Foster parents need support for the resources they require to raise the next generation of social orphans safely and adequately. It is a draining task so Orphans Future brought the foster parents together from October 25 to 26, 2024, in the city of Ternopil to recharge and refresh. This event was made possible by the close partnership of the Orphans Future Foundation (Evhen Hlyva's funds), the Global Fund for Children (USA), the "Ternopil" Hotel and the "Panorama" restaurant providing funds and facilities,
The event is the first of six planned events that will take place over the next 6 months.
At this gathering, foster parents were entertained, had time to be alone or meet with like-minded people, shared their experiences, and were heard and listened to, all of which was intended to contribute to building the emotional and psychological strength of the community of foster parents.
These events have a positive impact on the atmosphere in the family, and contribute to the initiation of new support programs for foster families in the Ternopil region.
As a result of these meetings, parents say that they feel their stress reduced and recover from their emotional burnout. In addition, in talking to others, new ideas and approaches emerge that help parents better respond to the challenges and needs of the children in their care.
We thank Iryna Fents for organizing and conducting psychological sessions during the meeting.
We would like to thank the socially responsible business of Ternopil, namely, Prestige salon, who also contributed for the wonderful gift certificates for our parents.
The parents shared their personal impressions of the two-day meeting: they felt safe, rested, had personal space, enjoyed the dishes that were prepared for them, talked with parent-colleagues about various things, recovered a little, and felt cared for. Finally, they stated that they would like to meet like this more often, in particular to be able to relax and talk to others who understand the challenges they face.
