Keep moving forward! Supporting Internally Displaced Teachers in Ukraine

Progresylni is an organization with an extensive network of teachers in Ukraine at all educational levels.

Since the start of the war, they have been engaged in supporting the community of Ukrainian teachers to improve their circumstances both within and outside the borders. Under the “Supporting Internally Displaced Teachers in Ukraine through Psychological Assistance and Professional Development” project they have engaged with this constituency in the form of a Retreat-Camp. 40 temporarily displaced teachers coming from different regions such as Melitopol, Berdiansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Simferopol, Kharkiv or Mariupol, received essential psychological support and professional development opportunities. Apart from the in-person training, online learning opportunities were provided to additional teachers, all brought together in a collaborative Telegram group of 100 educators across Ukraine. Additionally, the project awareness raising materials addressing the needs and challenges of the educators, along with potential solutions were disseminated to the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.

Supporting internally displaced teachers in Ukraine

Photo credit: PT

The project proved to have a great multiplication effect as participants established collaborations with other educational institutions in Ukraine and abroad to implement projects. The Progresylni team has managed to successfully engage and equip the participants with techniques for social-emotional regulation and psychological self-management, innovative teaching skills not only for wartime conditions but for the post-war period as well. "I’ve got an opportunity to join new communities, get new contacts, be inspired to try innovative practical ideas" revealed one of the participants. In times of uncertainty “implementing initiatives like this shows that supporting displaced teachers can reignite their passion and provide stability to their communities, empowering entire generations of Ukrainians to keep moving forward”, said Bohdan the project manager.