I. About “The Way Home”

Our organisation was established in 1996 and it was later officially registered in 1998.

The aim of the organisation is to provide complex medical help, psychological support and social adaptation to homeless adults, street children and drug users.

At present, the organisation engages in three types of work:

  • Preventing homelessness amongst children and supporting children who decide to leave the streets;
  • Working to lower the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and drug use, and implementing projects to that effect in prisons and among street children; there are more than 6 000 people we help this way every year;
  • Providing social and medical services to homeless adults; between 1000 to 3500 adults are helped each year.

The problem of homelessness amongst children is of a complex nature related not only to the children, but most importantly to families. We have openned our own Education and Health Centre for Street Children, which is a first centre of this kind in Ukraine. The Centre offers support to children and their parents. To all people who turn to us, we offer legal advice, health services offered by our associated hospitals and psycholgoical support, especially to victims of physical abuse. Our organisation invites street children and children from vulnerable families to summer camps outside of the city, where they can rest and enjoy peaceful environment. On regular basis, our organsiation does social patrol, i.e. driving the streets of Odessa and distributing food and medical appliances to homless children and adults.

As part of our projects aimed at lowering the prevalence of HIV/AID and drug addiction, we are rising awareness about the dangers connected to sharing needles and about HIV/AIDS in general. We are also trying to help injection drug usesrs by running Community Centre and enrolling them for antiretroviral therapies.

We work with homeless adults helping them to register for social services and we also provide our own support to those in need. We also work for the community by publishing a monthly newspaper, ‘The Way Home’, which addresses issues related to homelessnes, and by organising a football team made out of homeless adults.

II. Opportunities for Volunteers:

Our organization offers a range of opportunities for volunteers. Each volunteer may choose an area that fits with his/her interests and past experience. These are:

  • Social Patrol – distributing food and medical assistance to the children living on the streets
  • Helping in the daily work of the organization – organizing activities for the children, helping the children with their homework, etc.
  • Special offers for the children, e.g. lessons on dancing, teaching languages, doing art etc.
  • Summer camp
  • Helping in the maintenance of the premises – fixing and maintain the building of the organization, painting the walls, plumbing, carpentering, etc.
  • Office work – fundraising, translations, etc.

III. Who are we looking for?

We are happy to work with anyone who is willing to make a contribution to the work of our organization, regardless of their level of Russian. Please do not feel discouraged, if you are not able to communicate in Russian. Of course, depending on the language skills there are different jobs you can do.

Information for Russian speakers

If you speak Russian it should be possible for you to help with any of the activities mentioned above. Of course, we understand that the list above may not include some of the things you would like to do at our organization, but we are most open to your suggestion and would be happy to provide means for any work you would like to do, even if it goes beyond what we are doing at the moment.

If you speak Russian on an advanced level then you are welcome to stay for a long term internship. This is an opportunity that could be particularly interesting to the students who are planning their gap year or year abroad.

Information for others

 

Even if you do not speak Russian you are still welcome to come to Odessa. Obviously, the range of activities you may undertake is more limited, but still your work would be of a great importance to the “The Way Home”. We are particularly in need of volunteers who would be willing to help maintaining our premises, e.g. painting walls, fixing holes, plumbing, carpeting and decorating. It would be great, if you had some construction related training before, but it is not required – we would be equally happy, if you could help us fundraising in your own language.

It would be also very helpful for us if you are able to bring some second hand stuff for our children, e.g. clothes, shoes or toys.

If you would like to know more or you would like to join our team please write us an e-mail at office@wayhome.org.ua.

IV. How to apply?

  • Application Form
  • Letter of Recommendation from your academic institution or from your work
  • Description of the work you want to do at the organization
  • Passport copy
  • Photo
  • CRB check
  • Copies of Language Certificates (for long stay only)

V. Further information

If you have any questions please contact Sergey Kostin at office@wayhome.org.ua – feel free to write in English or in Russian;

How to prepare for the stay in Odessa?

a)      our organization helps its volunteers to find accommodation in the city;

b)      calculate the amount of money you’d need for the stay (about 650-800$);

c)      check whether you need to have appropriate injections (e.g. hepatitis A and B);