Support Is Close By: Over 1,500 People Receive Help from East SOS Regional Specialists in Vinnytsia and Cherkasy

The war continues to deprive thousands of Ukrainians of stability and emotional security, making the need for safe spaces and professional support more important than ever. For more than two years, Zatyshno Space – the national network of support spaces run by East SOS – has been a place where people can take a breath, receive professional help, feel safe, and gradually restore their inner balance.

Between July and September 2025, regional specialists from the Vinnytsia and Cherkasy centers held psycho-relief and informational activities, as well as individual consultations, reaching 1,558 adults and children. Through trainings, educational lectures, art therapy sessions, workshops, and counseling, participants learned how to overcome life’s challenges, build resilience, and find both inner and community support. These events also helped people develop new skills and regain confidence in their own strength.

“We see how even small steps of support help people regain their strength and confidence. Every month, dozens of gratitude, feedback and personal stories show that the Zatyshno Space centers and our regional teams give children and adults a sense of community, where everyone can be heard and find their own resources for life despite the difficulties of war,” said Anastasiia Petriuk, Project and Team Manager at East SOS.

Team Activities in Zatyshno Spaces: Events and Counseling

Between July and September, the Vinnytsia and Cherkasy teams of East SOS organized 186 supportive events within the Zatyshno Space network. A distinctive feature of this period was the focus on outdoor activities aimed at restoring inner balance and strengthening emotional resilience. Among them were open-air practices such as “Dance with Nature: Recovery through Movement” and “Voice of Freedom: Recovery through Live Singing.” The teams also held thematic events designed to develop communication skills and self-expression – including lectures like “How to Speak and Declare Your Interests Confidently and Constructively”, psycho-relief sessions, and discussion platforms such as “I Have an Opinion: The Art of Argumentation.” Special attention was given to children. During the summer holidays, they took part in activities full of creativity, play, and emotional support that helped develop talents and social skills.

Outdoor practices for adults in Vinnytsia received particularly positive feedback. Through breathing exercises, movement, dance, singing, and crafts using natural materials, participants learned to restore inner balance and emotional resources in a safe and supportive atmosphere.

“It was unbelievably satisfying – just lying on the grass. Sometimes this is precisely what you need: to be among wonderful, kind people, doing something creative in the open air. You gave me two hours of pure happiness. Thank you so much!” – shared Iryna, a participant of the open-air events.

Alongside group activities, individual counseling remained an equally important area of support. Both women and men reached out to our specialists with a wide range of issues: relationship challenges (between partners or parents and children), anxiety, emotional distress, experiences of loss, or uncertainty about professional paths. Others sought advice on housing, access to humanitarian or social assistance, employment, and retraining. Between July and September, the Zatyshno Space teams in Vinnytsia and Cherkasy provided 960 psychological counseling sessions, 463 social consultations, and 432 individual case management sessions. Behind these figures are hundreds of heartfelt conversations – each one a reminder that no one has to face their difficulties alone. The East SOS team is always near, ready to listen, support, and help people regain strength and confidence in their own future.

“Thank you for your support and sensitivity! I was in deep emotional distress and couldn’t even speak during the workshop. But I managed to express my pain – and cried. Your psychologist just hugged me, and I felt relief wash over me. Thank you for your wonderful attitude toward me and the children. It’s so good that you are here,” – reads one of the messages left in the Zatyshno Space feedback box.

Supporting Children in Spaces

Even amidst the challenges of war, children need a sense of normalcy – to play, learn, and develop their talents in a safe and supportive environment. Between July and September in Vinnytsia and Cherkasy, educators organized 49 events for 492 young participants. The specialists conducted interactive activities and creative workshops – from making bracelets, decorative dolls, and papier-mâché to painting plaster figures, sewing toys, and creating three-dimensional crafts. Most of the activities encouraged self-expression, exploration, and teamwork, helping children reveal their emotions through creativity while learning to cooperate with others.

“The children’s artworks are unique, talented, and brave – it’s all the result of the specialist’s hard work. Thank you for your talent, for your subtle sense of the importance of nurturing beauty in our children, for your modern methods, and for your loving heart,” – wrote Nelia, one of the visitors, in her review.

The teachers were also happy to engage the youngest visitors in the children’s areas, allowing adults to participate fully in other activities.

“I would like to express my special gratitude to the teacher who entertained my son Bohdan. She managed to become a real friend to him. Bohdan sincerely trusts her and willingly shares his impressions and thoughts. It is a real gift to be able to find such a deep connection with a child,” – shared Nadiia, one of the visitors.

In Vinnytsia, there is also a teenage club led by a social worker, where boys and girls play board games, build social skills, and discuss important topics such as communication ethics, combating human trafficking, caring for stray animals, and planning the school year.

Work in Communities: Field Trips of Specialists

Regional teams also strengthened the foundation’s activities by conducting field trips to be closer to those who need help and support. Between July and September, East SOS specialists made 58 visits to communities in the Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil regions.

The field trips included various formats of work and outreach to diverse audiences. For children, teams organized workshops and day camps with entertainment, allowing them to escape their worries, develop creativity, and build social skills. In particular, young visitors of the “I’Mariupol” support centers, children from municipal social institutions, and others took part in these activities.

For adults, psycho-relief and informational events were held in social and educational institutions – schools, CAOs, employment centers, and youth centers. These events focused on supporting mental health, preventing burnout, unlocking internal resources, and fostering healthy communication. Case managers discussed key topics such as building a barrier-free environment, promoting tolerance in teams, and preventing violence and discrimination. Social workers, in turn, held lectures on access to public and social services – essential information for older adults.

Particular attention was paid to work in shelters where internally displaced persons (IDPs) from frontline areas have found a home, including those evacuated by the foundation’s crews from towns and villages destroyed and shelled by russia. Over the summer, the team visited shelters in Medvyn (Kyiv region), Kalush and Stetseva (Ivano-Frankivsk region), Kolyndiany and Probizhna (Ternopil region), Plyskiv (Vinnytsia region), and several other locations. The foundation had previously opened or arranged accommodation for the long-term residence of evacuees in these communities – repairing buildings and providing furniture, household appliances, hygiene products, and other essentials.

Psychosocial support in a permanent place of residence is a vital stage in adapting to new living conditions. Such field visits are an integral part of the comprehensive evacuation cycle implemented by East SOS.

Zatyshno Space and the foundation’s regional teams are an essential link in the chain of support provided by East SOS. The war continues, and people continue to face its consequences: evacuation to host communities, loss, hardship, and emotional distress. The foundation’s specialists remain on the ground, offering comprehensive assistance to everyone in need. The psychosocial support space in Vinnytsia operates at 19 Vasyl Poryk Street (room 72). Contact: +38 (095) 877-26-36. In Cherkasy, you can receive free individual consultations with a psychologist and social worker by phone at +38 (096) 388-08-81 and by appointment at 250 Shevchenko Boulevard.

Zatyshno Space centers in Vinnytsia and Cherkasy provide assistance with the financial support of the Fondation de France Solidarity Program for Ukraine.

Previously, we shared details about how Zatyshno Space teams operate in the regions.