… “successful, impressive, and very well explained case, with a highly impressive marketing strategy, project impact…”
We are proud to announce that Kidsave’s Pathways to Success program in Ukraine was chosen as one of eight finalists to present at the European Mentoring Summit.
This highly respected event for professionals, corporate partners and civic leaders in the mentoring sector was held from October 5 – 8 via Zoom and Crowdcast due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tatiana Stafford, Program VP and Director of Kidsave Eastern Europe and CIS, led the presentation for Kidsave.
The Summit provides opportunities for sharing research, experience, and best practices that will provide meaningful assistance to older orphans and foster youth in developing essential life skills, emotional literacy, and workforce readiness, as well as finding internships and jobs.
In Ukraine there are over 100,000 children in state care, 10,000 of whom “age out” of care every year alone – unemployed and without a family or mentor to guide them as they navigate the challenges of independent living. Few receive additional education once they leave state care. Kidsave developed the Pathways to Success Program to prepare orphans and foster children (ages 14–18) who are about to age out of care, as well as orphanage graduates (ages 19-23) for independent living. The program engages businesses, communities and caring mentors in Ukraine to help prepare a generation of at-risk youth for a successful future.
This program has demonstrated that, on average, 50% of participating youth establish mentor-mentee connections, 80% have increased their self-confidence and self-esteem, and the majority of participants have improved essential personal and professional life skills.
Kidsave’s presentation was well received with one contributor saying Kidsave’s Pathways to Success program was a “successful, impressive, and very well explained case, with a highly impressive marketing strategy, project impact, and good use of corporate mentors and volunteers to boost the awareness of the program.”
For more information please contact Tatiana Stafford at tatiana@kidsave.org.
