Psychological Rescue Skills
Problem Context
Due to the full-scale war in Ukraine, the mental health of the population is under significant strain. Many communities lack access to professional psychological assistance, making it critical to develop skills for basic responses to stress, trauma, panic, and crisis reactions among ordinary citizens.
Project Goal
- To form basic skills in providing first psychological aid within communities.
- To create and train initiative groups (teams) in each territorial community with basic first psychological aid skills, capable of recognizing signs of acute stress and providing initial help and support until the person’s condition stabilizes or a specialist is involved.
Main Objective
To build sustainable community capacity to provide first psychological aid during wartime through training, support, and the integration of local support hubs.
We aim to make help accessible to everyone through local training and support.
Target Audience
- Community representatives, local government officials, and village heads
- Educators, civil servants, and State Emergency Service (SES) workers
- Social workers, medical professionals, and military chaplains
- Volunteers, community activists, and opinion leaders
- Individuals with experience working with people in stressful conditions
Training Format and Content
Format: In-person training
Duration: 1–2 days
Topics
- Understanding acute stress, its types, and reactions
- Actions in crisis situations
- Techniques for self-regulation and recovery
- Managing feelings of guilt and grief
- What is First Psychological Aid (FPA)?
- FPA algorithm (based on the RAPID model)
- Skills in psychological triage, intervention, and facilitating access to higher-level assistance
- Preventing burnout
Pilot Geography
The project is implemented in all territorial communities, aiming to cover as many communities as possible and create a network of local support hubs.
Expected Outcomes
- Training over 300 individuals in basic FPA skills
- Establishing local initiative groups
- Increasing trust and resilience within communities
- Reducing social isolation and panic in crisis situations
Partners and Support
The project can be implemented in collaboration with:
- Regional military administrations
- Local government bodies
- Psychological support centers
- State Emergency Service (SES)
- Medical institutions
- NGOs and international organizations
- Educational institutions, etc.
Scaling Perspective
After the pilot phase, the program will be adapted and scaled to other regions of Ukraine. The project could serve as the foundation for a permanent community support system during wartime and post-war periods.