Community visits, training for colleagues and everyday support: how the Survivor Relief Centres worked in September

• internally displaced people;
• families of missing persons;
• people released from captivity and civilian hostages;
• survivors of gender-based and/or domestic violence;
• veterans and their family members.

Psychologists worked with women overcoming the consequences of gender-based violence: they provided psychoeducation, drew up safety plans and taught stabilisation techniques. Supporting veterans is a separate area of work. In September, help was sought by a veteran with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder; a veteran who was referred to a doctor and is now supported by the multidisciplinary team; a veteran returning to civilian life after captivity; and a demobilised man who is gradually being involved in volunteering. A civilian man who survived three years of captivity and CRSV also came to the Centre. 

A lawyer advised on restoring pension payments after relocation, the termination of accommodation allowances and the protection of children’s rights, while social workers helped people apply for “Winter Support” at the Pension Fund.

Group sessions took place at the same time. Teenagers attended “My Sources of Support” and “Creative Space”, and children took part in “The Mental Health Tree” and “Our Emotions in Colour”. Women learned self-help and self-regulation skills using VR headsets and practised supporting themselves instead of self-criticism. At the end of the month, the team held a training on recognising gender-based violence, and the lawyer and a social worker ran an information session, “CRSV: Understand to Protect”.

The team continues to build its skills: supervision, basics of psychiatry, seminars on military psychology and crisis debriefing, the “Recognise. Respond. Cooperate” training by the NGO League of Modern Women, and a refresher session on preventing sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse.

“The number of people affected by the war grows every day, adding to the workload of the Centre’s specialists. In September, the situation in the city worsened due to an increase in guided aerial bomb attacks. More and more residents are seeking professional psychological support to cope with stress and trauma, as well as expert help with paperwork for restoring damaged property and receiving urgent material support. The Survivor Relief Centres can combine psychological support, social case management and legal aid in one place, which removes the risk of re-traumatising people by sending them to different institutions.”

The information sessions focused primarily on CRSV: myths and facts, survivors’ rights, available services, and how to notice risks and respond to disclosures without causing additional harm. Other meetings were devoted to personal boundaries, recognising violence and the barriers that prevent people from seeking support.

At the same time, the specialists provided 265 individual consultations.

Psychologists also ran therapy groups on grief, restoring inner resources and resilience, and in Kharkiv itself – an interactive session on conflict-free communication.

Among this month’s cases is the story of a woman who survived CRSV during the occupation of Kharkiv region. The Centre’s team referred her to a short-term rehabilitation programme for women and girls in Uzhhorod and, in cooperation with partner organisations, helped her obtain the necessary appliances and a dignity kit.

The specialists also took part in developing the Local 1325 Plan for the Kharkiv community at the initiative of the I CAN charitable foundation, and psychologist Yevheniia Chystikova completed the first module of training on the trauma-informed approach by Zentrum Überleben.

“In September, we worked a lot with communities. We were invited to meetings with residents, where we explained what CRSV is, where to seek help and what support our service can provide. I am proud of our team and of the fact that we don’t just wait for people at the Centre – we go to communities ourselves, tell people about the help available and try to be where it is needed.”

Child psychologist Kateryna Babinchuk worked on requests related to parent–child relationships, self-esteem, anxiety, learning motivation, violence and cyberbullying. For internally displaced people from Mariupol, a group session was held using the “Healing” metaphorical association cards and the “Emotional Circle” technique: participants learned to name their emotions and notice their inner resources.

The team devoted a large part of the month to professional exchange. The specialists held the training “Working with People Released from Captivity: Ethical Communication and Practical Assistance” for professionals supporting veterans and demobilised people, and shared their professional experience on television. Social worker and case manager Tetiana Laskavenko presented the Centre’s work at the educational marathon for teachers “Psychological Safety: The Power of Partnership”.

Coordinator Nataliia Deriabina took part in a workshop on documenting war crimes, a meeting of the Coalition 1325 Poltava region, a working group on the population’s needs for social services, and the presentation of the Ombudsman’s Special Report on veteran policy. Representatives of International Medical Corps who visited the Centre offered supervision support for case managers.

Psychologist Olha Tselovalnyk and social worker and case manager Tetiana Laskavenko completed a training on inclusion, diversity, equality and accessibility in work with LGBTIQ+ communities, and the whole team attended a refresher session on preventing sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse.

“Training for veteran support specialists is especially important for those working in remote and hard-to-reach communities of Poltava region. Those who are the first to meet people released from captivity and their families need to understand the specifics of working with this group, know about the specialised services available and, if necessary, refer the person to the right specialists in time. That is why this month we paid so much attention to preparing the training, and we plan to continue sharing our professional experience.”