Center for At-Risk Kids 2014/15

The Ghoghanj Children’s Center located in the Kentron of Yerevan was established 10 years ago and provides afterschool and summer school programs for approximately 75 children every month. Children who attend the Center are loosely defined as “at risk.” These children typically come from very poor households, often times with a single head of household, who cannot pay for such assistance. Additionally, these children are not likely to receive proper supervision after school while completing their homework and other tasks. Due to the hard work, dedication and vision of Diana Grigoryan, a PH.D candidate in Psychology, and her staff, the Center has been able to help socially vulnerable children and give them the support and guidance they need to succeed.

The goal of the Ghoghanj Children’s Center is to provide the necessary academic, psychological and social support to ensure that the children attending mature to well adjusted, successful, young adults. The Center provides several core classes within their curriculum and has had add on opportunities as funding has permitted. Core classes include English, Russian, Computer, Design, Painting, Theater and Dance. Add on programs have included College Entrance Exam Tutoring, Side by Side Mentoring and Ecology Club activities. Furthermore, 13 of the Center’s previous students graduated and are now attending college, proving that Ghoghanj’s model works.

In order to further impact more “at-risk” children, the Center has identified a need for this model to be replicated and offered to other communities in Armenia. A second center for “at-risk” children will be established and modeled after the Ghoghanj Children’s Center in another socially vulnerable community in Yerevan. The new center will provide 75-100 students the same core classes (English, Russian, Computer, Design, Painting, Theater and Dance) as the Ghoghanj Children’s Center. The goal of this project is to broaden the services offered to socially vulnerable children and families in other communities and provide them with the proper support and guidance needed to excel in school and become self-confident and respectful young adults.