As a result of military conflict in the East of Ukraine, over 180 thousand people had to flee their homes to save their lives. HumanDoc Foundation and the local psychologists decided to open a psychological support center for the displaced. According to ARTE Centre, it helps the displaced start a new life. In order to minimize the sense of exclusion, we decided to deepen our bond with the local community and cooperate within the city space.
In 2014, in the East of Ukraine, a war broke out, the consequence of which is a social and economic crisis in the whole country. Annexation of Crimea in February 2014 and the beginning of the military conflict, which lasts until now, had impact on millions of Ukrainians. Many people lost their homes and had to escape from the area of conflict. Hundreds of thousands of people found themselves in a dire situation. Many of them were forced to start a new life, far away from their homes, without the sense of safety and possibility to ensure a good life for their loved ones.
For over 180 000 people from the conflict area, Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast became their new home. After meeting their basic needs, like finding a flat, a job, adapting to a new reality, new problems started to appear. War trauma, suffering from the loss of the nearest and dearest, longing for their family homes and previous life called urgently for psychological support.
HumanDoc Foundation and local psychologists decided to create a psychological support center for the displaced.
In 2016, thanks to the funds from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Polish Aid program, the Foundation started working on ARTE – Support and Integration Centre for the Displaced in Kharkiv.
The goal of the project is to create a friendly and open space, where people in a desperate need of support could count on professional help from our psychologists. In Dmitrivska Street 5, we managed to create a place, which is open 7 days a week for those who have to bear the consequences of the military conflict. We conducted a renovation and adjusted the rooms to the needs of our activities. We equipped the Centre with photography and film equipment and computers, so that the Centre could operate on the highest level possible.
within 2 years of ARTE - Support and Integration Centre for the displaced, more than 30 000 people found here the support they needed.
so many people were forced to start a new life. Our project is aimed at helping them.
success of ARTE – Support and Integration Centre for the displaced is based on the selfless and hard work of the volunteers – there are over 50 of them.
The main task of ARTE Centre was to make the start in new life easier for the displaced. In order to minimize the sense of exclusion, we decided to focus of deepening the bond with local community and the support within the city. Our psychologists gave free advice and consultations, by conducting group and individual therapy for children, for the youth and the adults, based on techniques and methods, which have not been used in Ukraine before. Thanks to the involvement and determination of our co-workers, we managed to build support groups for families, who lost their loved ones in the conflict.
The offer was addressed also to people who are lonely or with disabilities. The actions and activity of the Centre took place in various locations in Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast. Psychologists and volunteers from the Centre visited regularly temporary housing for the displaced, foster care and pediatric wards in hospitals. Work with the beneficiaries was based on artetherapy. In daily work, our cooperators used in the therapy art, film, photography and music. In Dmitrovska Street 5, there were daily theatre groups like Theatre Magic, Playback Theatre, as well as the group of hospital clowns – dressed-up therapist, who visited children in the hospitals and foster care. Another important part of our activity was delivering support to the parents, their children with intellectual disabilities or with problems with school socialization.
The success of ARTE Centre was possible also thanks to selfless and hardworking volunteers – there were over 50 of them. They were trained – they acquired knowledge and skills which are necessary to carry out their tasks. Every month they can also use psychological supervision.
Within 2 years of ARTE Centre activity, over 30 000 people used its help and support.
The goal of the project was also raising the qualifications of our cooperators. We put emphasis on the quality of help provided to the beneficiaries. Situation of Ukraine brings about huge demand for psychological support. During the trainings conducted by Polish specialists from F43 Foundation, we focused mostly on Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome and psychological first aid. Our cooperators could also count on monthly supervision and consultations with Polish psychologists.
The project was financed under the Polish Aid Program of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
