Safe Space to Talk: Psychological help for Ukraine

Representatives of the Universal Peace Federation came to Gymnasium No. 59 named after O.M.Boychenko

They met with the children as part of the safe space to talk project.

Everyone knows that children are one of the most vulnerable categories during war, so it is important that they feel in a safe, familiar environment. The meeting was held by Mykhailo I., Ph.D. in psychology, and post graduate student of the Institute of Psychology, Andriy M.

The purpose of the meeting was to show the pupils that they are in a safe environment among those who are always beside them and take care of them.

The meeting began by showing a bag with a first aid kit, and the children confirmed that everyone has a similar one at home and that their parents have kits in their cars.

The next step was that the children come back to their usual activities, to study. They are again in the midst of friends and under the supervision of teachers.

During the conversation, it turned out that some children were even in the occupation, but their parents were nearby and that's why everything ended well.

And now, everyone is studying, and parents and other relatives and friends help other regions with clothes and food as volunteers. In fact, the children themselves, together with the gymnasium, collected humanitarian aid for schools in the city of Kherson and sent it. Children feel that they are strong and even able to help to others. 

 The only thing that is difficult to control is the threat of missile attacks, but the school is equipped with a bomb shelter, and everyone has a safe place to hide at home.

At the end of the meeting, the children received gifts, and some received several for correct answers to the express quiz.

Despite the war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine, life goes on. Children go to school. Why? Because it is difficult for first and second-graders to study online. Especially for first-graders because it is difficult for them to understand what school is and what learning is. But for schools that conduct training, a necessary condition is to have a bomb shelter. That's why during air raids, children go down to the rooms equipped as bomb shelters, but it's clear that no one has thought about this before, and in many schools the process of equipping them is still ongoing.  But it is important that children feel physically and mentally safe during air raids. That's why we, together with our psychology colleagues, turned to artists with a proposal to paint the walls in the bomb shelters. The first such project was implemented for secondary school No. 85 in Kyiv.  Our partners, the Women's Federation for World Peace, suggested an artist, and together with their colleagues, they chose a drawing and found paints.  The idea took several weeks to implement, as it was impossible to work during the air alert and the lack of light also hindered the work. But the reward for everyone was the children's smiles when they saw the wonderful drawing on the wall. We are grateful to everyone who contributed.

Links:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXvJDRrervQ