Workshops and a space for social integration

About the project

At the IOANNIV CENTER, we are firmly convinced that a person’s recovery does not end in the physical therapy room. Comprehensive rehabilitation must include socialization, the development of daily living skills, creativity, self-expression, communication, and the experience of interacting with others.

That is why, as part of our charitable initiatives, we are expanding a dedicated space for workshops and social adaptation for children, adults, veterans, and families, where every single activity carries therapeutic, educational, and social value.

Our workshops help participants:

• develop fine motor skills;
• train attention and memory;
• enhance sensory experience;
• restore communication skills;
• build self-care skills;
• reduce anxiety;
• experience success in simple yet essential actions;
• regain an interest in life and social interaction.

Our Workshop Areas

Art Therapy and Creative Studios

Art therapy and creative studios at the IOANNIV CENTER offer a safe environment where children, adults, veterans, and families can express their emotions, lower tension, and develop motor skills, communication, and a sense of self-worth through creativity.

For many of our beneficiaries, the creative process becomes the very first step toward openness, interaction, and restoring their inner strength. Where words fail, color, shape, hand movement, material texture, and the sense of achievement from a completed artwork take over.

Art therapy sessions are highly beneficial for:

• infants and toddlers;
• children with developmental delays;
• children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder);
• children with Cerebral Palsy (CP);
• children with speech impairments;
• adolescents facing emotional difficulties;
• adult stroke survivors;
• people with neurological conditions;
• veterans recovering from injuries and TBIs (Traumatic Brain Injuries);
• families experiencing crisis situations;
• individuals in need of psychological decompression.

What the Creative Studios Include

• painting with paints, pastels, and pencils;
• finger and sensory painting;
• modeling and sculpting;
• collaging;
• appliqué and crafts;
• seasonal themed projects;
• making greeting cards and souvenirs;
• working with natural materials;
• family creative sessions;
• inclusive holiday workshops.

The creative process helps individuals safely process emotions, alleviate internal tension, and restore their inner resources. Through color, shape, texture, and hand movement, people learn to express what is sometimes too difficult to convey with words.

“Nasinniatko” (The Little Seed) – Microgreens Cultivation Workshops

“Nasinniatko” is a unique socio-therapeutic program at the IOANNIV CENTER, where children, adults, veterans, and families participate in microgreens cultivation workshops.

Through simple yet highly meaningful actions—sowing, watering, caring, and observing growth—participants learn sequencing, mindfulness, patience, responsibility, and faith in their own results.

What the Program Includes

• sowing seeds;
• preparing soil and containers;
• caring for microgreens;
• observing plant growth;
• keeping a small growth calendar;
• harvesting;
• using microgreens in culinary workshops;
• learning the basics of healthy nutrition.

What “Nasinniatko” Develops

• fine motor skills;
• sensory experience;
• mindfulness and attention;
• responsibility;
• planning skills;
• patience;
• emotional grounding;
• interest in nature;
• confidence in one’s own actions.

For children, this is an exciting way to see cause-and-effect relationships. For adults, it serves as a slowing-down therapy, a way to restore inner resources and regain a sense of control.

Culinary Workshops in the Inclusive Culinary Studio

Culinary workshops in our inclusive culinary studio are among the warmest and most practical initiatives at the IOANNIV CENTER, blending ergotherapy, social adaptation, family interaction, and the recovery of activities of daily living (ADL).

Participants do not just learn how to cook meals; they learn to be independent, communicate, follow a sequence of actions, work in a team, and find joy in their own results.

The culinary studio is particularly valuable for children with special educational needs (SEN), youth with disabilities, adults recovering from injuries, and veterans who are reclaiming control over their household routines after being wounded.

Together with the founders and partners of the “Pomagaem” Charity Foundation, we host culinary workshops where participants:

• cook simple and healthy meals;
• learn to work with kitchen tools;
• develop self-care skills;
• practice domestic independence;
• learn teamwork and cooperation;
• experience the joy of a shared achievement.

What the Workshops Include

• preparing simple breakfasts;
• healthy snacks;
• baking;
• seasonal dishes;
• decorating treats;
• table setting;
• team cooking;
• family culinary events;
• charity holiday evenings;
• gastro-events in partnership with the “Pomagaem” Charity Foundation.

For children, youth with disabilities, and adults recovering from trauma, this carries immense value as it is directly linked to restoring skills for everyday independent living.

Independence Workshop

The “Independence Workshop” is a practical socio-rehabilitative training format designed for children, adolescents, youth with disabilities, adults recovering from injuries