Three Months of Resilience in Vinnytsia: How the East SOS Team Helps People Overcome Crises and Regain Their Strength
For more than three years, the psychosocial and legal support hub “Zatyshno Space” run by East SOS in Vinnytsia has been a place to turn to for locals and for those whom the war forced to pack their belongings in haste and evacuate.
Here is a snapshot of our work over the past three months – in numbers, actions, and stories.
Tailored consultations
Over the past three months, our specialists provided 816 tailored consultations to both visitors of the space in Vinnytsia and evacuees staying in transit centers in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts:
- Social support specialists – 412 consultations
Including 71 services delivered at the transit center in Lozova (Kharkiv Oblast) and 33 in Pavlohrad (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast).
- Psychologists – 389 consultations
Including 128 in Lozova and 40 in Pavlohrad.
- Case manager – 46 consultations
24 of them involved integrated case management support for people at the transit center in Lozova.
Dedicated support for children
While parents attend tailored consultations or take part in group activities, children spend time with an educator. During this period, 66 children received dedicated support from the specialist in the children’s area.
Activities at the space in numbers
– 59 workshops and masterclasses: 23 events for 231 children and 36 – for 343 adults;
– socialization events that united 128 participants;
– 14 group psychological support sessions attended by 89 participants;
– 8 events led by a social support specialist, bringing together 90 men and women.
Strengthening local hromadas (communities)
Since launching its activities in the region, the East SOS team has actively built partnerships with local authorities and civil society organisations.
Over the past three months, we have:
- organized joint psychological activities with art therapy elements together with Médecins Sans Frontières and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society at our space;
- planned future activities for veterans and a one-day children’s camp for families in vulnerable situations in cooperation with departments of the Vinnytsia City Council responsible for social, youth, and veteran policy;
- established referral pathways with social service centers to expand support for residents of the most remote areas of Vinnytsia Oblast;
- facilitated group psychological support sessions for families of servicemembers, as well as families of those killed or missing in action, in cooperation with local veteran hubs;
- coordinated with the Department of Education and Science to deliver psychosocial trainings and activities for pupils and teachers in Khyzhyntsi and Ladyzhynski Khutory (Vinnytsia Oblast).
Outreach activities across Vinnytsia Oblast
The regional team conducted 16 outreach visits to provide psychosocial support and information sessions on compensation for damaged property and available benefits for residents of collective sites, and to help people cope with emotional stress in local hromadas. Particular attention was given to newly evacuated families in the Severynivka and Yakushyntsi hromadas, as well as Bar and Ladyzhynski Khutory, who were forced to leave their homes due to war.
The program included therapeutic sessions for adults, creative workshops for children, and consultations on social and legal services. Workshops on soap-making, paracord bracelet weaving, candle-making, affirmation art, and fuse-bead crafts helped participants regain a sense of inner balance, while board games and joint community activities such as volunteer clean-up event helped strengthen communication skills.
A safe environment for women and girls
The team regularly communicates with visitors, gathers feedback, and adapts all activities to their actual needs. We want every woman and girl to feel safe, which is why we foster a supportive environment, maintain a convenient activity schedule, and ensure unhindered access to assistance – from practical advice and legal or social consultations to in-depth psychological support. Over the years, we have created a space of trust where even the most sensitive topics can be discussed openly and without fear. For more than three years, we are embedding these principles of equality and respect into every lecture, training, and information material. We also organize activities that help women find new employment opportunities, pursue professional growth, and strengthen their financial independence during times of crisis.
The psychosocial and legal support hub “Zatyshno Space” in Vinnytsia provides assistance to war-affected populations with financial support from the Fondation de France Solidarity with Ukraine Program 2026.
