A closer look at the state of hobby education in Ukraine and Estonia’s role in effecting change
Summary
Ukrainian hobby education has been disrupted due to the Russian war of aggression
The local government lacks the necessary knowledge and experience to make systemic changes, so the city of Malyn and ESTDEV are cooperating on a hobby education development plan
Several areas require substantive and infrastructural modernisation, but this can be achieved by making consistent improvements according to the plan
The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) is committed to making sustainable improvements to hobby education in Ukraine to ensure young people have access to a variety of high-quality learning opportunities, despite the ongoing war.
According to a project leader for the Mayln hobby education development project, Urmo Reitav, the current state of hobby education in Ukraine bears a resemblance to Estonia's 30 years ago.
Under the framework of the project, Malyn’s educational leaders visited Estonia to see firsthand what may be possible in the future.
"In Estonia, we experienced an inspiring and holistic approach to hobby education. A child's development is supported by close cooperation between general education, early childhood education, hobby education and youth work. We want to bring such an experience to Malyn," said Valentina Zarovna, head of Malyn’s Education Department.
We spoke with Reitav to get a better understanding of the hobby education development project and the current state of Ukraine’s hobby education. Ultimately, he believes systemic change will happen with targeted action and Ukrainians’ desire to improve.
Why is organising hobby education an important topic for Ukraine now, during the war?
Urmo Reitav (UR): Hobby education has several important tasks. In addition to developing skills in a specific hobby area, one of the main goals is to foster the development of a young persons’ personality, cultivate creativity and self-expression skills, nurture talent, and provide professional support. It is also important to offer meaningful leisure time activities, support the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage and develop the social skills of young people.
In today's situation in Ukraine, where war affects everyday life and the future of young people, the role of hobby education has expanded even further. In addition to its educational and cultural function, one of the central tasks of hobby education is to support the mental health of young people, offering them a safe environment, stability and the opportunity to experience positive emotions. Hobby education helps young people find support, express their feelings through creativity and maintain hope and faith in the future. And in this regard, we still have a lot to do.
Visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the Viljandi hobby school's moto centre.
What are the challenges in this area, and what is needed to create a modern and sustainable hobby education system?
UR: The first challenge is to create a safe and supportive learning environment for students. For example, the renovation of the Malyn Art School building is in full swing, and it will become the most modern hobby school in the region. However, there are three other hobby schools in the city, and it is assumed that if all the buildings are renovated, then the quality will also be good. Based on my experience in Estonia, merely renovating buildings does not guarantee quality, but the focus must be on content. A serious infrastructure analysis is needed: how many hobby schools are actually required, and is the current system sustainable? It is possible that some institutions will need to be merged to ensure modern and high-quality functioning.
Another important issue is the modern approach to learning, including the organisation of the learning process, the people who work with young people on a daily basis, and the content. Curricula and forms of study need to be modernised to take into account the needs of different target groups, including both academic and interest-based learning for adults. Attention needs to be paid to cooperation and integration with general education schools, as the current emphasis on competition may not be effective or sustainable.
In addition, the lack of a long-term strategic plan is a problem. Both the city and each hobby school need a clear vision and development plan that would set priorities, help use resources wisely and create a system that meets both current and future needs.
What have been the biggest success stories and challenges of the project so far?
UR: Several important steps have been taken in the development of hobby education in Malyn over the past six months. Youth seminars have been held both on-site and online, where young people have actively participated and offered valuable suggestions. We have launched a working group for hobby education development, which meets monthly to discuss next steps and has jointly mapped the current situation and collected necessary information.
Another important achievement was the first hobby education satisfaction survey among students, parents and teachers, which gathered nearly 1,000 responses. This has provided valuable input for further work. A guide for the development of hobby schools is also being prepared, which offers practical recommendations for developing schools, involving stakeholders and implementing modern teaching methods.
Study visits have also been an important step. The study trip to Estonia that has already taken place provided inspiration, and a visit to Malyn is planned in the near future, where work will be done separately with the city government, hobby school teams and young people.
The success stories include the broad involvement of young people, the creation of a cooperation network and the start of systematic development work. At the same time, challenges have also emerged: the need to renew learning environments, the low use of modern teaching methods, and the resistance and fear associated with change. In other words, working with a contemporary approach to learning requires a shift in mindset.
The situation in Ukraine resembles Estonia 30 years ago. Hobby education works and offers children many opportunities but needs substantial modernisation. To this end, we aim to apply the co-creation method, which involves various parties. With the support of a joint expert group, we will be able to bring new life and value to Malyn's hobby education.
Visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the Pärnu School of Arts.
How would you summarise the Ukrainians' study visit to Estonia? What were the biggest lessons?
UR: The week-long study visit to Estonia provided participants with a thorough overview of development models and practical experiences of hobby schools. The focus was on strategic management, development plan and curriculum development, and community involvement. The visit created a valuable cooperation network and provided tools that participants can adapt to develop their schools.
The aim was to strengthen the competencies of hobby school leaders and teachers in management and development work. We learned about the success stories and development processes of hobby schools in Viljandi, Pärnu, Viimsi, and Tallinn, which provided inspiration and an example of best practices.
The most important lessons are related to valuing learner-centred hobby education, the need to change the mindset and the importance of strategic management. The feedback from the participants was very positive, with a repeated emphasis that Malyn's hobby education needs to change and undergo a significant leap in development. What is even more important, however, is that the participants have both the will and the readiness to do so.
"The study visit to Estonia opened our eyes to how much can be changed when trust and cooperation are at the heart of education. We saw how hobby education supports the creativity and self-confidence of every child, which gives us the strength and ideas to implement similar changes in Ukraine."
Ilona Kolodii, Head of the Department of Culture of the Zhytomyr City Government.
How can countries and organisations best support the Ukrainian education sector?
UR: The field of hobby education in Malyn needs both substantive and infrastructural modernisation. First, it is important to contribute to the development of people working with young people, to offer training, adapt teaching materials, provide coaching and supervision so that teachers and instructors can support young people in a versatile and up-to-date way. This concerns both the development of talent and the maintenance of mental health. Further training to offer art and music therapy to young people and adults would also be valuable.
IT and engineering (STEAM) education also needs a significant leap forward. Professional development is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, making any support here very necessary. A separate topic is the inclusion of children with special needs in hobby education, an area where they currently lack opportunities, both in terms of content and accessibility.
In terms of infrastructure, both large and small investments are needed: in IT equipment, musical instruments, technology classes and, of course, in the renovation of classrooms. I believe that ESTDEV is ready to coordinate and lead this activity in Malyn, and we have the experience, competence and will for this.
