Автор(ка):
Марія Куцова
In 2015, future co-founder of the "Voices of Children" Foundation, Olena Rozvadovska, realized that simply providing humanitarian aid to families with children near the frontline was insufficient. Even then, the war had stripped children of basic elements of childhood, such as the ability to play outdoors, interact with peers, and develop, replacing them instead with fear and loss.
It was during this time that Olena, alongside her colleagues, initiated art therapy sessions, which eventually evolved into the psychological support program of the "Voices of Children" Foundation. In honor of the All-Ukrainian Psychologist Day, we invite you to learn more about the core direction of the foundation's work.
Foundation Centers
After the large-scale invasion, "Voices of Children" began expanding a network of centers where children and parents could receive professional psychological assistance. Currently, 15 centers are operating in various regions of Ukraine, staffed by 92 psychologists and leisure specialists.
A child can come to a place where they won't be judged or evaluated, where they will be seen with their expressions, their emotions, their pain or fear, or joy, and where there is a supportive circle of adults,
emphasized Olena Rozvadovska.
emphasized Olena Rozvadovska.
In addition to group and individual psychological sessions, the centers also host various activities and workshops where children have the opportunity to interact with peers and even make friends. Due to the war, many children have lost their usual social circles, so such events are highly beneficial for them.
The wide range of services offered at the centers allows for long-term support. For example, parents may bring their child for an individual consultation, after which the child attends group sessions and then stays for some activities at a youth club.
I brought my child who had difficulty communicating with peers. She spent the entire first grade sitting in the corner at school, not going out for breaks or interacting with other children. After sensory drawing sessions and group stabilization activities, I see wonderful results. My daughter tells me she has made friends and shares interesting stories, so I am very grateful for the work!
feedback about the center in Truskavets.
feedback about the center in Truskavets.
Within the centers, mobile psychological teams operate, traveling to remote communities that were under occupation or hostilities. This approach enables assistance to families with children who lack access to specialists and specialized facilities.
Online Assistance
Since not all children can be reached physically, the "Voices of Children" Foundation also provides psychological support online through a hotline and chatbot.
This direction emerged following the start of the large-scale invasion when many people were directly contacting Olena Rozvadovska. Thus, the need arose for a centralized line where crisis psychological support would primarily be provided.
Currently, the online support comprises approximately 20 psychologists, each with specific specializations: cognitive-behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy, psychoanalysis, and trauma therapy.
We have an internal division: each of the specialists works within their sphere. When people reach out to us, there's this crucial moment — selecting the most suitable expert,
shared Olha Mykytchyn, the head of online assistance at the foundation.
shared Olha Mykytchyn, the head of online assistance at the foundation.
Every month, approximately 200 inquiries are received through the hotline and chatbots, out of which 130–140 are actively addressed. These inquiries differ from those at the beginning of the large-scale invasion when people were in critical conditions. Now, they are facing the long-term consequences of the war: anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD. Issues persist in parent-child relationships, difficulties in adaptation abroad, self-harm, and sleep disorders.
After the sessions, my son became calmer and more confident. He started using psychological exercises taught by Olena. Sincerely thankful for the opportunity provided!
feedback about the online assistance provided by the foundation.
feedback about the online assistance provided by the foundation.
Camps
As part of the psychosocial support, the "Voices of Children" Foundation organizes outdoor camps for children in the Western part of Ukraine, as well as day intensives at their centers.
In addition to active recreation and making new acquaintances, these camps contain a significant psychological component. They aim to foster and develop interaction skills with peers in a safe social environment, emotional resilience, and strengthening the mental capacity of children and adolescents to recover from traumatic experiences.
In particular, the camp under the proprietary program "Master of Elements" encompasses three main directions:
- organizational and household, involving the setup of the camp and territory arrangement;
- conquering the elements, which includes adventurous activities and expeditions;
- integrated psychological component, featuring group work with a psychologist and beneficial leisure activities (sports, water relays, nature exploration, etc.).
Camp participants conquer the four elements: water, air, fire, and earth. Along the path of mastering the elements, adolescents will learn to create a home fire, use paddles, and chart their own routes. They will explore the forest and mountains, and develop teamwork skills,
commented Kateryna Lomakina, head of the informal education department.
commented Kateryna Lomakina, head of the informal education department.
In 2023, the foundation organized six sessions of outdoor camps, involving 202 children. Additionally, they arranged 18 sessions of 5-day intensives and 38 one-day intensives for 881 children.
I am very impressed by the amount of work that the organizers of this project have done! The children had a lot of fun and gained positive experiences. Thank you very much for taking such good care of the children, for your dedication to the cause!
feedback from parents about the "Voices of Children" camp.
feedback from parents about the "Voices of Children" camp.
For the year 2024, the "Voices of Children" Foundation has planned the outdoor camps "Voices Camp" and "Master of Elements," as well as day intensives at the centers.
Among the camp programs, a special place is reserved for "CAMP+". This is a 21-day retreat in the Carpathian Mountains for families with severe psycho-traumatic experiences due to the war:
- lost a loved one on the front lines or due to shelling;
- children have suffered injuries;
- relatives have disappeared without a trace or are in captivity;
- lost their home or experienced deportation to Russia.
Participants, mainly women with children, find themselves in a supportive environment where they can safely experience their emotions. Simultaneous work with children and adults allows for comprehensive problem-solving.
The foundation cares for children, but they understand: if adults nearby cannot stabilize and endure pain, then children are also unstable. That's where the idea for the camp comes from,
noted Maryna Drobysheva, a psychologist on the project.
noted Maryna Drobysheva, a psychologist on the project.
The program includes rehabilitation with specialists: art therapy, gestalt therapy, group and individual counseling. After completing the course, families can continue consulting with psychologists and participate in group meetings for support and further development.
During 2023, the foundation organized four sessions of "CAMP+", with 73 adults and 122 children participating. The program demonstrated significant positive results: after completion, 77% of participants reported feeling good, despite 73% of them feeling poorly before the start.
There were periods of despair: feeling worthless like nobody needs me and I can't do anything. It's such a state that is shameful to talk about. I share this because I'm ready to share it now. Now I want other women to not give up. I'm not giving up yet,
shared Alla, a participant in "CAMP+".
shared Alla, a participant in "CAMP+".
The effectiveness of the "CAMP+" program is also evidenced by the fact that the Ukrainian scientific-methodical Center of Practical Psychology and Social Work has approved it and recommended it for publication.
Psychoeducation
Another important direction of the "Voices of Children" work is psychoeducation, as Ukrainian society harbors many prejudices regarding psychological assistance, despite needing it.
Psychoeducation is necessary for our society because it still operates under Soviet-era narratives. There is a stigma associated with seeking help from a psychologist, and many people do not understand the essence of the psychologist's work and psychological assistance,
explained Olha Tymchenko, head of the communications department at the foundation.
explained Olha Tymchenko, head of the communications department at the foundation.
That's why psychoeducation forms the lion's share of the communication strategy of "Voices of Children". The main message is that taking care of one's mental health and that of others is normal.
To achieve this, various communication channels are utilized. Firstly, foundation psychologists themselves conduct psychoeducational meetings with parents on various topics, and also share advice on YouTube and on the "Voices of Children" social media platforms.
In addition, the foundation has created a list of psychoeducational topics for media coverage. This plan is designed to comprehensively address the range of issues children face from early childhood to adolescence.
Leading Ukrainian media outlets have supported us, and together with our psychologists, we prepare materials for them. Editors compile a list of questions, and our psychologists provide comments on the topic, which results in psychoeducational publications,
added Olha Tymchenko.
added Olha Tymchenko.
These materials include, among other things, a list of red flags in a child's behavior that indicate the need for psychological help. Additionally, they provide advice on stabilizing a child's state when they experience stress or panic.
Psychologists from "Voices of Children" also actively provide important advice on radio and television broadcasts.
Another focus of the foundation's activities is social advertising. The team developed a social campaign titled "Do You Hear What This Is About?" which promoted an important message: listen to your children when they talk about war, as it helps them cope with this experience.
The campaign covered 13 cities in Ukraine. Seven children shared their stories on billboards and citylights, on radio and television, as well as in online media.
The campaign reached 21 million people, and the number of inquiries to the foundation's centers increased by 25%, while online inquiries tripled. In the Kyiv center alone, there are currently over 18 cases of children whose parents sought help as a result of this campaign.
Quality control of psychologists' work
In the "Voices of Children" Foundation, a thorough selection process is conducted for both psychologists and leisure specialists because they all work with children. Selection criteria include:
- education — candidates must hold a diploma from an accredited institution;
- work experience;
- professional development in specific areas.
People who reach out to us mostly require crisis support. It's important that the psychologists we select have additional education specifically in this area — crisis counseling, trauma work, and loss,
explained Nataliia Sosnovenko, Head of the Center for Psychological Expertise and Methodology (CPEM).
explained Nataliia Sosnovenko, Head of the Center for Psychological Expertise and Methodology (CPEM).
The effectiveness of psychologists' work is tracked both quantitatively and qualitatively through CRM systems and timesheets. The workload of specialists encompasses intervisory and supervisory meetings, which are funded by the foundation.
Intervision sessions occur within the team of a specific center and sometimes involve collaboration between multiple centers. During these meetings, complex cases are discussed collaboratively.
Group supervision takes place once a month. Additionally, psychologists may participate in up to four individual supervision sessions per year, with discussions underway to potentially increase this to eight sessions.
The Foundation's Center for Psychological Expertise and Methodology
Within the foundation operates the Center for Psychological Expertise and Methodology (CPEM), which is responsible for:
- providing professional support to psychologists and leisure specialists;
- developing programs for centers and analyzing existing ones;
- selecting diagnostic methods to assess the effectiveness of work;
- collaborating with various departments of the foundation;
- providing consultation on training matters for specialists.
The Center for Psychological Expertise and Methodology (CPEM) now consists of five specialists. Alongside the current head, Nataliia Sosnovenko, there are Ruslana Moroz, Marianna Tropina, Larysa Hurina, and Svitlana Babatina.
CPEM has taken the place of the Expert Council, indicating its evolution and improvement.
We are adapting in line with the needs and requests of the foundation and the centers,
summarized Nataliia Sosnovenko.
summarized Nataliia Sosnovenko.
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