Children's space "Pearl", which works in the Novovodolaz community of the Kharkiv region and was created within the framework of the PROMESSA project, temporarily switched to an online work format for security reasons.
After all, on October 19, as a result of a Russian drone strike on the central park of Novaya Vodolaga, local residents were injured —, three women and two children were killed, and another 15 people were injured of varying degrees of severity.
On the recommendations of the NGO and the donor, they decided not to cancel the classes in the space, since children and adults in these circumstances need support, but to conduct them online. These classes are built in such a way that children can play a little, move, laugh, find useful ideas for leisure.
"We don't know exactly how each child is going through the situation, whether any parent has had conversations about the need to stay at home. Someone is worried, someone is angry, someone behaves as if nothing is happening. Therefore, I do not force children to talk about their fears, share personal or necessarily perform all tasks. Our classes are a space where you can just be together and share your thoughts", said Nataliya Atanasova, a psychologist of the children's space.
In particular, during this week's class, teenagers considered situations of influence and control, what can and cannot be controlled in their lives, what depends on personal decisions and the consequences of personal choices, and what is under the power of external circumstances.
Children also went through online quests, created collages, talked about their beacons - symbols that even on difficult days you can find small sources of support.
Classes help children and adults master stressful situations, reduce anxiety, and feel more confident emotionally.
The project "PROMESSA: Child protection, emergency response and health care for the most vulnerable families affected by the conflict in the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions" is implemented by the NGO "Association for Democratic Development" in partnership with the branch of the foundation "Ter des Om Italy ETS" in Ukraine (TDH Italy) Terre des hommes - Україна. The project is financed by Italian Cooperation. And it is implemented with the aim of strengthening mental health and improving the social adaptation of children and their families who suffered from the war in the Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
