Volunteers from among the students and faculty of Dnepropetrovsk National University actively provide psychological and other assistance to internally displaced persons and victims of military operations in the east.
In June, the DNU established the coordination center of psychological and other assistance in dealing with internally displaced persons and victims of military operations in the east. At the first meeting at the center, the rector of DNU Mr. Polyakov stressed the importance of assistance to IDPs and law enforcement officers: "We can not be apart of ambiguous events and wish to unite our efforts to provide psychological and other assistance." The meetings of the Coordination Center of DNU are moderated weekly by rector on scientific and pedagogical work in the field of humanities education and training of youth, Professor Valentin V. Ivanenko.
The very first student volunteers came from the Department of Psychology, because overall grief involves everyone. The next day, the coordinator of volunteer assistance student Nadia Kirichenko was at the headquarters of assisting immigrants "Help Dnipro", she clarified the responsibilities of volunteers, compiled a list of interested students-volunteers, established the way of feedback and information of students and members of staff.
Despite the examination period, the students-volunteers momentarily set about the charitable work, which was divided into two areas - the psychological and social. Among the duties of volunteers there are acceptance and delivery of humanitarian aid, cleaning and arrangement of rooms for people with temporary residence from Donbass, and definitely - psychological counseling by psychologists-beginners who worked under the guidance of experienced psychologists and practitioners from the NGO "Dnipropetrovsk psychiatric crisis services". The volunteers also organized leisure activities with the youngest of the victims - children. Later, the students of the Faculty of Social Sciences and International Relations have also joined this work.
The knowledge how to work with immigrants and victims, students-volunteers receive during lectures and practical trainings in a special program established by the coordination center. Certain days of the week, time and place of meetings are appointed. The volunteers have already got the lecture by Junior Professor Oksana Bayer "Life crisis of personality" and psychologist volunteer Romance Babic "psycho-operation with the crisis and post-traumatic stress disorder." The next practice session "body-oriented approach to working with trauma" hold psychologist practitioner, volunteer Alain Kozeletska.
Also by the request of students (at least weekly) the coordination center plans to discuss difficulties in providing volunteer assistance to victims. Even our volunteers have the opportunity to attend educational training sessions, which are held under a separate schedule in Dnipropetrovsk psychological crisis services center.
Інформаційно-аналітичне агентство
Дніпровського національного університету
