Helping children affected by war: Gen.Hope and Ukrainian Child Rights Network (UCRN) have brought organizations to work together
Helping a child affected by war may require the involvement of psychologists, social workers, medical professionals, and educators. How can we ensure that this support meets the child’s needs and that these professionals work together effectively?
This was discussed at a meeting organized on September 17 in Kyiv by the Gen.Hope Center of Excellence and the Ukrainian Child Rights Network (UCRN).
This was discussed at a meeting organized on September 17 in Kyiv by the Gen.Hope Center of Excellence and the Ukrainian Child Rights Network (UCRN).
The strategic brunch “Does It Work or Not?” brought together representatives from 15 organizations with extensive practical experience in providing psychological and psychosocial support to children. Among them were SOS Children's Villages Ukraine, Save Ukraine, Caritas Kyiv, Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health, Child Well-being Fund Ukraine, All-Ukrainian Public Center ‘Volunteer’ and others. Journalist and civic activist Olena Pshenychna moderated the discussion.
Working in groups, attendees examined anonymized cases from their own practice: what the child needed, what kind of assistance was provided, and how the child’s life had changed. They also discussed approaches that didn’t work as expected, compared their experiences, and identified which methods and tools they could share with their colleagues.
The participants also discussed data and evidence. They talked about how their organizations collect and analyze information on the results of child support and how they can work together on this. These findings allow them to make well-reasoned arguments about children’s needs and the results of support when engaging with the government, donors, international partners, and the broader international community.
This meeting was part of Gen.Hope’s efforts to improve the quality of support for children in various regions of Ukraine. This Center is developing as a key initiative of Gen.Ukrainian, combining research, practical experience, and a professional community.
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Every child has their own experience of war, needs, and resources. Support programs should reflect this and use what we know helps children recover. That’s exactly why we created the Gen.Hope Center of Excellence, where we combine research, practical experience, and a professional community to make the latest knowledge and tools available to specialists. By doing so, we aim to improve the quality of support across different regions of Ukraine, in collaboration with organizations that work with children on a daily basis
Cooperation among organizations was also considered in terms of the quality and safety of the support provided. Experts discussed how psychologists, social workers, medical professionals, and educators can work together effectively to ensure that children and their families receive the necessary support at various stages.
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UCRN includes 54 organizations, and almost all of them work in one way or another in the field of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). We have been living in a state of war for 12 years now. During this time, we have accumulated significant experience, both our own and from international sources, and have seen what works and what doesn’t. That is why I am convinced that we should use only evidence-based practices, and approaches that have not proven effective should be rejected, as they often do more harm than good. Our task is to synchronize existing knowledge, honestly answer questions about what isn’t working and what shouldn’t be implemented, and share our expertise. There are many experienced professionals working in our field
The organizations defined areas for future collaboration and began working together on recommendations following the brunch. Specifically, they agreed on which tools to develop together, what data to collect, which approaches to test and disseminate, and what changes to promote jointly.
Such cooperation helps strengthen professional ties between organizations and facilitates the sharing of colleagues’ experiences in supporting children affected by war.
Professionals can continue sharing their experiences through MHPSS Gen.Hope — a professional community developed by Gen.Ukrainian for mental health and psychosocial support specialists working with children and adolescents who have experienced the trauma of war. It already brings together more than 400 practitioners from various regions of Ukraine. To join, please fill out the form.
Gen.Hope – Центр провідного досвіду з психічного здоров’я дітей і підлітків в умовах війни, який розвиває ГО Gen.Ukrainian у партнерстві з Київською школою економіки (KSE). Gen.Hope перетворює практичний досвід роботи з дітьми на доказові знання, професійні підходи та системні рішення.
100% of the funds raised support our mission to protect childhood in Ukraine
Together, we can help children recover from the impact of war, protect their ability to develop and imagine a future, and build a system of support that will stay with this generation for as long as it is needed.
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Psychological support to children is provided free of charge thanks to patronage
The purpose of the Gen.Camp:
stabilization of the psychological and emotional state of a child after a traumatic experience.
The duration of the program: 21 days.
Location: Ukraine.
stabilization of the psychological and emotional state of a child after a traumatic experience.
The duration of the program: 21 days.
Location: Ukraine.
