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Keystone Human Services, an Open World Host Organization, Presents Its Programs in Tomsk
April 6, 2006
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| Maria Kalitina (in red) presents Keystone Human Services programs at the Tomsk IATP Center | On April 6, 2006, the IATP Center at the Siberian State Medical University’s Medical Research Library in Tomsk hosted an opportunity for exchange program alumni, students, and nonprofit activists to meet with Maria Kalitina, general director of the Keystone Foundation for Children and Family Services in Moscow. Last year Keystone's parent organization, Keystone Human Services, hosted two Russian Open World delegations in its headquarters city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Local Open World alumni worked together to organize the meeting.
Kalitina introduced her audience to Keystone’s international exchange program for Russian and Moldovan students to travel to the United States to learn about disability services and rights while providing aid and care to people with disabilities and their families. She presented a film on Keystone’s 30 years of work providing community services, talked a bit about Pennsylvania (where the Russian and Moldovan exchange participants are also hosted), and shared some of her impressions from working as an Open World facilitator.
The following day Kalitina met with Open World alumnus Vladimir Podkatov, director of the Tomsk City Department of Social Policy, and representatives of civic organizations and local university departments that are directly involved in social work. The participants listened enthusiastically to her presentation about Keystone and its programs in Russia and around the world.
On April 8, Kalitina interviewed student candidates for the Keystone exchange. Open World alumna Irina Zhilavskaya arranged for Kalitina to meet with young local journalists later that day to ensure wide media coverage of the Keystone program and to promote further media discussion about social services for people with disabilities and their families.
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