Community Action in Armenia

07-10 October

Arkadi PapoyanArtashes Torosyan

I. COMMUNITY ACTION PILOT STUDY IN ARMENIA

• Community Action links together Mainstream Schools and Special Schools and Residential Institutions in a clear, coherent and coordinated weekly programme of educational development and social integration. Community Action creates a new and real Partnership of Learning

• Community Action encourages volunteers from Mainstream Schools and children from Special Schools and Residential Institutions to meet 2 or 3 times a week to participate in educational activities which help to build a “Bridge of Communication” between Schools and Institutions, volunteers and children, and across communities

II. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY ACTION IN ARMENIA

• The Community Action establishes a partnership of learning and education between general schools and special schools or children’s care and protection institutions. Project is voluntary based activity and it helps the pupils to become educated in the spirit of humaneness, informed, creative and active citizens.

Highlights of the Year 2010 - 2011

• The Community Action Pilot Study (CAPS) was successfully organized in 2010 - 2011 school year and involving 19 general schools and 13 special schools, 1 college and 1 youth creative center.

• In 2010-2011 Muir John Potter visited the general schools and special schools/institutions in Yerevan and Regions of Armenia, and provided special support and professional assistance for all participants of CA implementation in Armenia.

• According to the Memorandum signed between the MoES and the ACHLG in 5th October 2010 was decided to expand the existing CAPS in Armenia, involving new schools/institutions and insertion of a National Draft paper for Community Action in the strategy of the Ministry.

• A National Conference of Community Action Pilot Study was organised on 13 November 2010 in Yerevan (Armenia) and was attended by Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne, Muir John Potter, Manouk Mkrtchyan (Deputy Minister of Education and Science). The directors and coordinators reported about CA implementation and shared their experiences.

Highlights of the Year 2010 - 2011

• The Community Action activity was organised on 18 April 2011 in Yerevan (Armenia) and was attended by Baroness Sheila Hollins and her colleague Lord Lyndon Harrison.

• In 2011 the Community Action 3rd National Celebration Event was organized on 7th May at Special School N 8 in Yerevan and was attended by representatives of the MoES and NGO’s, and by Angus Beaton – ACHLG’s photographer.

• Support and training materials for Coordinators have been prepared in Armenian by Artashes Torosian (National Community Action Coordinator (NCAC), Director of High School N198 in Yerevan) and Ruzanna Muradyan (Director of General School N43 in Yerevan).

• Local and Regional CA Monitoring visits were organised on a regular basis by the MoES and NS CA staffing. The psychological evaluation was also included into observation.

• The MoES has remained in regular contact by phone and A.Papoyan (CA Focal Point), the Deputy Head of the Development Programmes and Monitoring Department, has accompanied the National Coordinator on frequent visits to all the linked schools and institutions.

OUR SCHOOLS

• At present in the CAPS involved 19 general schools and 13 special schools, as well as 1 college and 1 youth creative center. The number of involved participants is near 2200.

Link School / InstitutionDirector

(name, surname) Coordinator

(name, surname)1 High School N 198 in Yerevan Artashes Torosyan Hripsime Melqonyan

1A Special school N 17 in Yerevan Amalya Harutiunyan Marieta Avetisyan2 General School N 43 in Yerevan Ruzanna Muradyan Gayane Avagyan

2A Republic Special educational complex /institution N 1 Larisa Sargsyan Susanna Mouradyan3 General School N 40 in Yerevan Hripsime Davtyan Susanna Hakobyan

3A Special school N 12 in Yerevan Artzvik Arshakyan Susanna Simonyan4 General School N 85 in Yerevan Diana Ghukasyan Armine Hovhannisyan

4A Special school N 8 in Yerevan Varduhi Kheboyan Hermine Haroutunian5 General School N 20 in Yerevan Anahit Khosrovyan Larisa Movsisyan

5A Medical psychological pedagogical assessment center in Yerevan

Vard Katinyan Susanna Alaverdyan

6 General School N 145 in Yerevan Zhanna Tadevosyan Marianush Yeghizaryan

6A Special school N 14 in Yerevan Alexan Aharonyan Tamara Gevorgyan7 Kotayk Marz, General School N6 in Abovyan Slavik Aghasyan Lusine Qamalyan

7A Kotayk Marz, Special School in Abovyan Liova Hovhannisyan Shushanik Zaqaryan8 Lori Marz, General School N27 in Vanadzor Ferdinand Haroyan  

8A Lori Marz, Special School N1 in Vanadzor Sasoun Harutyunyan Alvard Meliqsetyan9 Lori Marz, General School N16 in Vanadzor Grigor Grigoryan Hamlet Araqelyan

9A Lori Marz, Children’s Care and Protection Institution in Vanadzor

Hasmik Nerkararyan  

10 Shirak Marz, General School N31 in Gyumri Artur Ghazaryan Gohar Yendoyan10A Shirak Marz, Special School N3 in Gyumri Lusine Khachatryan Hasmik Araqelyan,

Ruzan Eranosyan11 Shirak Marz, General School N37 in Gyumri Sayat Minasyan  

11A Shirak Marz, Children’s Care and Protection Institution in Gyumri

Gagik Suqiasyan  

12 Lori Marz, General School N8 after A.Shirakaci in Spitak Samvel Matosyan Karine Papanyan12A Lori Marz, Special School N1 in Spitak Miqael Davtyan Laura Asatryan

13 Armavir Marz, General School in v.Lernagog Koryun Makaryan Alisa Araqelyan13A Armavir Marz, General School in v.Dalarik Bavakan Heboyan Tamara Kazaryan

14 Gegharkunik Marz, General School N4 in Gavar Gayane Mkrtchyan Karine Khachikyan14A Gegharkunik Marz, Special School N1 in Gavar Lavrik Arevshatyan Siranush Zaqoyan

15 Shirak Marz, “Endanik” youth creative center in Gyumri Artur Minasyan Zubeyda Hovhannisyan

15A Shirak Marz, Cradftsmanship college N4 in Gyumri Knarik Aharonyan Zubeyda Hovhannisyan

16 Syunik marz, General School in v.Davitbek Grisha Gabriyelyan  16A Syunik marz, General School in v.Syunik Artur Mnacakanyan  

17 Tavush marz, High School in Ijevan Armen Khojoyan Geghetsik Gulakyan17A Tavush marz, High School in Dilijan Ara Aramyan Emma Zargaryan

Summary of Activities (September 2010 - August 2011)

Activity When? Where? What? Who?

Training

2010 October2011 March, June 

Yerevan Kotayk Gegharkuni

k Armavir Lory Shirak Syunik Tavush

Practical assistance,

CA development,

Activities planning,

Coordinators training,

Record books management,

Reporting and evaluation

NS CA staffing: Focal Point -A.Papoyan, National Coordinator - A.Torosyan Participants: Directors, Coordinators, Teachers, Special Teachers, Psychologists,Volunteers

Conferences

November

Yerevan National Conference – CA development and expansion

Deputy Minister, Baroness Emma Nicholson, Muir John Potter, NS CA staffing, Local and Regional CA schools (directors and coordinators), NGO’s etc.

Monitoring visits

2010 October

, Novem

ber, Decem

ber2011 Februar

y March July August 

Yerevan Kotayk Gegharkuni

k Armavir Lory Shirak Syunik Tavush

CA monitoring,

Coordinator’s Record books

Muir John Potter, Diana Tascu, NS CA staffing: Focal Point -A.Papoyan, National Coordinator - A.Torosyan 

Evaluations

2010 Novem

ber Decem

ber2011 April, May, June

Yerevan Kotayk Gegharkuni

k Armavir Lory Shirak Syunik Tavush

Collection of the CA evaluation forms

NS CA staffing: Focal Point -A.Papoyan, National Coordinator - A.Torosyan, CA schools / institutions (directors, coordinators, parents, NGO’s)

Special events

2010 Decem

ber2011 May

Regions, Yerevan

New Year Celebration

CA National Celebration,

 

NS CA staffing, Angus Beaton CA schools / institutions, students, NGO’s

Signing a Memorandum between the MoES and the ACHLG in 5th October 2010 in Yerevan.

A National Conference of Community Action Pilot Study 13 November 2010 in Yerevan (Armenia).

The Community Action activity 18 April 2011 in Special School N17 linked to High School N198 in Yerevan

Baroness Sheila Hollins – “The partnership with High School 198 through the Community Action Programme is very impressive. The volunteer pupils from the high school engaged willingly and naturally with the special school pupils showing them respect and friendship.  I believe that initiatives such as this are the ideal way to break down the stigma and discrimination so often present in wider society. The dilapidation of the school buildings must be discouraging to the staff, families and children alike, but we were told that work has begun to repair the leaking roof and to improve the physical surroundings for the children. One aspect is that the number of children in the school has fallen, in part because of the increased number of children now included in mainstream schools which is a positive achievement. I would like to congratulate all participants of the Community Action to improve the life chances of disabled children and young people and to congratulate all participants on your achievements.”

The Community Action 3rd National Celebration Event 7th May 2011 at Special School N 8

III. PLANNING AND ACTIVITIES• The CA activities planning are most important

for enjoyable and successful result. The activities analyzed by the coordinators and psychologists after each visits. The coordinators recorded details of each activities which very useful for productive monitoring, evaluation and future planning. The activity planning includes the following:

• Aim of activity,• Placement of activity,• Materials needed,• Assessment of the activity, how successful

was it. The volunteers involved in this assessment,

• Improving of the activity for next visit,• Outcomes of the activity: for children with

special needs and volunteers.

IV. MONITORING / EVALUATIONS

• The monitoring and evaluations included:• Initial National Evaluation of numbers

involved• Evaluation feedback from Directors,

Coordinators and Volunteers• Update of National Evaluation of numbers

involved• Full Evaluation questionnaire, specifying

frequency and types of activity undertaken.

Table 1. Total number of General and Special Schools/Institutions in CA (2007-2011)* Including college and youth creative center

42 2

24

1212

30

17

13

33

20

13

34

21

13

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Nu

mb

er

of

sc

ho

ols

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Chart 1. Total number of Schools in CA - Armenia

Total number of CA SchoolsGeneral SchoolsSpecial Schools/Institutions

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Total number of schools of which:

4 24 30 33 34

Number of General Schools*

2 12 17 20 21

Number of Special Schools

2 12 13 13 13

Chart 2. Total number of CA participants in - Armenia (2007 - 2011)

155

1820

22022309

2745

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Nu

mb

er

of

pa

rtic

ipa

nts

Community Action Aims+: 2011

• Supporting school and specialist support staff who work with these students to enable access, participation and achievement in education.

• Services are provided by a team of professional staff from a range of disciplines to support:

• inclusive education practice• curriculum engagement and

delivery, and• alignment of policy and practice.

To enhance and facilitate inclusive education practices with a focus on students with:

• disabilities• special needs in communication• specialised health needs.