Family as a Factor for Child’s Welfare

USAID project «TEENS: Accessible and qualitative assistance» hosted a National Conference “Family as a factor for child’s welfare” on April 2, 2018 in Almaty.

The goal was to present the Advanced Training Program for specialists of state institutions who provide psychological and advisory services for the parents of teenagers at-risk for suicide.

The Conference was logically followed by the training for social teachers and psychologists from different oblasts of Kazakhstan.

«The Conference was a success. We managed to build a dialogue between practitioners and those who are responsible for decision making. Attendees were informed about the latest trend in education. They had an opportunity to discuss new Program of advanced training for specialists who work with the parents of teenagers at-risk for suicide. Finally a Resolution was adopted. We hope that the Conference will contribute to further improvement of social teachers and psychologists», - said Svetlana Bogatyreva, director of «Women’s Leadership Fund».

The Program of advanced training for specialists who work with the parents of teenagers at-risk for suicide was developed in 2017 and successfully underwent approbation in 15 schools of Almaty. It is planned that in 2018 the program will be implemented through the Education Departments in schools of Kazakhstan. It is also expected that the Higher Educational Institutions will include the Program to join the appropriate elective courses.  

The Conference also aimed at raising the awareness of the society about the problems of preventing suicidal behavior among teenagers and increasing the target audience.

Conference participants were selected through the competition and represented the Education and Science Ministry of Kazakhstan, UNICEF, experts of the National program “Rukhani Zhangyru”, regional Education Departments, HEIs, Mass Media, NGOs, civil activists.

 On April 3-6, 2018 the training on how to apply the Program at sites was delivered. Gila Petrov and Moti Pikelner, Israeli experts, working with families of troubled teenagers, conducted the training.

The training attendees received handouts and methodological manuals for parents.

The Conference and training summed up a series of workshops held in 15 schools of Almaty last year.

TEENS, which works to prevent adolescent suicide in adolescents and youth through civic engagement, is implemented by the Women’s Leadership as part of the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia’s Good Governance Initiative Fund with financial support from USAID.