Penza, 10 January 2012. PenzaNews. Eleven pupils of children orphan house №3 of Penza took part in the social project of public organization “Blagovest” allowing orphan children to spend some days in families, join their everyday life and master skills which can't be received within the limits of social institution.

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According to Maria Lvova-Belova, the coordinator of the project, the primary goal of this program is to prepare children for independent life.

As she said, Christmas guest mode lasted from January, 4th till January10th. It’s the next stage of the project of public organization “Blagovest” which has realized since February, 2010.

She said: “In the beginning 18 children participated in it, now their number varies from 11 to 14. It means that the project is very difficult, but it yields very good results”.

She explained that each volunteer family of “Blagovest” accepted one or several pupils of the orphan house, earlier for an appreciable length of time communicated with children staying with it, therefore the stress for both parties was minimum.

Maria Lvova-Belova said: “Children visit families once in one and a half month. The minimum time of a finding in a family — 2 days, but, depending on possibilities and desire, it can be more long term, for example, 5 days”.

Answering the question whether children have psychological problems connected with returning back to the orphan house from the guest family or not, the coordinator of the project has expressed the opinion that children had already received the greatest stress, when they had been sent to an orphan house.

She said: “We promise nothing to them, we do not say that we take them away forever. Some children plan to return to their native parents who are temporarily deprived the parental rights”.

Maria explained: “The families communicate with children, explain that they want to be friends, supporters and advisers for them. If a child accepts such conditions, he will participate in the project”.

Maria Lvova-Belova underlined also that before the beginning of the guest mode a family have conversation with the psychologist. Main complexities are discussed, former experience is analyzed. They also discuss what help can be rendered to children when they stay in a guest family.

The curator of the project said: “Life during a guest mode shouldn’t become a holiday for a child. A chilkd should just take part in all routine deals of the family. The child should feel that all members of the family trust him and he is a family equal in rights”.

According to Maria Lvova-Belova, it’s nice that children visited families during New year holidays.

She considered: “Time of preparation for Christmas and a holiday as any other time in a year opens family traditions, involving in this holiday vanity of our children”.

Speaking about families that can take part in the project, Maria Lvova-Belova paid attention that they bring children to the families of volunteers of public organization “Blagovest”, but any family can become a guest family if they want.

She said: “For this purpose it is necessary to issue the package of documents similar on what prepares for guardianship over the child. Usually it takes 2 weeks. If the family wants to help the child it is a small term for them”.

Maria Lvova-Belova summarized, having underlined the importance of the measures of public organization: “It’s much more difficult to bring a child to the family than to bring gifts to an orphan house”.