank the organizers of the My Career platform for your work, because you really help students and make a great contribution to their future life.”

Valentin was born in St. Petersburg and was brought up in an orphanage. In the 11th grade, he decided to become a programmer and purposefully prepared for this. He received his bachelor’s degree at the Faculty of Information Technology and Programming at the St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technology, Mechanics and Optics.

Then he completed a master’s program in Amsterdam (Netherlands). For several years he lived and participated in scientific projects in Singapore. He is currently working and preparing PhD dissertation in Amsterdam.

He is a regular speaker at online meetings of the My Career project. Valentin motivates youngsters to develop, constantly learn, set goals and achieve them.

I am Alfreda, and I am the Champion4Life of the Rostov-on-Don team. I am studying at the 5th year of medical university. And from the very beginning of my studies I have been doing volunteering, in the field of medicine, of course.

I joined the Dance4Life team 2 years ago, taking part in an event dedicated to HIV infection. Now I am the coordinator of the rapid HIV testing team. I test and advise people on HIV issues and, together with the team, help organize various preventive measures.

How did I become a Champion? I completed the Journey4Life programme, and then participated several times as an assistant to Champions. And so, only after that I passed the long-awaited training and received the status of a Champion. I have already released about 80 People of Change, and I’m going to continue further.

The project gave me the opportunity not only to become part of my favorite team, but also to find and discover new qualities in myself, gain new knowledge, gain invaluable experience. In addition, the most important thing is that I can share this experience and knowledge with the group, and help them to open up and better understand themselves. And this cannot but inspire us to move on.

Dance4Life is about emotions and changes.

I got into the project in 2015. And after 2 years, I was trained by Champions4life and began to give emotions and the possibility of changes to others. In December 2018, I met Tess Payron from Amsterdam. She came to us in Nizhny Novgorod. So I saw with my own eyes that a person from another country also appreciates the project and makes it better. And I decided for myself that I need to grow further and now I am already developing Dance4Life at the regional level.

Dance4Life is growth. At first I was just a volunteer, then a Champion. This year I have already become a mentor of new Champions. I was also honored to take part in an international meeting where representatives of all participating countries of the project gathered to exchange experiences.

When I entered the university, I realized that I was interested in some kind of social activity, volunteering. And when I found out about the recruitment for the “Journey for Life”, I decided to attend these trainings. It was a first time heard about the Dance4Life project. I remember the feelings when I came to the first meeting.

My main emotion was a wild surprise, because we spoke out, no one interrupted us. Participants respected different opinions. I think it was one of the decisive factors why I stayed, went through all 10 meetings and acquired the honorary status of “Man of Change”. After the training, I realized that something had changed in me. I became more open, I wanted to listen to other people, help them. I have learned to boldly express my position, not to be afraid of condemnation. Yes, the Journey has opened my eyes to many things. When I found out that a set was being held to train future Champions, I didn’t hesitate for a second. Arriving at the training, I realized that these would be the most wonderful days of my summer 2020. I found new friends, and, of course, now I can proudly be called a Champion.

What did the project give me? Emotions, friends, communication and facilitation skills, knowledge, experience and freedom. I noticed that now I look at many things easier. It became easier for me to communicate, easier to talk about some acute social topics. And for this I would like to say thank you to the project and the people who are in it.

I got into the Dance4Life project by accident: I met the curator of the project and learned about the HIV problem. Many people still do not know about the ways of transmission of infection and how HIV differs from AIDS. Thanks to D4L, we talk to young people about topics that they cannot discuss with their friends and family.

When our curator told me about the training of 4Life Champions, I immediately agreed to go and get training. There was a very cool atmosphere at the training and most importantly, we went through Journey4Life ourselves. Until the Champion himself feels the program, emotions, he will not be able to work with the audience.

At the moment I am doing military service and the experience gained in the project helps me a lot. Thanks to the project, I learned to communicate with people, became morally stronger. And now, if I find out that someone I know or military personnel has HIV infection, I will not turn away from them. I’m just going to communicate with them the same way I did.