Author:
Yuliia Didenko
On February 23, 2022, psychologist Antonina Sorochynska and Voices of Children co-founder Olena Rozvadovska were sitting in a café in Truskavets. They were discussing how they would provide crisis support to people evacuating from the east of Ukraine to temporary accommodation centers. At the time, it seemed there was still plenty of time to prepare. The very next morning, Russia’s full-scale invasion began, and the plan had to be put into action immediately.
The Voices of Children center serving Truskavets and Skhidnytsia began operating on the very first day of the full-scale war. Within two weeks, the team had grown to include two psychologists and five volunteers. At thetime, people from across Ukraine were arriving in the Lviv region, particularly from Irpin, Bucha, the Chernihiv region, and the Kharkiv region.
In January 2025, the center moved to new premises, and that summer it began operating in a renewed hub format.
In January 2025, the center moved to new premises, and that summer it began operating in a renewed hub format.
On Stebnytska Street, children and families in the community can receive psychological support and take part in the Foundation’s programs, while professionals can undergo training sessions. During its first year operatingas a hub, the Voices of Children center in Truskavets provided support to 654 children and 306 adults.
During this period, psychologists conducted:
During this period, psychologists conducted:
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494 individual sessions for children and 141 for adults;
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159 group psychological sessions for children and 62 for adults;
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340 group psychosocial sessions for children, 1 for adults, and 7 for entire families.
The space is located on the premises of the Truskavets Center for Children and Youth Creativity, a place well known to local children. The institution consists of three buildings, one of which the Truskavets City Council provided to the Voices of Children Foundation rent-free for five years.
The Foundation carried out a major renovation of the building with support from Artur Dron, BlueCheck, and GlobalGiving, while comfortable furniture was purchased through cooperation with Terre des hommes. Today, the space is divided into four functional areas. Two rooms have been equipped for individual sessions with psychologists. In the creative room, children draw, sculpt, and make their own crafts. The largest room hostsgroup sessions, film clubs, and training sessions.
The Foundation carried out a major renovation of the building with support from Artur Dron, BlueCheck, and GlobalGiving, while comfortable furniture was purchased through cooperation with Terre des hommes. Today, the space is divided into four functional areas. Two rooms have been equipped for individual sessions with psychologists. In the creative room, children draw, sculpt, and make their own crafts. The largest room hostsgroup sessions, film clubs, and training sessions.
Before / After
The team also installed an accessible restroom and ramps at the entrance and near the stage, making the center accessible to visitors with mobility impairments, parents with strollers, and older people. Once the lease ends, the renovated building will remain with the community.
The other two buildings continue to be used by the Center for Children and Youth Creativity, which runs a concert hall, a circus studio, and various extracurricular clubs there. Being located side by side allows the Foundation to work closely with the Center for Children and Youth Creativity and other community institutions, giving children as many opportunities as possible for development and recreation.
The other two buildings continue to be used by the Center for Children and Youth Creativity, which runs a concert hall, a circus studio, and various extracurricular clubs there. Being located side by side allows the Foundation to work closely with the Center for Children and Youth Creativity and other community institutions, giving children as many opportunities as possible for development and recreation.
What Support Children and Parents Can Receive at the Truskavets Hub
Today, around 14,000 internally displaced people live in the community. Schools and extracurricular education institutions are operating under increased pressure, while children who have arrived from other regions of Ukraine are still adapting to their new environment. That is why families need a place where they can access professional psychological support.
At the Truskavets hub, children and parents can receive psychological and psychosocial support free of charge. The hub offers individual consultations, group psychological sessions, and creative workshops. Since 2023, more than 2,000 people have received support here in various formats.
At the Truskavets hub, children and parents can receive psychological and psychosocial support free of charge. The hub offers individual consultations, group psychological sessions, and creative workshops. Since 2023, more than 2,000 people have received support here in various formats.
The hub gives children what psychologists call a “third place”: a space outside home and school where they can spend time with friends, draw, or talk to adults about their emotions and experiences. If a child or theirparents need more in-depth support, they can make an appointment with a psychologist.
The space also serves as a training venue. Voices of Children specialists hold art labs, camps for the families of Ukrainian defenders, music and art therapy sessions, psychoeducational activities, retreats, strategy sessions, and supervision sessions here. Another important area of work is training professionals in the community who work with children. Training topics include preventing and addressing bullying, rehabilitation, support for mothers, and approaches to working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The hub is also open to other organizations. The team welcomes partnerships with schools, youth centers, scouting organizations, and local extracurricular clubs.
The space also serves as a training venue. Voices of Children specialists hold art labs, camps for the families of Ukrainian defenders, music and art therapy sessions, psychoeducational activities, retreats, strategy sessions, and supervision sessions here. Another important area of work is training professionals in the community who work with children. Training topics include preventing and addressing bullying, rehabilitation, support for mothers, and approaches to working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The hub is also open to other organizations. The team welcomes partnerships with schools, youth centers, scouting organizations, and local extracurricular clubs.
We thank the Truskavets City Council for this partnership and for providing the premises where children have a safe space. We are also grateful to Artur Dron, BlueCheck, GlobalGiving, and Terre des hommes for theirsupport in developing and equipping the center.
The Voices of Children hub in Truskavets is located at 12 Stebnytska Street. To sign up for free consultations and activities, call 099 069 64 89.
You can find announcements of upcoming activities for children on our Telegram channel, and updates from the hub in our regular news digest.
The Voices of Children hub in Truskavets is located at 12 Stebnytska Street. To sign up for free consultations and activities, call 099 069 64 89.
You can find announcements of upcoming activities for children on our Telegram channel, and updates from the hub in our regular news digest.
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