Performer: regional and local educational units (created by the Mental Health Center of the National Academy of Medical Sciences)

Partners and administrative support: Education departments of. Kyiv and. Warsaw

Financing: Plan International in Ukraine

Implementation period: 15 May - 15 November 2023.

Beneficiaries: directors, regional and local educational units, practical psychologists, pupils of ZZSO of 20 schools in Kyiv

Project manager: students and their parents and specialists of the Ministry of Education and Science, Ph.D., +38 095 330 92 69 (Telegram, Whatsapp, Viber), iryna.ivaniuk@ukma.edu.ua

The purpose of the project there is strengthening of resilience and well-being among school staff in 20 pilot schools of Kyiv in working with traumatized children and training of a team of crisis interventionists.

Topicality. War destroys the well-being of families and children. The situation is particularly acute for 6,5 million people, including 1,2 million children, who became internally displaced persons (HPE) in Ukraine. According to UNICEF estimates, 1,5 million children are at risk of developing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other severe mental disorders. U 2022/2023 academic year in institutions of general secondary education in. Kyiv studies 10 000 IDP children and works 1500 VPO teachers, who are a particularly vulnerable category in terms of traumatization.

Content of project implementation.

The tested comprehensive psychosocial program "Safe Space" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P5U5Bh2gWI , developed by NaUKMA, will be implemented among 20 pilot schools in Kyiv. Teachers will learn how to create emotionally safe classrooms, how to identify trauma and refer traumatized children to a practical psychologist. Expected, that clinical psychologists will provide targeted psychosocial support to children with high levels of trauma symptoms, will be able to identify at-risk children and children with the most severe symptoms and refer them to a psychotherapist outside the school environment.

Practice shows, that not all psychologists have knowledge about the consequences of psychological trauma and work with trauma, manifestations of post-traumatic syndrome, signs of depression and suicidal behavior in adolescents, know the protocol of actions in crisis situations, the work algorithm of redirection to narrow specialists (psychotherapists and/or psychiatrists). Therefore, a team of crisis interventionists will come to the aid of Kyiv practical psychologists and teachers, prepared by experts from the Department of Education in Warsaw https://edukacja.um.warszawa.pl/-/interwenci-kryzysowi.

The "Safe Space" program has proven its effectiveness, The mental health center needs to expand the team, therefore will be prepared 10 new coaches, which will work according to the program.

Project implementation plan:

June 2023. selection of 20 pilot schools in Kyiv, conducting an online competition of motivational letters to identify those who wish to undergo training and work as crisis interventionists;

2 – 4 August 2023. conducting a training seminar 10 trainers under the "Safe Space" program

September - October 2023. - holding 10 supervision for new trainers of the "Safe Space" program

22 August 2023. conducting a seminar for 20 principals/deputy principals from pilot educational institutions to familiarize themselves with the "Safe Space" program;

28 – 30 August 2023. conducting a three-day training for 20 practical psychologists from pilot educational institutions under the "Safe Space" program;

September - October 2023. carrying out 10 two - day trainings for 200 teachers under the "Safe Space" program (10 teachers from each pilot school; participates in one training session 1 a teacher from each school);

September - October 2023. conducting group supervisions for practical psychologists from pilot educational institutions, who work under the "Safe Space" program (10 persons in the group, once a week supervision);

7 – 9 September 2023.  conducting a three-day training for 20 psychologists, who are selected for training as crisis interveners, regarding the in-depth study of psychological first aid, signs of trauma in children and adults, etc;

17 – 24 September 2023. holding a training course for crisis interventionists in Warsaw for the 21st participant;

October - mid-November 2023. conducting group supervisions for psychologists, who have been trained as crisis interveners;

1 November 2023. - holding an online conference with the participation of directors of 20 pilot schools in Kyiv, representatives of the education departments of Kyiv and Warsaw, NaUKMA, Plan International in Ukraine

Expected results:

The qualification of pedagogical workers of 20 ZZSOs of the city has been improved. WHO and UNICEF standards, to strengthen students' stress resistance and help them in psychological recovery during the war

The qualification of a team of psychologists as crisis interventionists has been increased to strengthen the stress resistance of students and help educators. of Kyiv in crisis situations

The capacity of the Mental Health Center of NaUKMA to implement the "Safe Space" program has been increased