Friday, November 14, 2014

Orphanage Update (Structural Changes)


My counselor friend from the orphanage came to visit us again the other day, and as always she updated me on how things are going over there. There are some big changes going on in how the orphanage is run and funded, from an administrative standpoint.

BEFORE:

-the orphanage was run as an institute of education (like a boarding school?)
-St. Petersburg orphanages had their own extracurricular classes led by onsite specialists (dance and music classes, academic tutoring, arts and crafts, etc.)
-orphanage counselors were by law (and academic background) considered educators and would therefore begin to receive pension after putting in 25 years of work in their field


NOW:
-the orphanage is a social agency
-kids are transported around the city (non-profit organizations lend a hand) to their extracurricular activities since the orphanage is a social agency and not an educational institution
-orphanage counselors are now considered social workers (despite background as educators) and will "retire" with everyone else, when they turn 55 (60 for men)

It sounds kind of funny to an outsider because in the U.S. at least, social work and orphans go hand-in-hand. While I have no doubt that orphanage workers received apt training through their School of Education degree programs, it had always struck me as strange that anything to do with orphans (foster care, host programs) needed to be addressed via the Educational Committee. And that any inspections were done through them. There are a lot of other nuances to do with paperwork, attestations, etc. Whether or not this is a good move in terms of monitoring the care of orphans, the short-term effects may not be so beneficial...

These changes will have an impact in terms of personnel. Nearly all of the counselors I had known at the orphanage will be leaving. Why? Because they are educators, and had been promised a pension after 25 years. My friend Galina is 5 years away. Another counselor I know only had 6 months to go. But if they stay on at the orphanage, their status gets changed to "social worker" and those benefits are lost (or downgraded). So those that had only a few years left are leaving to finish out their careers at schools and kindergartens...maybe to return, maybe not.

Who will be working at the orphanages? Most likely, a combination of younger social workers (who do not have enough years of experience to mind the loss) and older staff who are already getting their retirement benefits and working practically as volunteers. Galina told of one older academic tutor who is now listed as "housekeeping," because it just doesn't matter for her at this late in her career.

What about the kids? The orphanage is seeing a lot of troubled kids these days. It's uncertain whether intake is being handled differently (one girl is suicidal, yet was placed in a regular orphanage?), if they're hurting because of all the staff changes, or if it's just a sign of changing times. What will happen to them when the good educators leave and the new, inexperienced ones come aboard? Where is the incentive for professionals to work in orphanages? I didn't used to be of the "leave it to the professionals" mindset, but there is a certain skill set needed for working in an orphanage...street-smarts, too.

As for the extracurricular activities...it sounded annoying to me at first; to have the kids running all over town. But then again, that's what non-orphanage kids do. And they do have their own transportation. But still, the orphanage was always a place where you could see rich culture in action: artwork, amazing performances, and the most festive of celebrations. I wonder if they will be able to keep that up in the future.


4 comments:

  1. That's really interesting. I didn't know all that background.

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  2. You would probably understand it more than I could.

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  3. Oh, yes! I remember how amazing all the cultural opportunities were for my children - dance, music, art.... I'd hate to see that go! And, the thing that I think was wonderful in Ivanovo, anyway, is that the caregivers were always so stable! They stayed put for the whole of the children's lives. There were better caregivers there than in any daycare I've experienced here. The children still remember them fondly.

    In Ivanovo at one of the orphanges they were experimenting at making it more "homelike" and the two ways they did this specifically, were putting the children into groups with various aged children, siblings together, too... The other way was sending the children out to school and for other things. The other children were in orphanage/schools. The children who were in this experimental orphanage experienced school as a nightmare. They were bullied and harassed, and it sounds as though they were treated badly by adults and children alike. I know that Russian schools can be rather strict and all, but the orphans were treated badly compared to the other students in really obvious ways. There seems to be a great deal of prejudice....so I don't know.

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  4. Maybe they are just doing the courses elsewhere and will perform in the orphanage.

    I have seen both division by age and by "family" group. I think even when it's by age they mix it up when there is a need. I'm not sure how the kids are received in regular schools, but I think a lot of the onsite schools have closed by now. Kids sure can be mean, orphanage or not.

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