In 2026, the Department of Special and Inclusive Education within the Faculty of Psychology, Social Work and Special Education at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University commenced the implementation of the global partnership grant "Camp Dream. Speak. Live.". This initiative is made possible through the financial and professional support of the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research at the University of Texas at Austin (USA).
Grinchenko University is proud to be the first institution to represent the Camp Dream. Speak. Live. network in Ukraine. To date, this global project has been successfully implemented in over 45 countries worldwide.
"Camp Dream. Speak. Live." is an intensive, one-week, evidence-based program designed specifically for children who stutter. Hosted annually at various international locations, the program is built upon the CARE™ model (Communication, Advocacy, Resiliency, Education) developed by the Arthur M. Blank Center.
Project Objectives
The program engages children in theoretically grounded, research-based activities designed to: 1) enhance peer relations: foster a positive perception of the child’s ability to build meaningful connections with peers; 2) boost communicative competence: improve communication skills and the child’s self-assessment of their speaking abilities; 3) empower the individual: cultivate self-compassion, resiliency, self-advocacy, and leadership qualities; 4) improve quality of life: mitigate the overall impact of stuttering on the child’s daily life. A distinctive feature of the program is its shift in focus: rather than prioritizing the reduction of stuttering, it emphasizes the development of core competencies through functional and challenging speech situations. Furthermore, the project serves as a training ground for university students. Following a rigorous selection and preparatory course, these students join the camp as mentors to implement evidence-based methodologies in practice.
The CARE™ model is backed by over twenty years of longitudinal research. It empowers children to stutter openly, speak with confidence, and advocate for themselves effectively. Ultimately, the program ensures that a child's quality of life and future aspirations are not defined or restricted by their stuttering.
Implementation Period: January 2026 – December 2026.
Project Team:
- Babych, PhD in Education, Associate Professor at the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (coordinator);
- Pavliuk, PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Deputy Dean for Research, Methodological, and Academic Affairs (co-coordinator);
- Klishevych, PhD in Education, Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Social Work and Special Education (co-coordinator);
- Martynchuk, Doctor of Science in Education, Head of the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (working group member);
- Lopatynska, PhD in Education, Associate Professor at the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (working group member);
- Tychyna, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor at the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (working group member);
- Khomyk, PhD in Education, Associate Professor at the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (working group member);
- Nevmerzhytska, Lecturer at the Department of Special and Inclusive Education (working group member);
- Suprun, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor (working group member);
- Taran, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor (working group member).
