The Administration of the regional branch “the Southern Railway" has always paid a great deal of attention to social matters.
Its health and leisure institutions, sport clubs, various facilities and resources are at a high level.
The employees and their families can have a rest and improve their health in spacious quiet rooms of the M.Hohol health care facility (Myrgorod), and get unforgettable impressions from visiting this facility.
Today the health care facility has a modern diagnostic center and medical care complexes equipped with innovative installations.
The Southern Railway also has the children medical care institutions: “Zmina” (Lozivskyi district of the Kharkiv region), “Soniachnyi” (Piatykhatki, Kharkiv), “Orliatko” (Trostianetskyi district, Sumy region), “Moloda Gvardia” (Poltavskyi district, Poltava region) and “Lisova Kazka” (Dvorichanksyk district of the Kharkiv region), which host several thousand of children of the employees.
These children health care facilities are comfortable and safe places; the territories, sleeping rooms, playing and sport grounds, dining places and swimming pools meet all the necessary requirements.
A great deal of attention is also paid to the physical fitness and spots promotion among the railwaymen of the Southern Railway. The Administration is improving the conditions for realization of the state polity in this field.
For many years the Southern Railway has hosted the sport and athletic contests among those working at different subdivisions of the branch. And then the best athletes of these contests participate in sport events held by the Ukrainian Railways among the regional branches and the railway enterprises. And the team of railwaymen-athletes of the Southern Railway has displayed courage and several times has won gold medals at sport contests organized by Ukrzaliznytsa.
The Administration of the Southern Railway has special supporting programs for the former railwaymen who participated in WWII. Over 20 thousand retirees are participants of the Program of Private Medical Insurance funded by the JSC Ukrzaliznytsa. The recreation area and medical center in the Klubivka village (the Khmelnytsk region) host lots of the former workers.
Railway tours in the so-called retro-train are the traditional event to commemorate the state and professional holidays, among which is the Railwayman Day.
The Malaya Southern Railway has been working since November 1940. It looks like a fairy railway kingdom: small trains, small rail cars, tiny smart flower beds and manicured lawns, which, during summertime, please the eye of the visitors with their beautiful colorful flowers and gorgeous greenery. In a warm summer day they invite the visitors to have a pleasant time sitting on the wrought iron benches in the shade of the trees. While little visitors to the Malaya Railway can play on the playing ground, their parents and grandparents can read the Safety Rules for the Railway Transport. Among the recent improvements are the modernized central entrance arch, the innovative illumination for the central alley and the reconstructed building of the Park station terminal.
The Malaya Southern Railway has annually been holding different events: The opening of train operation, The Victory Day, The Children’s Day, The City Day, The Independence Day of Ukraine, The Knowledge Day, The Railwayman Day and others.
But first of all, the Malaya Southern Railway is an educational establishment for young railwaymen. At present over one thousand boys and girls are studying here. Their teachers are qualified railway specialists who impart their knowledge about how to manage all railway installations and devices. Since 1991 the classes are held in a new educational building with light spacious classrooms each of which is dedicated to a certain railway facility. The classrooms are equipped with handy and informative visual aids, multimedia equipment and computers. The students can master eleven basic railway specialties. Each academic year has been complimented with new programs approved by Ukrzalizlytsa. From October to May the students have theoretical classes but in summer the theoretical knowledge obtained is reinforced through practical classes.
Each year most graduates from the Malaya Southern Railway continue their education in specialized educational establishments in order to become qualified specialists in the rail industry.
The Malaya Southern Railway initiated the All-Ukrainian Forums of Young Railway Men of Ukraine. In Kharkiv these events held in 2005, 2009 and 2013. And in 2010 it was held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Malaya Southern Railway when the delegations from children railways of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Germany and Hungary gathered for the International Meeting. The Malaya Southern Railway has been seven times in a row marked with the first place at the All-Ukrainian Contest for the Best Children Railway.
A great deal of attention is paid to culture advancement.
The Centers of Science and Technology house amateur art groups in which the railwaymen and their families can develop their skills and improve their technical mastery.
All in all the Centers of Science and Technology of the Directorates of Railway Transportation in Kharkiv, Poltava and Kupiansk host over 50 creative teams of various genres. And the multifaceted performances of amateurs are always welcome by spectators.
