The three-day “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training was held on November 12, 19 and 20, 2022 for educators from Irpin and Bucha – small towns of the Kyiv region that suffered tremendously from the russian occupation. The training was organized in cooperation with the Zoryanytsya project (mental health recovery space), which unites several charity foundations and NGOs. Among the 17 participants of the training were educators and psychologists of the Irpin and Bucha districts, also educators from Plast youth organization in Irpin. The “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project trainers, Iryna Sukhova, Nataliya Podolyak, and Olena Bozhor, worked with the participants.

It was the third out of 12 planned trainings within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project held with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF). In August 2022 CUF provided a grant to expand a trauma therapy program, which trains the trainers to work with children and adults with war trauma. The project is implemented by the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation with the support of American and Canadian partners, HOPE worldwide (USA) and HOPE worldwide Canada.

“Implementing the project our team uses the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology, one of the most effective proven methodologies of support and recovery for children and adults with war trauma, – says Iryna Sukhova, “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project leader. – We teach the participants the understanding of psychological trauma, how children experience trauma, the importance of the parents’ role in healing children’s traumas. We also give them tools for working with traumatized children, which are described in the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology. On the other hand, our participants – educators, psychologists, teachers, and tutors – also survived the occupation and were traumatized by war in their own homes. Therefore, our task is to treat them with care and give them the opportunity to heal their personal wounds. They all are heroes. They take care of children and help them. And we teach them to take care of themselves in order to have the power to further continue their important work”.

Here are some reviews of the participants:
“The topic of the training was relevant for me personally. I often encounter various emotions and thoughts, which will now be easier to deal with, thanks to an imaginary “backpack” with tools and techniques. It will also help in my personal communication with the closest people, to improve their emotional state. I will use the tools in the work with children, I plan to do it after my personal practice” – Oleksandr Makhakhing

“The topic of the training was very important for me personally, as I am a mother of two children and also, I work with children. During the training, I managed to process and cope with some personal memories, traumas, and bad dreams. The most useful for me were the techniques that will help in further work with children. Everything was clear and easy to understand. Thank you for the training and for the work you are doing” – Anna Bazylyuk

“This topic is very relevant nowadays, because the war is going on. I work in a school where many children have seen the war with their own eyes, many of them are in an unstable emotional state. And this training helped me to enrich my baggage of knowledge, which I will use to help children. I am very glad to have attended this training. Thank you!” – Svitlana Cherapanova
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REFERENCE INFORMATION
International Charity Project “Helping Hand in Ukraine” exists since 2015. The Project aims to improve the socio-emotional and psychological state and wellbeing of children with war trauma and their families who witnessed and suffered from the war against Ukraine. The Project trains the trainers to work with the “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology; provides psychological assistance to children and their parents with war trauma, teaching them skills of psychological self-regulation and self-assistance and techniques of relaxation; fosters cooperation with state social services in order to ensure immediate attention from professionals to cases of mild and severe mental problems as well as constant aftercare and social support. More information about the Project is provided on the website of “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation.

Contact person for media: Olga Batiuk, mob. +38 050 359 7266 (Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp), olga.batiuk@gmail.com

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Serhiy and Yana Serhieiev are certified trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program. Previously, they lived in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, but due to the full-scale war in Ukraine, they moved to Kamianets-Podilskyy, Khmelnytskyi region. In their native Kramatorsk, Serhiy and Yana conducted “Children and War. TRT” therapy sessions for children and their parents, and also gathered groups of young trainers, guided and supported them, and were ambassadors of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project in Donetsk region.

After being displaced, they did not fall into despair because of their personal difficult circumstances, but on began to teach healing and self-help techniques to those who desperately need it. Moreover, at the moment there are many people from different regions of Ukraine in Kamianets-Podilskyy. So far, the trainers have already conducted 8 therapy courses for more than 100 children. The groups are held offline and online, the participants show positive results: they learn to overcome their fears and obsessive memories, become calmer and more self-confident, cope with the pain and difficult emotions associated with the war.

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From May to September 2022, thanks to the financial support provided by the Canadian donor TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, the team of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project provided psychological support to 739 children and 372 adults with war trauma in 22 cities of Ukraine. In addition, the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology was mastered by 401 trainers who took part in the training program within the framework of the Project.

“Our team has conducted therapy sessions for 77 groups of children and 45 groups of adults throughout Ukraine,” – says the Project’s chief psychologist Iryna Sukhova. – In particular, therapy sessions were organized in Kyiv, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Novoyavorivsk, Truskavets, Khmelnytskyi, Odesa, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Volovets, Vinnytsia, Chornomorsk, Kropyvnytskyi, Cherkasy, Rybakivka, Tereshky, Kryvyi Rih, Starokostiantyniv, Selidove, Dykanka, Kremenchuk, Boyarka, and Korosten. The trainers who went through the program within the project taught children and adults the effective healing techniques and practice self-help skills to overcome the war trauma. Thus, 4 offline trainings were held in Pylypets, Dnipro, Kyiv, and Kamianets-Podilskyi; and 8 more trainings were conducted online. The participants “tested” the methodology on themselves overcoming their own fears and worries. Then during therapy sessions, they all received methodological support and supervision from experienced colleagues”.

The methodology “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” promotes the development of special skills in children and adults for reducing the psychological after-effects of trauma through self-help, relaxation and healing techniques in the face of intense war-related stress. It is designed to reduce anxiety and prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other complications in the future. And we see its effectiveness and simplicity and ease of using it on our own experience within the project.

The team of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project of the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation expresses sincere gratitude to our Canadian partners, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation and HOPE worldwide Canada for their financial support, and also for their trust and long-term cooperation for the sake of psychological and emotional wellbeing of Ukrainians.
The results of our team’s work during May-September 2022 within the provided grant are presented in the report: http://hopeww.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/hhfu_report_may-sep_2022_hopeww_en.pdf

ABOUT METHODOLOGY
The methodology “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” is an effective tool of psychological self-help for people with traumatic consequences of war, natural disasters, and other cataclysms. It works well with both children and adults, as it is a result of the combined years of direct experience of working with child survivors of war and disaster. The methodology was developed in 1998 by professionals from the Institute of Psychiatry in London, UK, and the Center for Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway, and has been used after earthquakes in Iran, India, Chile, and China, the tsunami in South East Asia in 2000, as well as war conflicts in Africa, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine. The manual “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” has been translated and adapted by experts from the Ukrainian Institute of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Lviv, Ukraine).

Since 2015, it has been successfully used to teach trainers and to conduct therapy courses in Ukraine within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project, implemented by “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation with support of HOPE worldwide (USA) and HOPE worldwide Canada charitable organizations.

REFERENCE INFORMATION
International Charity Project “Helping Hand for Ukraine” exists since 2015. The Project aims to improve the socio-emotional and psychological state and wellbeing of children with war trauma and their families who witnessed and suffered from the war against Ukraine. The Project trains the trainers to work with the “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology; provides psychological assistance to children and their parents with war trauma, teaching them skills of psychological self-regulation and self-assistance and techniques of relaxation; fosters cooperation with state social services in order to ensure immediate attention from professionals to cases of mild and severe mental problems as well as constant aftercare and social support. More information about the

Project is provided on the website of “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation.

Contact person for media:
Olga Batiuk,
mob. +38 050 359 7266 (Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp),
olga.batiuk@gmail.com

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New trainers who have recently graduated from the program “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” now use this methodology to conduct sessions for children and their parents throughout Ukraine and abroad. The sessions take place both offline and online, depending on the needs and capabilities of the group members. In the photos (and this is only a small part of the memories of this summer and the beginning of autumn) the sessions conducted by trainers Nadiya Bakhurinska, Nataliya Maslakova, Tetyana Maltseva (Beregovo), Anzhelika Lyashchuk, Nataliya Kushnir (Chernivtsi), Yulia Tomakh, Nadiya Andreeva (Korosten), Olena Sukhanova, Gulsem Havryushenko (Khutoro-Gubynykha village, Dnipropetrovsk region). All these trainers work selflessly, do not complain about personal stress in war conditions, but love and support children, share their experience and teach them practical exercises to help them to cope with stress, pain, losses, fears , and obsessive memories. And the children become healthier, they heal, they regain self-confidence, they start to dream again and hope for a better future.

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On October 20-22, 2022, a second “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training was held in Chernivtsi, in cooperation with the Yuriy Fedkovich Chernivtsi National University. It was held as part of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. The training was conducted for 26 participants by the Project trainers, Iryna Sukhova and Tetyana Oboyanska. In the future, they will help young and adult Ukrainians to improve their psychological health and overcome the consequences of war thanks to the unique “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology – an effective tool of psychological self-help for people with traumatic consequences of war.

The training was held with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF). The grant expands a trauma therapy program to train the trainers to work with children and adults with war trauma. This is already the second training out of the 12 planned. The project is implemented by the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation with the support of American and Canadian partners, HOPE worldwide (USA) and HOPE worldwide Canada.

“Participants note the relevance of the topic,” says Iryna Sukhova, chief psychologist of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project, “since there are many internally displaced people in Chernivtsi who have lost their homes and relatives, and experienced terrible traumatic events during the war. Our training conditions have been quite extreme. The entire training was accompanied by air alarms, and for our own safety we went down to the shelter every time. But even there, in the damp dark shelter, the thirst for knowledge and the desire to help did not fade away, the training continued. As one of the participants said at the final round: “If in a dark bomb shelter during the threat of shelling, someone wearing vyshyvanka continues to conduct the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program – our Ukraine is invincible!”

Feedback from training participants:

“Everything was relevant and very much “on time”. Trying out all the techniques personally was the most useful. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of the “healing” of our Ukraine!” – Evgenia Dudka

“I managed to touch on my personal traumatic events and process them. All the techniques and tools learned during the training were useful. I am grateful for the new knowledge and skills that I learned during these 3 days” – Maryana Pernai

“For me, the topic of the training was very useful and relevant, because I felt a lack of practical knowledge on how to help others and myself as well. I received a huge “backpack” of practical skills and healing techniques. I am sincerely grateful to the trainers and the organizers. I received plenty of ​​positive emotions and a desire to implement what I learned” – Mykola Ilashchuk

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On October 17, in Truskavets, the new trainers of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program were awarded by the certificates within “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. Psychologists and volunteers of the “Voices of Children” Charity Foundation received acknowledgement of their new competences. They were trained in May and then during the summer months they worked – teaching children and their parents effective self-help techniques in conditions of war and stress, and also received supervision.
In the warm and friendly atmosphere of presenting certificates, the participants discussed their experience of working with groups, recalled difficult and funny situations with psychologist of the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. We congratulate the new trainers and wish them further success in their work!

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On October 7-9, 2022, a three-day “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” was held for 24 educators in Kyiv in cooperation with the Kyiv City Teacher’s House. The training was held within the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project with the financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF). In August 2022 CUF provided a grant to expand a trauma therapy program, which trains the trainers to work with children and adults with war trauma. The project is implemented by the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation with the support of American and Canadian partners, HOPE worldwide (USA) and HOPE worldwide Canada.

The training in Kyiv is the first one out of 12 “Children and war. Teaching Recovery Techniques” trainings that will be held within the framework of the CUF grant. 24 educators from Kyiv attended the training. They will continue to work with children and adults, teaching them effective self-help techniques and war trauma overcoming methods.

“These have been three unforgettable days of live communication, repetition of important theory and acquisition of extremely useful practical skills. I am sincerely thankful to the project trainers – Iryna Sukhova, Nataliya Podolyak and Tetyana Oboyanska. I am also happy to meet my colleagues and look forward to fruitful cooperation in future, – says Olena Lutsenko, methodist of the methodical department of the Teacher’s House.

Here are some reviews of the participants:

“For me, the topic is extremely relevant. Parents and pupils who suffered from military operations ask for help. I liked the professional teaching, good preparation and trainers’ tolerance. The content corresponds to our current life needs. I believe that using these techniques in my work will allow me to reduce the PTSD levels of the children and adults who turn to me for help. Thank you very much for such an effective and important tool in my work as a practical psychologist” – Oksana Malyuga.

“The topic of the training is very relevant, because now we, the whole country, are in extremely difficult military conditions. Everyone suffers, both adults and children, but especially our future growing generation. Therefore, equipping them with psychological techniques in these conditions can save not only their psyche, but also their lives! “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training equipped me with new techniques, exercises, and lifehacks. I enjoyed the pleasant taste of live/offline communication, tried myself in a new role as a future trainer and I really liked it. And the most important thing for me is that I realized that I am on the right path! THANK YOU! Everything will be Ukraine!” – Darya Shahanova.

“Now I feel the strength to help, as I got new knowledge and techniques. It’s great that everything was live/offline. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk with colleagues, to be in a circle of like-minded people. Thank you for the opportunity to join the program, for the wonderful trainers, and for meeting new colleagues. It is wonderful and very valuable that the training program is standardized and it is easy to understand the step-by-step actions, that all the materials are approbated. And the program’s effectiveness is researched and proven. Thank you for your warmth and desire to share knowledge. I dream that this program is conducted in every school and we will all become stronger and mentally healthy!” – Oleksandra Hudkova.

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In August and September 2022, the trainers’ team conducted the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy sessions for children who came to rest at the “Forest Song” sanatorium, located near the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi. 136 children received psychological and emotional support. They also learned how to use self-help techniques to deal with stress, anxiety, fears and intrusive memories. Among the participants there were local children, children from vulnerable families, and children who fled the war zone. All of them were happy to attend the sessions with the trainers, Larysa Sushko, Oksana Strilchuk, and Tetyana Solovei. They gladly visited them in their free time after sessions just to talk about personal issues. The staff of the sanatorium was also grateful, because such work with children’s hearts in the conditions of war is priceless.

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On September 23-25, 2022 a “Children and war. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training was held in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi region. The event took place within the framework of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project thanks to the fruitful cooperation of the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation and the Headquarters of SOS Civil Defense. Sixteen participants took part in the training. It was conducted by the project’s trainers and psychologists – Iryna Sukhova and Tetyana Oboyanska.
Kamianets-Podilskyi is a beautiful and ancient city in western Ukraine with a unique history, nature, and architecture, with a population of 100,000 citizens. Now this city hospitably hosts thousands of internally displaced families with children who are fleeing the war and need psychological help. Therefore, new knowledge and self-help techniques based on the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” methodology, which the new trainers have learned at the training, are very relevant right now. They will help in working with IDPs and providing psychological assistance to both children and adults.

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On September 19-23, 2022 two “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” online trainings were held within the frames of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project. The trainings were conducted by certified trainers of the Project – Iryna Sukhova, Nataliya Podolyak and Olena Bozhor. Online trainings were attended by 72 participants from Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, Kropyvnytskyi, Mukachevo, Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk, and other cities and towns of Ukraine. There were also participants from France, the Czech Republic and Romania. The trainings are complete, the newly trained have received important knowledge, learned effective methods for working with PTSD, and practical tools to help children and parents affected by the war. We wish them fruitful work and good results!

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