Building resilience in Ukraine through clay therapy

In times of conflict, ensuring access to quality psychosocial support is essential to maintaining people’s well-being. In the regions affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, significant efforts are being made to provide therapeutic and educational opportunities for children and adults. Art therapy has become an important part of this support, promoting mental health and building community resilience.

Dorcas is working with the organisation ‘Nevo’ to create child-friendly spaces in communities across the Zaporizhzhya region. As part of a comprehensive multi-sectoral support project, clay therapy groups have been set up to provide support. This form of art therapy encourages self-expression, has a calming effect and reduces stress. Participants develop their ability to concentrate, improve their fine motor skills and stimulate their imagination and creativity. The sessions have a wide range of participants, with the youngest member of the group being just five years old. Parents also appreciate this type of support, as many children don’t have many opportunities to develop and interact with their peers because they have to study online due to the conflict.

The clay therapy sessions are complemented by interactive sessions led by legal experts, who remind children and young people of their fundamental rights in an engaging and playful way. In addition, Nevo specialists use these sessions to educate participants about the importance of preventing and addressing domestic and gender-based violence.

Thanks to funding from the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund, these activities are currently held in six locations in the communities of Pavlivska, Vilnyanska and Kushugumska. This initiative is an important step in the provision of psychosocial support and in building the resilience of the affected communities during these difficult times.

18 November 2024