Psychological counselling anywhere: a mobile psychosocial support unit is operating in three regions of Ukraine

Due to the war, residents of the Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions require psychosocial support. However, access to such support is severely limited due to the security situation and damaged infrastructure.

In response, the Ukrainian Red Cross has launched a mobile psychosocial support unit—a vehicle equipped with everything necessary to conduct consultations at various locations.

“It has truly been a revolutionary development,” explains Taisiya Markovtsi, ECHO project coordinator. “We can now provide support in the most remote locations without being confined to specialised psychosocial support centres or specific facilities of the Ukrainian Red Cross or other organisations. We can offer assistance wherever needed, as long as safety permits.”

Since the beginning of this year, mobile psychosocial support units operated by the Ukrainian Red Cross have conducted over 700 psychosocial consultations and more than 200 sessions with a psychologist in the Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions. With the availability of transportation, counsellors can visit remote communities according to a schedule and offer support tailored to the population’s needs. Individual consultations are held inside the bus, ensuring confidentiality and creating a safe space for those seeking support.

According to our specialists’ observations, the counselling provided has a positive impact on people’s emotional well-being, helping increase their stress resilience and improving their overall emotional state. Those who have experienced life under occupation, are constantly in shelters, or have survived shelling may need professional support.

The project is being implemented with support from the European Union, the Danish Red Cross, and the German Red Cross.