Marharyta Vynohradova, a student of Faculty of Humanities and Pedagogy: “I have a strong desire to help disabled people and I want to devote my life to this profession”
There is no need in talking about the importance of practical training in future specialists development. Everyone understands the necessity of the knowledge and skills acquired during training and production practices. Thus, the faculty of Humanities and Pedagogy make much attempt so that students master their future profession only at best domestic and foreign practice bases. Marharyta Vynohradova, a first-year student of specialty “Social pedagogy” stood the chance to see the system of social work with disabled people in France. Actually, we talk about her impressions after she had her academic practice.
Marharyta Vynohradova, a first-year-student of Faculty of Humanities and Pedagogy:
— Tell us how you got this chance and what is the aim of this practice?
— I have trained for two summer months in Lemoges region, France. There I worked at association «Le Puy Bâtard», which organizes a rest for disabled people. My French teacher Nataliia Rudnytska supported me. She organized my interview with representatives of Federation of exchange “France-Ukraine” which took place in our university. The interview was successful and as people say, good bye, and, France hello! I want to thank my university and Faculty of Humanities and Pedagogy for enabling students to go abroad, federation staff and namely president Jacques Forgeron, a federation representative Anhelina Klymchuk and a representative in France Monique Frikone, who supported and helped me, got interested in my practice and visited me often. And special thanks goes to my family for the support I needed.
Actually the purpose of the practice is dual. On the one hand it is obtaining new knowledge, acquiring skills in a social sphere and helping disabled people in France, and on the other hand it is a language practice and improving my French.
— Why French, almost everybody studies English nowadays?
— It happened that at a specialized school I studied both French and English. My choice of English is justified as English is a global language. But I decided for myself that it will be useful for me to learn one more language and later some more. They will open up many perspectives for me. And finally, it was interesting to learn the language of Voltaire, Hugo, Balzac, Camus…
— What were your duties? What did you learn there?
— Since the association offers recreation for people with disabilities twice during the year (summer and winter holidays) my duties also included the maintenance of physical, moral and psychological support for these people. I first worked with people with various mental and physical disorders, learned to communicate properly with bipolar people, people with maniac and depressive disorders. In addition, for two months I significantly improved my communicative competence. And while communicating with many people from different countries, I, of course, gained a valuable experience. And most importantly, I realized that I have a strong desire to help people with disabilities, and that I want to dedicate my life to this profession.
— Have you seen any peculiarities in social work management in France?
— I would single out some most important features, in my opinion. First, people with disabilities there are truly a very important stratum of society. They all work here as they work in any other European country (I looked after the woman with severe disorders of the musculoskeletal system, she is a teacher of economics in high school). Secondly, mostly volunteer associations are interested in organizing recreation for such people. Finally, all communications, infrastructure, regardless urban or a rural area, are adapted for them. There exist no physical or information or any other barriers. All efforts are directed out to everyone, even with the most severe disabilities so that they were a part of society.
— How did France surprise you? Have you learnt about its cultural heritage?
— During my practice I think I saw more than for the last five or six years. We visited various orchestral concerts, expositions of both modern and medieval art, saw castles of the 14th and 15th centuries. We also saw how masters make products from glass, wood, clay, produce stained glass and sculpture. And that is not all. Generally France surprises me by its mentality. The local people are very active and friendly. All care about tidiness, not only about their welfare, but also about other people.
— And finally some pieces of advice to your colleagues.
— Our university offers great opportunities for students but to take advantage of them a student needs to have three things such as desire, perseverance and dedication. Learn languages, get curious, self develop, communicate and discover the world!
Olha Nakonechna