Our Work in Ukraine

Trainings and Introductory Missions in Emergency and Trauma Pedagogy

Since 2022, Friends of Waldorf Education have been increasingly active in Ukraine. Following a few emergency pedagogy missions in 2022, the focus has shifted since 2023 to locally anchoring the core expertise of emergency and trauma pedagogy through extensive trainings. This approach serves as an important low-threshold approach within the mental health and psychosocial support services in Ukraine. The traumas of the war will persist for years and potentially generations. Addressing and mitigating this can only be achieved to some extent by training local professionals and empowering them in their work.

Advanced training in emergency and trauma pedagogy are being conducted with the long-term goal of training and enabling certified local emergency and trauma pedagogy trainers to independently provide trainings in this field. Three stages are planned for this:

1.    A one-year part-time training in emergency and trauma pedagogy (8 modules)
2.    Supervision during independent emergency and trauma pedagogy work
3.    Training of trainers (ToT) in emergency and trauma pedagogy

Training Content

Module 1
•    Psychotraumatology I: What is trauma and what are trauma-related disorders?
•    Specific considerations for children
•    Practice: Trauma-pedagogical games from experiential education

Module 2
•    Psychotraumatology II: The anthropology of trauma
•    Attachment Theory
•    Practice: Trauma-pedagogical games from experiential education

Module 3
•    Self-care
•    The "safe space" concept
•    Practice: Mindfulness and body awareness

Module 4
•    Foundations of Trauma Education
•    Salutogenesis
•    Reframing exercises
•    Practice: artistic work in emergency and trauma pedagogy

Module 5
•    Stabilization I: Supportive, protective, confrontational, and encouraging interactions
•    Emotion regulation
•    Interaction analysis exercises
•    Practice: artistic work in emergency and trauma pedagogy

Module 6
•    Stabilization II: Dissociative disorders and dissociation prevention
•    Exercises for the emergency toolkit
•    Ego-state intervention exercises
•    Practice: Eurythmy

Module 7
•    Supporting Spontaneous Trauma Processing
•    The importance of trauma-sensitive language
•    Overview of trauma therapy methods
•    Exercises for narrative exposure therapy
•    Psychoeducation exercises
•    Practice: Eurythmy

Module 8
•    Final Presentations by Participants
•    Practice: music in emergency and trauma pedagogy

Introductory Missions

During the introductory missions, local professionals working in education and therapy are introduced to emergency and trauma pedagogy. Alongside theoretical sessions in topics such as psychotraumatology, trauma education foundations, self-care, and schools/child protection centers as safe spaces, practical workshops are also offered in art, music, movement, and trauma-sensitive experiential education.

These missions take place upon request and invitation from local institutions such as the Rive Education Office, the Lviv Regional Administration, and the Ministry of Culture in Kyiv. They also occur through invitations from local organizations like Voices of Children, SOS Children's Village Ukraine, City of Sun, and the Art Therapy Center in Odessa. It is crucial that the inviting institution or organization explicitly recognizes the need for this expertise for their staff and can specify in which contexts the participating staff work directly with children and adolescents. Additionally, they should outline how an introduction to emergency and trauma education will enhance their work and the quality of services for children and youth.