The Ukrainian Red Cross and National Resistance Centres Launch Joint Programme to Train Psychological First Aid Instructors

Last week in Kyiv, the first training session for preparing Psychological First Aid (PFA) instructors took place. It was organised by the Ukrainian Red Cross’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) team in partnership with the National Resistance Centres.

Over the course of four days, participants acquired essential knowledge and skills needed to train others in the future. The training covered:

• Core principles of PFA and the trauma-informed approach
• Delivering training sessions for various population groups, with a strong focus on practical exercises and facilitating interactive learning
• Designing and modelling training sessions, with supervision and professional feedback from experienced trainers

A key outcome of the training was the formation of the first cohort of instructors, who are now equipped to share their knowledge within their communities. The primary goal of this collaboration is to ensure that every region of Ukraine has trained instructors capable of delivering Psychological First Aid skills to the wider population.

Further training sessions are planned in the coming months — both for newcomers and for those already involved in previous programmes.

This partnership between the Ukrainian Red Cross and the National Resistance Centres is expanding the national instructor network and strengthening community resilience — ensuring people across all regions of Ukraine have access to vital knowledge and practical support in times of crisis.