Specialists from the Ukrainian Red Cross delivered another round of Psychological First Aid (PFA) training sessions for professionals working with veterans and demobilised persons

Three training sessions were held in Kyiv and the Kyiv region to strengthen specialists’ capacity to provide high-quality Psychological First Aid to veterans, demobilised persons, and their families within local communities. Some of the sessions took place at the Borodianka Scientific and Educational Expert Centre. On the first day, participants were welcomed by Ruslan Prykhodko, Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

During the training sessions, participants explored the core principles of PFA, including the “Look. Listen. Link.” approach, learned about common reactions to crisis events, and practised self-help techniques. Particular attention was given to hands-on practice, including case study discussions, role-play exercises, and developing response approaches for challenging situations.

Special emphasis was placed on the specific aspects of supporting veterans within communities, taking into account the real-life experiences and challenges specialists face in their daily work.

The initiative is being implemented by the Coordination Centre for Mental Health under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in partnership with the Ukrainian Red Cross, with the support of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, as part of the nationwide mental health programme “How Are You?”.