Students of the speciality Psychology of the 1st and 3rd year of the bachelor's degree of the Khmelnytskyi Institute of IAPM visited the regional charity fund «Caritas»
On 16 October 2023, first- and third-year bachelor's students of the Khmelnytsky Institute of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management (IAPM), who are studying Psychology, visited the Caritas Regional Charitable Foundation. This foundation provides assistance to children with various special needs, such as autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Experienced psychologists, rehabilitation therapists and social workers work with these children, providing them with rehabilitation and support.
During the visit, the students had the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of rehabilitation therapist Vitaliy, who shared practical examples from his work. Vitaliy emphasised the importance of an individual approach to each child, stressing that each case is unique and requires different rehabilitation methods. The students were able to see how professional support helps children develop physical and cognitive skills, which significantly improves their quality of life.
The excursion was continued by Valeria, a speech therapist at the foundation, who spoke about her work with children and adults with speech and communication problems. She emphasised that early diagnosis is a key element of successful treatment and rehabilitation. Valeria also demonstrated the methods used to develop children's speech skills and stressed the importance of an individual approach to each patient.
This visit enabled the students to develop more compassion and understanding for those in need. The future psychologists were able to see in practice how specialists work in conditions of constant support for children with special needs. The students noted that this experience inspired them to participate in future charity events and volunteer work.
They also understood the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to working with children, where psychologists, rehabilitation specialists and other professionals work together to achieve a common goal - to improve the child's condition.
The visit to the Caritas Charitable Foundation was an important step in the professional development of the Psychology students. It helped them not only to better understand the problems faced by children with special needs, but also to realise the importance of their future work. The students gained invaluable experience that will inspire them to continue their volunteer work and charitable activities.
We sincerely thank the staff of the Khmelnytskyi Charitable Foundation “Caritas” for the tour and their dedicated work, which changes the lives of children for the better every day.
