After more than two years of war in Ukraine, there is still no end in sight. Frequent air raid sirens, insecurity, and uncertainty about the future are having a huge impact on the mental health of Ukrainians. Children are among the worst affected, with high levels of chronic stress affecting their wellbeing and education.
"Don't panic, follow the rules, and everything will be OK"
To reduce children's stress levels and help them cope with and manage stress, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Ukraine rolled out the Better Learning Programme (BLP) in June 2023 with the help of the education department. Our BLP trainers, Anatolii and Mariia, deliver BLP training for teachers across numerous cities in western Ukraine. Once considered safe due to its distance to the frontline, this region is now often the target of missile attacks and loitering munitions.
BLP training takes place over two days, with theory on the first day and practical tasks on the second.
Mariia Baior, West Ukraine Education Project Coordinator and BLP trainer, explains: "Although schools in western Ukraine are safer than in other regions, children still face traumatic experiences due to constant threats, losses and anxiety-inducing news. With BLP training, teachers can support children to reduce the negative impact of stress on their everyday lives. They do this by giving them tools and techniques they can use."
To reduce children's stress levels and help them cope with and manage stress, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Ukraine rolled out the Better Learning Programme (BLP) in June 2023 with the help of the education department. Our BLP trainers, Anatolii and Mariia, deliver BLP training for teachers across numerous cities in western Ukraine. Once considered safe due to its distance to the frontline, this region is now often the target of missile attacks and loitering munitions.
BLP training takes place over two days, with theory on the first day and practical tasks on the second.
Mariia Baior, West Ukraine Education Project Coordinator and BLP trainer, explains: "Although schools in western Ukraine are safer than in other regions, children still face traumatic experiences due to constant threats, losses and anxiety-inducing news. With BLP training, teachers can support children to reduce the negative impact of stress on their everyday lives. They do this by giving them tools and techniques they can use."
Anatolii Koval, West Ukraine Education Technical Officer and BLP trainer, adds: "When we started to deliver BLP training, we had no idea how much teachers needed this kind of assistance and knowledge. Their stories revealed to us just how much of an impact war has on children’s mental health. BLP offers tools to help reduce children's stress and improve their academic performance. It also assists teachers during these tough times."
Hanna, 42, works as an English teacher in Lviv. She became an internally displaced person (IDP) almost two years ago, when she was forced to leave her home in Tokmak, a city in Zaporizhzhia oblast, in search of safety. The school where Hanna now works in Lviv was damaged by a missile in December 2023. The blast destroyed all of the school’s windows and caused significant damage.
"Each child reacts differently to stress," Hanna explains. "Some are so worried during air strike alerts that they have panic attacks. Others have trouble sleeping at night, or simply can’t absorb new knowledge. It’s more difficult for children who are stressed to do their homework. There are techniques I use to motivate them – like getting other children to clap when someone completes a task, and this can be really motivating."
Hanna lauds the greater focus, in recent years, on mental health. "No-one cared about this a few years ago," she remembers. "But now training and tools on stress management and psychosocial support are available to teachers. With these skills, we can help children to open up and talk about their experiences. We also learn how to communicate with anxious children to calm them down. We give children tools, like breathing, to calm down, and reassurance that they are safe at school. When children feel calm, they are much more receptive to learning."
Hanna is keen to stress that change does not happen overnight. "Of course, it takes a long time for children to manage and cope with stress. When children first encounter stress, they often don't know how to behave or cope because they haven't experienced anything like it before. But over time, with the right tools and techniques, and joint efforts from teachers and parents, we see a visible impact on their psychological state."
Gradual, positive change
Halyna, 48, has worked as a primary school teacher in Lviv for almost 30 years. She received BLP training in January 2024. "My job has changed a lot since the war started," says Halyna. "Now, the feeling of danger is always present. Even during celebrations, we all fear that something bad could happen or that an air strike alert could start. The possibility of needing to go to a bomb shelter as quickly as possible is always at the back of our minds."
Halyna talks of the importance of learning to deal with difficult situations.
"It’s important to develop skills to cope with stress as early as possible, because it takes time," she says. "But we can adapt and change the way we react to situations. For instance, at the start of the war, children were very afraid when they heard an air raid siren. They pushed and insulted each other as they tried to get to the bomb shelter quickly. But now, they’ve learnt what to do: 'Do not panic. Strictly follow the rules, and everything will be OK.' As a teacher, I can empathise with how the children feel, because I too have had sleepless nights and felt stressed because of the war. We’re all in the same boat."
"The BLP training has made a huge difference to our lives," explains Halyna. "We’ve seen improvements in the psychological and emotional state of children, and we’ve also received positive feedback from parents.
"Five parents from my class attended the meeting with NRC trainers about BLP and were impressed. They really liked the educational materials and exercises. One mother works as a psychologist and even took some BLP exercises to use in her everyday work. She’s pleased because it works and brings positive results."
"Of course, positive change takes time," Halyna continues. "It happens gradually day by day, month by month, so we take it one step at a time. Such trainings and programmes really do help to improve children's mental health. We hope NRC will bring this training to as many people as possible."
Suddenly, a siren rings, which meant the air raid siren had sounded. The children, who were outdoors, swiftly ran inside the classroom. They packed their bags before forming a line, while Halyna recited those crucial, all-too-familiar words: "Don't panic. Strictly follow the rules, and everything will be OK."
NRC's Better Learning Programme in Ukraine is co-funded by the European Commission's DG ECHO.
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