Anita Danielsson, the Head of the department, working with families having children aged 0-12, Karlstad, Sweden

Social workers from Karlstad (Sweden) and social workers from Pinsk (Belarus) at the round table

REPORT

On May 05, 2001 the social workers from Karlstad (Anita Danielsson, Stig Danielsson, Berit Bjurback and Magnus Schedin) met the social pedagogues from Pinsk, Belarus.

The meeting was organized this way:

1.     At 10.00 a. m. the Swedish social workers (4 people) and Belarusian social pedagogues (26 people) gathered at Pinsk secondary school #6 at a “round table”. Altogether there were 32 participants (including 3 members of NGO Kalegium and the interpreter). Everybody introduced himself (herself) and said what he (she) expected from the     meeting. Each Swedish social worker shortly said about his (her) sphere of activities and welcomed the audience to ask questions in order to get more details. The Belarusian social pedagogues asked a lot of questions and also told about their work, answering the questions of the Swedish colleagues. The discussion lasted up to 02.00 p. m.  The social pedagogues from Pinsk decided that they would keep in touch with Karlstad with the help of NGO Kalegium (using their computer equipment).

2.  In the afternoon the Swedish social workers talked with Svetlana Govor, the Head of department of social work (which is the branch of the department of education of the city) in Pinsk. She spoke about the structure and activities of her department. After that the Swedish social workers met Elena Mikelevich, the social pedagogue of Pinsk school #6. She spoke about her work and showed her room and documentation. Elena just graduated from the University and she is the first social pedagogue in Pinsk with the University education. Belarusian social pedagogues are very much interested in the Swedish experience of casework, drug-prevention activities, dealing with children facing violence, many other things. So it could be very good if it would be possible for a group of Pinsk social pedagogues to go to Karlstad for some period of time and see their colleagues “in action”.  

 11.05.2001                                                          Nadya Avsievich, NGO Kalegium, Pinsk