Safe space that brings offline learning back to children!

We have finished renovating the educational space at Zlatopilska community in Kharkiv region. Now, children and teenagers can catch up on their studies, take part in extracurricular activities and make new friends!

Kharkiv region lives every day to the sound of alarms. But even in these conditions, children have the right to see each other, sit at their desks, ask their teachers questions and experience school life — not just online.

To achieve this, we worked with the Zlatopil City Council to establish the first of two safe educational spaces in the community. It is located in the bomb shelter of an educational institution attended by about 715 children. The process of going from idea to implementation took only a few months, during which time significant changes took place.

The Zlatopil City Council arranged the major renovation of the premises, and we carried out cosmetic repairs and electrical work, as well as furnishing the space with furniture and technical equipment.

We did the following:

• created a design project for the space;

•  conducted cosmetic repairs to the bomb shelter;

• installed electrical wiring;

• purchased and installed furniture, appliances, and equipment for classes and extracurricular activities.

‘Children love going to this safe, educational space. Since some classes at our lyceum have only attended offline classes one or two times since the beginning of the academic year, this space provides an opportunity for them to meet, communicate, and catch up on any gaps in their knowledge. It is perhaps the only chance for children to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of school life. Visiting the space gives them a sense of security and support, and the opportunity to spend time in a comfortable, friendly environment,’ said Tetiana Holubenko, Coordinator of the Safe Educational Space in Zlatopilska community.

The space was opened for the pupils of the school in a hybrid format on 1 September. It is no longer just a bomb shelter; it is now a place where children can learn, communicate, work in teams, and regain a sense of school life and security. Teachers are already using technology actively in their lessons, to the delight of the children.

In the safe educational space:

• classes are held to catch up on educational losses;

• there are numerous clubs: the ‘Piznaika’ early development club, the ‘Craft-ART’ creative handicraft club, the ‘TechnoStart’ club, the ‘Mysterium’ contemporary art club, and the ‘Formula of Health’ health and sports club;

• trainings and information sessions are held;

• a speech therapist and psychologist work there.

Our team is committed to ensuring that even communities near the front line have access to offline education in safe conditions. We would like to thank the Zlatopil City Council in Kharkiv region for their partnership!

‘Improving the level of safe education for children and adolescents affected by war in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions of Ukraine’ Project is implemented in partnership with the international organisation Plan International and the NGO DOCCU with the financial support of the European Union.

View more photos of the safe educational space in the photo gallery.