MES, UNICEF, and Diia.Digital Education launch educational series "Being There" on mental health support
The Ministry of Education and Science, together with UNICEF and the Diia.Digital Education portal, have created a series for teachers, educators, volunteers and anyone working with children to better understand feelings and emotional responses.
"During air alerts, when there is a probability of air threats from the russian federation, children and adults experience tension, anxiety, and fear. And this is normal in extreme situations, but often such states do not go away. I am grateful to our partners for their initiative and steps in creating modern and convenient tools to support educators and students during their studies. By creating new tools to support and develop the personality in difficult life conditions, we are forming an important foundation for rebuilding the future," said Serhii Shkarlet, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.
Why do Ukrainians need this series?
The purposes are as follows:
- understand how war affects children and how a specialist can help;
- get recommendations on how to avoid re-traumatizing a child, how to build communication with him/her, how to start a conversation about difficult experiences;
- learn to recognize post-traumatic stress disorder by its symptoms;
- acquire skills to support children's mental health during schooling;
- learn how proper nutrition and physical activity can help improve mental health;
- learn how to apply simple practices to restore personal calm and stabilize children's condition, and build psychological resilience.
"Children in Ukraine have lived through almost 11 months of war with rocket attacks and loud air raid sirens. They are particularly vulnerable. They often have no choice but to study, play and sleep in shelters. What's more, without electricity, millions of boys and girls are living in the cold and without access to online classes. UNICEF has developed this series to ensure that caregivers, teachers and social workers can cope with the trauma children in Ukraine have experienced and help them adjust to these conditions," said Murat Shakhin, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.
The series includes three modules:
Module 1: How war affects children.
Module 2: How professionals can help children.
Module 3: Supporting the mental health of children and professionals.
Number of episodes: 11.
More details at MES website.