Downside Up Strategy and Mission for 2010 - 2015   Downside Up improves the quality of life of Russian children from birth to seven years old who have DS and their families in Russia. Downside Up is the leader in delivering modern and successful social and educational services to children with DS in Russia. From the first days of its existence Downside Up has followed the best practices of leading western charities, established fully professional services and a transparent system of management and governance. Downside Up's programmes fulfill the need for the early intervention, social care and educational services for children with DS and their families. Downside Up provides expertise to the Russian Government in establishing of early intervention services in Russian Federation.     WHAT WE AIM TO ACHIEVE To reduce social orphanhood among children with DS. To develop state early intervention system for children with DS in Russia. To integrate children with DS into Russian society.   OUR STRATEGY: Downside Up’s strategy is built on three foundations.   A.  Direct help to families 1.     To provide direct early intervention and educational services to Russian children with DS from birth to seven years old, and social and psychological support to their families. 2.     To keep all our direct services free of charge. 3.     To tailor DSU services to the families’ updated needs.   B. Develop and outreach 4.     To develop DSU as a centre of excellence - a resource centre - that provides advice, information and education to the nation-wide network of state and non-governmental organisations working with children with disabilities and their families, in Russia and in CIS states. 5.     To extend co-operation with Russian federal and regional authorities in order to promote the development of state early intervention system for children with DS and a comprehensive approach to the rehabilitation of families raising children with DS. 6.     To use advance IT technologies to increase effectiveness of our programmes. 7.     To provide a base for scientific research in the area of special education, psychology and social care. 8.     To provide expertise in establishing state early intervention services system in Novosibirsk Region (Siberian Federal District, Russia), Ekaterinburg Region (Ural Federal District, Russia), and Central Federal District, Russia, as a means to translate our positive experience to other Russian regions. 9.     To support regional NGOS in building up their potential for improving the lives of children with DS in the above mentioned regions. 10. To work on the prevention of abandonment of children with DS to state institutions by raising professional awareness in maternity and childhood care and providing psychological support to families in pre- and postnatal care. 11. To promote opportunities for pre-school and primary education for children with DS in Moscow by collaborating with educational authorities and providing methodological support to professionals in the kindergartens, rehabilitation centres, pre-schools, and primary schools. 12. To enable parents communities of children with DS from Moscow and Moscow region to invest their resources in fulfilling DSU’ mission.   C.  Raise awareness 13. To raise public awareness about the nature of DS and the potential of people with DS, in order to increase tolerance towards people with DS in Russia and to support their inclusion into Russian society.      FUNDING Funding sources of Downside Up are donations from business and  individuals, grants from international and Russian foundations.  Main fundraising strategy is to keep diversified sources of income. In particular we aim to strengthen Charity Sport projects and to invest in building Russian individuals’ donor base. Downside Up’s fundraising philosophy is to build mutual partnership with communities and to provide opportunities for donors to become agents of change in lives of children with Down syndrome.   Downside Up is a fully Russian non-governmental organization - established in Russia, operating under Russian legislation, staffed by Russians and, increasingly, funded by Russians.     Adopted by the Trustees 24.06.10