The team of the Children and Youth Center in the Dnipro District of Kyiv reported about pressure

A letter from the pedagogical team of the Children and Youth Center in the Dnipro district of Kyiv, based on their place of residence, has been received by the “Active Citizens” editorial office.

The team, which has years of experience working with the generation of young Kyiv residents, has addressed this letter to the head of the Kyiv City State Administration and the mayor of the capital, Vitalii Klitschko. The essence of the appeal is that the municipal institution has received a new director who, instead of organizing the normal functioning of children’s facilities before the new school year, has promised to dismiss experienced employees, thereby preventing the operation of children’s clubs.

The editorial office provides some quotes from the letter without changes.

«The team feels the impact of Article 2, Section 2 of the Labor Code» and we experience systematic bullying from the new director on a daily basis. «At every meeting, we experience psychological pressure, disrespectful treatment, hurtful accusations of inhumanity and corruption. It goes beyond personal attacks to intimidation, threats of reduced wages. Furthermore, during the director’s visits to the clubs during the educational process, he humiliates the honor and dignity of the teachers in front of parents and club members». «The process of bullying has also been joined by the deputy director. In all our years of teaching, where we diligently perform our duties, no director has ever displayed such contemptuous treatment towards our team». «During meetings, the director speaks disrespectfully about the deputy head of the district, Mr. Maliarevich O.V., hiding behind his friendship with the mayor of the city and believing that there will be no consequences for his actions».

Among the first innovations that the new director is attempting to implement is the installation of 24-hour video surveillance in the premises where children are engaged.

«After the educators-organizers publicly disclosed the decision of the director, Mr. Horodnychiv S.M., concerning the installation of video surveillance without the consent of parents and club members. Parents of underage club members and club members have warned that starting from the next year, they will not attend our clubs as this constitutes a violation of their rights under Article 307 of the «Civil Code of Ukraine», as stated in the collective letter to Klitschko».

«Every meeting does not pass without insults, humiliation, groundless accusations, and threats of dismissal. Pedagogues have repeatedly tried to talk to the director, establish contact with him and the methodological department, but all in vain! All conversations end with the words: «You are nothing. You have never had a team; you are a herd. And a herd needs to be pushed around», – say representatives of the district’s pedagogical team during communication».

At the same time, according to representatives of the pedagogical team of the  Children and Youth Center in the place of residence of the Dnipro district of Kyiv, no urgent actions regarding the repair of premises for children’s clubs are taking place.

Стан клубу “Робінзон”

For instance, in the “Robinson” club, there has been an ongoing issue with the sewage system for a while. The rooms are frequently flooded with waste, and the educators are forced to deal with this on their own. The roof of the “Druzhba” club is leaking.

Representatives of the pedagogical team of the Children and Youth Center in the Dnipro district of Kyiv believe that intolerable working conditions are being created for them in order to make them resign from their positions. And then there is significant doubt that the children’s clubs will continue their activities.

Клуб “Альтернатива”

«Having acquainted with this issue, one can assume that the ultimate goal of such actions against the pedagogical teams is to occupy the premises where children in the Dnipro district are currently receiving their education and development. We can already observe this, for example, with the «European Cultural Center Krakow», which has been left without renovated premises, despite significant funding, and they are attempting to shut it down altogether», – believes Irina Kovalchuk, Deputy Chair of the Public Council at the Dnipro District State Administration of Kyiv.

«The editorial team of «Active Citizens» has submitted the relevant request to the Kyiv City State Administration (KMDA), requesting the program with which the new director of the Center for Children and Youth in the Dnipro District of Kyiv took office. Therefore, we will be monitoring our future publications.

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