East SOS Team Completes Online Training in Psychological First Aid
On 15 April 2026, the East SOS team took part in an online training session on Psychological First Aid (PFA). The training was conducted by the Foundation’s Learning Manager and Psychologist, Tetiana Kosova.
The session was joined by the social support, safety, and human rights teams, the monitoring and evaluation department members, hotline operators, as well as the evacuation team.
During the training, participants discussed psychological first aid, particularly in the context of the Foundation’s day-to-day work, including in transit centers, emergency response operations, evacuations, and hotline support.
They reviewed common myths about PFA and its core principles of support. Participants also learned about the so-called “5P” algorithm – a step-by-step approach for responding in crisis that includes establishing contact by approaching and greeting the person, staying present, offering support, and connecting the person with available psychological and humanitarian resources, such as hotlines, if needed.
Special attention was given to active listening skills and typical crisis reactions such as panic or aggression, as well as appropriate ways to respond.
Participants also learned how to support children, elderly people, people with disabilities, and those who have lost loved ones. The training covered basic principles of interaction, supportive phrases, and approaches that help avoid harm and remain present during difficult moments.
A separate section focused on the work of hotline operators – how to establish contact, assess a person’s condition, and provide support during a call.
A significant part of the training was dedicated to practicing: participants worked through simulated scenarios to better understand how to act in real-life situations. The session also addressed signs of burnout and ways to take care of oneself when working with people in crisis.
“We often travel with the team to sites of shelling to support people in different emotional states: some are silent, some are panicked, and some may be angry. After the training, I feel more confident: I better understand how to respond in such situations and help a person regain emotional stability in stressful situations,” said Oksana Akchebash, Protection Officer of the East SOS team in Dnipro.
Such trainings help the team strengthen their skills while remaining a steady source of support for people in times of crisis. All East SOS team members undergo Psychological First Aid training annually.
