First profession: culinary studio for children with special educational needs at Rohatyn special school

The "First Profession" project by Osvitoria Public Union (https://www.instagram.com/osvitoria_official/) has been helping children from former boarding schools and orphanages discover their first professional skills and believe in themselves for several years. Our team organized over 20 clubs in 6 regions of Ukraine, where over 1000 children studied culinary arts, carpentry, shoe repair, hairdressing and manicure mastery, and clothing design. We work with teachers, mentors and social workers so each child receives not only knowledge but also practical experience, confidence and motivation to move forward.

We decided to submit this project to the "My City" platform to raise funds for setting up a culinary studio at Rohatyn Special School for children with special educational needs.

Our goal is to create a space where children can not only cook but also learn responsibility, work in teams, develop fine motor skills, confidence in their abilities and skills that will become first steps to professional life.

It's important to understand: for children with special educational needs, practical skills are often key to socialization and independence. Many of them previously had no opportunity to work with kitchen equipment or cook their own dishes. Thanks to the new studio, we can conduct regular classes, integrate educational programs and even organize internal master classes and project activities that help children feel they can achieve results and be useful to the community.

Important: all raised funds will go directly to studio setup and conducting classes for children. Project administration and coordination costs are covered by Osvitoria's own resources, so your support will be maximally effective and transparent.

Project's social impact:

1. Children will gain access to practical culinary education that develops professional skills and independence.
2. Children's motivation and self-confidence will increase.
3. Social and communication skills will improve, as cooking is a team activity.
4. The project will be a step in local community development, demonstrating that children with special needs can realize their abilities and contribute to the community.

How funds will be used (150,000 UAH):

1. purchasing furniture, work tables and chairs, safe kitchen stoves and ovens;
2. acquiring kitchen utensil sets and dishes for practical classes;
3. equipping studio with product and material storage system;
4. educational materials and methodical guides for teachers and mentors;
5. conducting practical classes.

We believe every child deserves a chance to discover the world of professions and opportunities. By supporting this project, you help create a place where children learn to cook, collaborate and dream about their future.

Let's together give children the opportunity to try cooking and take the first step toward their profession!