Kharkiv Region: Systematic Psychosocial Support for Children, Families, and Communities
In 2025, Kharkiv Region remained one of the most challenging regions due to a combination of factors: the constant threat of shelling, internal displacement, the hosting of internally displaced persons, and the exhaustion of communities living under prolonged stress.
In partnership with UNICEF Ukraine, the NGO “Responsible Citizens” worked simultaneously with several groups: children who had experienced traumatic events, parents who had lost their support resources, and community professionals who themselves were living under constant stress.
“Child-Friendly Spaces and mobile teams became key instruments for accessing assistance. The focus was placed on stabilizing the psycho-emotional state, ensuring continuity of support, and creating safe environments even under unstable conditions. For many families, this work became an important element of survival and recovery,” comments Olena Khvatynets, Project Coordinator in Kharkiv Region.
The activities were carried out within the framework of the UNICEF Ukraine project “Strengthening Community Capacity to Deliver Essential Protection and Resilience Services in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia Regions,” implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens” with the support of the Government of the United States of America.
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