It wasn’t a long time ago that we had our normal lives. We were waiting for spring to come as a symbol of new life after the long winter months of gloom.
Instead, the war has come to our homes on the 24th of February.
It has already been 49 days and nights that the war is destroying cities and villages, wrecking theatres and churches, and turning cosy streets, private houses, and residential buildings into ruins.
But the worst thing war does is destroy people’s destinies. Cruise missiles hit maternity hospitals and take the souls of unborn babies and their mothers. Bombs explode in the backyards of people who survived World War II, but they no longer have a chance to survive the “liberation by the fraternal nation.”
People have been forced to hide in cold basements without food, water or medication for weeks to protect themselves from bombs and shells. But this does not always help, because even the strongest walls of our homes were not designed to protect us from airstrikes or cruise missiles.
One way or another, every Ukrainian has faced atrocities of the war. Some have lost their homes, some had to flee and live in a foreign country, and some witnessed the death of their loved ones or friends.
Many adults and children have been seriously wounded, and have had to undergo amputations and long-term rehabilitation.
Doctors give a certain period for the healing of physical wounds, and patients overcome the pain and recover with time.
However, the mental health of people who have suffered the atrocities of war can’t be evaluated or prognosed, let alone children’s or adolescents’ mental health.
Loneliness, fear, helplessness, and aggression are just some of the consequences of the atrocities suffered. Children and adolescents can in no case be left alone with these feelings.
Children need attention and communication. They need reliable, patient, and credible people who can reinforce their self-confidence, help them restore their mental health and move on.
Teachers can become these people as a kind of a bridge between the kids and their families.
In turn, teachers also need professional expertise and moral and psychological support. This is the purpose why the support groups, the supervision, are created.
The supervision support will be held by qualified psychological specialists free of charge once a week in Zoom.
Each group will have one weekly meeting.
We have already found 32 psychologists who are ready to take up group supervision.
Supervision is going to last for three months. Each psychologist will supervise each group throughout these months. One psychologist can hold one meeting a day which makes it 5 groups a week. Thus, there will be 1920 meetings held throughout these months. Each meeting will be 90 minutes long.
The maximum number of participants is up to 15 teachers per group. With the assistance of the 32 psychologists, we will be able to help 2400 educationists.
Each teacher is working with a class of 30 pupils each of whom has faced the cruelty of war in their own way. These pupils need specialized psychological assistance. Teachers communicate with their pupils’ parents who have also suffered from the war and need help and support, although not everyone admits to it.
Knowledge gained at the Supervision will enable teachers to help spot kids and parents who have been psychologically most affected. Also, teachers will be able to address their supervisors to organize psychological assistance for the most traumatized Ukrainians.
Therefore, through the educational system, we will be able to positively impact the psychological well-being of Ukrainians by virtue of the professional psychologists involved.
To participate in the Supervision, please follow the link below. Here is a link to a Telegram chat where you will find information on the schedule and the specialists.
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