Halloween, Support for Parents, and Children Growing More Open: October Highlights from the "Voices of Children" Centers

Author:

Mariia Kucova

We could spend hours sharing the stories from our centers, the moments we create with children, and the incredible work our specialists do! Condensing it all into one article is no easy feat, but we have done our best. Here is a peek into life at the "Voices of Children" centers this October.

In Zaporizhzhia, our team organized dance and creative workshops for children with special educational needs, hosted Halloween Party events with fun photoshoots, popcorn, and contests, and led support groups for participants of all ages. After one such session, titled "On Wings of Support", a young boy shared, “I never knew talking about my thoughts could be so fascinating!”

After our sessions, children tell us they feel more open and have even started sharing things they used to keep to themselves,

shares psychologist Anastasiia Kyrychenko.

Meanwhile, in Truskavets, October marked the launch of the "Energy of Life" support group for military spouses, where women are supported in finding emotional balance, building social connections, and navigating challenging circumstances. Additionally, the "Theater of Emotions" series of Saturday intensives сoncluded, helping children become more open and make new friends.

One little girl shared that she had always believed she’d never be able to make friends, but here, she found true companions. The children are eagerly looking forward to new sessions and groups so they can continue enjoying time together,

says center coordinator Nataliia Boiko.

The coordinator of the Dnipro center shared that October brought an influx of new children, who joined with even more enthusiasm than usual. The highlight was a Hawaiian-themed party for teens, which was a huge hit with both the kids and their parents. Additionally, the center continues to run its "Safe Space" program, art therapy sessions, and various teen clubs.

The Kharkiv team focused on outreach visits to villages, working with children and parents who are unable to travel to the center. They also wrapped up the "Stress-Free Parenting" group and have already started a new session. In addition, psychosocial and creative activities for children are continuing.

In Kyiv, creative workshops and teen groups are continuing as usual. During the fall break, the team organized three three-hour intensives and launched a kids' film club. Additionally, at the invitation of the National Library of Ukraine for Children, specialists held a psychological training session on anti-bullying strategies for 5th and 6th graders. Thanks to Canadian volunteers, the center has also begun hosting weekly board game sessions in English every Tuesday.

At the Kryvyi Rih center, 24 creative workshops were held, each with a unique theme. These sessions not only gave participants the opportunity to create their own projects, but also helped them manage anxiety, cope with stress, and develop practical self-care skills. Teens in the teen club took the lead in organizing their own Halloween party, while specialists hosted an exciting quest activity for younger children.

In Chernivtsi, after running the "Safe Space" program for kids aged 5 and up, the team has received an influx of requests for more activities. They have partnered with a local library to offer personalized consultations for parents and children, celebrated the opening of a new hub, and led a series of professional development workshops for teachers and educators.

For the festive opening of our hub, my team and I invited children from vulnerable backgrounds. Among them were a brother and sister whose father had died in the war. It was their first time with us. Their mother was initially hesitant to bring them, but after the event, when she came to pick them up and saw her son’s excitement, she just stood there, motionless, watching. He was playing board games with the psychologist and other children, and he looked genuinely happy. She told me that, for him, nothing usually holds his interest beyond his phone. But now, she said she wants to bring her kids here regularly,

shares Chernivtsi team coordinator Iryna Shestakova.

In Lviv, the center continues to offer programs for children and teenagers. In October, we hosted a creative session with volunteer Lynn Matthews, a nurse from the United States who travels to war-torn countries and impoverished areas in Africa and the Middle East, delivering letters and drawings of support from children to children. For our kids, she brought drawings from Kenya. Moreover, training sessions for educators and psychologists working in schools have started in Lviv.

The program focuses on building self-care and mental health skills for teachers and psychologists, helping them identify signs of difficulty in adapting, support students, and have conversations with them about the war. We've already held two training sessions for nearly 30 education professionals, and we're not stopping there. By the end of the year, we plan to organize three more. We've received a lot of positive feedback, along with appreciation and gratitude,

says Viktoriia Merkulova, the center coordinator.

In Mykolaiv, teenagers continue to show strong interest in the discussion club, where they can explore various topics, dive into Ukrainian culture, and make new friends. In addition, the center offers ongoing groups for children of all ages, as well as a movie club for kids ages 7–11, where they watch cartoons and then discuss the emotions they felt during the film with psychologists.

In Chernihiv, the focus in October shifted to surrounding communities. During the autumn break, specialists held a 5-day "Eco-Camp" for 20 children from the Olyshivka community. They also made 13 visits to the Tupychiv, Kyinka, and Olyshivka communities, where they led workshops and activities for both children and parents.

The center in Vysokyi, located in the Kharkiv region, is continuing its work with 4 psychological support groups for children and has also launched a new mobile group, "Stress-Free Parenting", in the village of Mala Rohozianka.

Our communities have been incredibly engaged, and our specialists are fully committed to their work. In one village, the residents themselves asked us to organize a training or event for adults, which was a pleasant surprise, as it's usually challenging to get parents involved in these types of activities,

says center coordinator Valentyna Subota.

That is how our October went. Follow our centers on social media so you do not miss out on upcoming activities!

Follow the link to support the work of our foundation in psychological and psychosocial support for children and parents.