First Step GeorgiaJane Corboywww.firststepgeorgia.org

The Beginning

Arrived in Georgia in November 1994

The break up of the Soviet Union

A country in general crisis

Grinding Poverty

Massive Inflation

Average salary $15 per month    

State pension $7

   

Everything had broken down

The economy

Health system

Education system

Many vulnerable groups

Old age pensioners

Children institutionalised because of poverty

Street Children

Disabled children

Orphanages

75 orphanages in Georgia home to over 8,000 children

4 orphanages for disabled children

Visited Kaspi in March 1995

24 children died there the previous winter

There is only one word - Horrendous

Kaspi

Kaspi 2006

Kaspi

Kaspi

UNICEF, Echo, Save the Children, Caritas Georgia agreed to work together to bring about change

Programme was created ....to help four of the most needy orphanages including Kaspi

Result.....No ResultThe Programme ran for 6 Months with a break then a further 6 Months and cost $200,000

There was little or no difference to the lives of the children

They still lived in a vacuum

Staff attitudes had not changed

There were still horrendous accidents

Medical evacuations

New ApproachA whole new approach had to be found in the care of special needs children and young adults

2006/2008 it was necessary for FSG to fund a food and heating programme for Kaspi

1998 - decided to create an NGO - First Step

Nino Zhvania the wife of Georgia’s leading reforming politician- Co-founder

Government offered old Soviet buildings and hospitals

300,000 IDP occupied any decent unoccupied buildings

Finally the government offered land in a suburb of Tbilisi

During 1998/9 Georgia in very difficult situation economically

Funding to institutions was irregular

In order to avert another tragedy we were advised to evacuate 30 very sick children – and one year later........

First Step Georgia created a multi disciplinary team consisting Psychologists, Pediatricians, Special Teachers,

Trained Social workers and Occupational therapists

The Village

In 2000 construction started on the first building on what is now known as the First Step village

Autumn 2001 caregivers recruited and their training commences

April 2002 - 12 children move to the their new home

Initiative pilots decent residential care

Nino Zhvania at the Village

The Village

In 2003 First Step starts integrated education in Tbilisi state school

Day care centre opens in Georgia’s third City Zugdidi for 20 special needs Children

TFS social workers become involved in state deinstitutionalisation programme

15 children are returned to their birth families

Zugdidi

In 2004 a second residential cottage opens in the First Step village for a further 12 children

TFS social work team work to prevent abandonment of children with disability

In 2005 alone 5 cases were successful

In 2005 First Step opens a day care centre in the village for children and young adults with moderate to profound special needs

Zugdidi Centre

St Michaels HouseIn 2005 St Michaels House in Dublin host 5 day policy trip for Georgian policy makers

In 2006 two psychologists, a social worker and special teacher spend 8 weeks working with St. Michaels House on a trainer of trainers programme

2007 FSG trainers create training manuals adapted to the Georgian reality

• The Government of Georgia make Kodjori home available for the re housing of the remaining children and young adults from Kaspi.

• Re construction work starts on the Kodjori building

• FSG professional team recruit potential caregivers and start their training

• April 2008, 25 youngsters from Kaspi move to Kodjori

• FSG raises funds for renovation, UNICEF fund staff training

Empowering ParentsFSG pilots following programmes with funding from Irish Aid

1. Home based care

2. Semi independent living for young adults

3. Empowerment of parents

4. Awareness building

5. Job coaching

Kodjori Reconstruction

2008/2009 UNICEF request FSG to run training programmes for caregivers in state run

institutions.

FSG WORKING WITH UNICEF

Kaspi Closed

In November 2008 the last remaining young adults leave Kaspi

Kaspi is finally closed

The same day Irish Minister Michael Martin visits First Step Georgia

What we have learnt and our conclusions

Short term action- Saving Children’s Lives

Long term Actions

Working with Government on Policy- Very Important

Capacity Building and training in the sector

Raising Awareness

Constant assessment- Taking account of political and economic reality in the country