In autumn 2022, several trainings were held for new specialists of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program. The new trainers immediately began to put their knowledge into practice and plunged into work. They started to conduct therapy sessions throughout Ukraine and abroad for children and their parents affected by the war. During the entire time, the new trainers were supported by experienced psychologists of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project – Iryna Sukhova, Nataliya Podolyak, Olena Bozhor and Tetyana Oboyanska. Online supervision meetings were held every week for several hours. The participants also worked on weekends, and during air alarms, and even without electricity. Despite rhe hardships, all new specialists received necessary support, answers to their questions, comments and useful tips.

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On December 22, 2022, in Kamianets-Podilskyy, Khmelnytskyy Region, the new trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program received the certificates. In a warm friendly atmosphere, the participants of the event shared their impressions of working in groups, as well as their victories and failures. Thanks to the work of these 16 trainers, 120 children and 55 adults in Kamianets-Podilskyy received psychological support and learned effective self-help techniques. These people are mostly IDPs who left their home because of the war and have traumatic experience. Some of them lost their close people, some do not even hope to return home, because everything there has been destroyed by the enemy. But all of them are grateful for the fact that now they have hope and strength to build a new future and a new Ukraine. The new trainers are full of enthusiasm and desire to continue working within the “Children and War” program.

The event was held in fruitful cooperation of “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” and “SOS: Civil Defense Headquarters” Charity Foundations.

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On December 21, 2022, in Chernivtsi the new trainers of the”Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program received the certificates. The new specialists were studying trauma healing techniques in the Chernivtsi National University named after Yuriy Fedkovich. It was a difficult training in October. Due to massive rocket attacks in those days, the participants often had to study in the bomb shelter of this educational institution. The certificates awarding ceremony was also held in the university and also in extreme conditions: a few hours before the meeting there were two air alarms, and during the event there was no electricity, so the new trainers received their certificates in the light of mobile phone flashlights. But it did not hinder the festive mood, especially since almost half of the therapy sessions for children and parents took place in such an atmosphere during the autumn months.

“I am glad that there are many psychology students among this new team of trainers,” – says Iryna Sukhova, the main psychologist and team leader of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. – The participants were practicing stress reducing techniques and working out their traumatic memories caused by the war with interest and diligence”.

We are grateful to our partners from Chernivtsi National University named after Yuriy Fedkovich and hope that our common work will continue in the new trainers’ of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program work in Chernivtsi. We wish peace, indomitability and light to every home!

The event is organized within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF).

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In November 2022 “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions were held in the Chernivtsi regional center of social and psychological assistance. About 350 internally displaced people currently live in the center, among them 70 are children. All these people moved to Chernivtsi from different parts of Ukraine, but the vast majority is from eastern regions, where entire settlements were destroyed by the war. In the first group there were participants with special needs and elderly people who live in the same dormitory. During the sessions, the participants mastered techniques for overcoming stress, fears and unpleasant memories associated with the war, and also learned to make friends and cooperate in a team, which significantly improved their relationships and communication in everyday life. The classes were conducted by Vitalia Didukh and Nataliya Kuchumova.

Activities are held within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF)

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On December 18, 2022, tne new trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program received the certificates in Kyiv. The new specialists finished their learning in autumn, and started to conduct therapy sessions for children and parent groups. It was a very difficult work, because the lack of electricity, water and Internet connection at the places where therapy sessions were held brought chaos and uncertainty, and massive rocket attacks and enemy drones on the streets of Kyiv made the trainers stop the meetings and go down to the shelter. But all these difficulties only proved that the self-help techniques are necessary nowadays and how much we all need each other.

“I was going to the group meeting through the dark city, with cookies and 6 liters of tea in thermoses for children in my hands,” – trainer Lyudmila Kush shares her memories. – “There was no electricity, so I had to carry everything with me from home. There wasn’t cell phone service, so I didn’t know if the kids would come to the meeting or if they were safe at all. But I was going because I understand how important it is for them right now to learn stress management techniques. And I also understand how important it is for me to be with them at such a difficult time, to be a point of indomitability. All this gives meaning to my work, and strength and confidence to me. I approached the door of the center, and there in the dark I saw the children from my group and a co-trainer. They met me with the words: “We didn’t know if there would be a session, but we came anyway”.
And this is just one story out of many. And we welcome new trainers! We are proud of their resilience and wish them fruitful work!

The event is organized within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF).

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On December 7-9, 2022, the representatives of the CO “HOPE worldwide” (USA) spoke at the international summit “World for Ukraine” held in the Polish city of Rzeszów. The summit was also attended by Volodymyr Yermakov, Director of “HOPE worldwide Ukraine”.

“HOPE worldwide” charity organisation, which is a long-term partner of “HOPE worldwide Ukraine”, in 2022 has provided $20 million in medicine and medical supplies to families throughout Ukraine. Dave Tomlinson, “HOPE worldwide” Senior Director of Disaster Response told about coordination of humanitarian aid.

Amanda Sanders, “HOPE worldwide” Global Psychosocial Support Advisor, presented the results of work of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project team , implemented by “HOPE worldwide Ukraine”. She told about psychosocial support, provided by project trainers to the internally displaced persons, refugees, people in liberated cities and villages, those who are under constant sheling and attacks.

The World for Ukraine (W4UA) Summit focuses on world leaders, organizations and people who are actively engaged in relief efforts for Ukraine. The Summit attracts central and local government institutions, international organizations, NGOs, businesses, think tanks and media from Ukraine and the world at large.

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In November 2022, group supervisions for new trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program were held in Kamianets-Podilskyy (Khmelnytskyy region) and Chernivtsi. The new specialists were trained in autumn and are currently conducting therapy sessions for children and their parents in their native cities. The supervision is very important for the new trainers. During these meetings they continue to learn and receive support from their mentors. Also the new trainers have an opportunity to share their own experience, hear the experience of others, and get answers to their questions. Supervisions were conducted by Iryna Sukhova – an experienced psychologist and the team leader of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. Iryna was also present at some of the therapy sessions with children and adults conducted by the new trainers.

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In autumn 2022 “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions for children aged 10-14 were held in Kyiv. All the children came to Kyiv from different regions of Ukraine, and currently live in the capital. The sessions were conducted by the trainers Olena Bielik and Yulia Kozlova.

“During our meetings wast was special for me to watch how children from different parts of Ukraine with the same problems, were able to unite and continue communication beyond our platform” – one of the trainers says. – “And of course, the most important result of the therapy sessions is the improvement of the physical, psychological and emotional state of children.

“As for me, a vivid story of healing was the story of a girl from Izyum, Kharkiv region,” – says another trainer. – “At the beginning of our sessions she had big problems with sleeping, nutrition and behaviour. But with each of our meeting she was opening as a flower. She was doing all the home tasks very attentively and by the end of the course she could even provide support and assistance to her loved ones by herself”.

Activities are held within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF)

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In October and November “Children and War. TRT” therapy course for teenagers was held in Chernivtsi. The sessions were organized as a part of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project in cooperation with the “Caritas” Charity Foundation. Experienced project trainers – Galyna Fesun and Maryna Chorney – conducted therapy course for 11 teenagers. The children attended the classes with pleasure, most of all they liked communication with peers, working together with different emotional states and self-help tools to overcome fear. The group included participants from Chernivtsi and other cities of Ukraine who temporarily moved to Chernivtsi. All participants worked equally hard, were interested and friendly.

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Nikopol is a city in Dnipropetrovsk region that is under constant shelling, sometimes several times per day. People do not hide in bomb shelters, they live there. For children and their parents who spend nights in bomb shelters the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project of the Charity Foundation “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” in cooperation with the “Nikopol Center for Adult Education” organized the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy courses. Project trainers Olha Pastushok and Liudmyla Semencha work with the participants right in the bomb shelter. They teach them various self-help techniques: how to calm down during a panic attack, how to deal with a scary memory or fear, how to fall asleep to the sound of explosions.

“We are very grateful for the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology. We can use it to help children and their parents in this difficult time, – says Olga Pastushok. – It is difficult in Nikopol, there are constant explosions and gunshots, but we are working. People really need help, their psychological state is terrible. But together we overcome fears, pain, practice self-help techniques, they are effective. There is a lot of work. For example, today we held two groups for children and two groups for parents. After the session, we presented our little participants with gift backpacks from the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. It was a real surprise for the children. There was so much joy that even some adults couldn’t hold back their tears.”

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