Dnipro, 24 May 2024 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the European Union (EU) handed over a batch of tablets to a network of school psychologists in communities in Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava oblasts. Specifically, five communities in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and five communities in Poltava Oblast received tablets. Previously, 90 tablets were distributed within the network in Ivano-Frankivsk, Zakarpattia, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts (in communities in Ukrainian-controlled areas).

In 2022, UNDP piloted a project to create a network of school psychologists in partner communities to improve the availability of mental health support services for Ukrainians during the war. Psychologists from Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia oblasts were the first to join the network, providing support to displaced men and women, and families of veterans, among others.

The aim of the project is to make psychological services based on modern and evidence-based methods more accessible by training specialists who work in communities.

During 2023 and 2024, UNDP is actively working with partners to expand the network and attract even more psychologists to study and work. UNDP organizes thematic events and supports the development of technical capacity to make the work of specialists more effective.

Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, emphasized that available psychological services in Ukraine are playing an important role in the reconstruction process. “When we talk about active recovery, it is not just about rehabilitating the physical infrastructure; it is first of all about taking care of people,” Mr Schleuning said. “Under the conditions of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, it is very important to provide support for mental health services. This is a key priority for us.”

Jaco Cilliers, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, emphasized that UNDP is applying a comprehensive approach to building a challenge-resistant and inclusive system of psychological support for Ukrainians during the war. “We are developing the professional capacity of specialists working in the field of mental health in Ukraine, so that they can provide quality services and effectively respond to the needs of people living in conditions of increased stress and traumatic events,” Mr Cilliers said. “This help should be as accessible as possible to everyone and everywhere. This is what we are working on now.”

The “Psychologist's Package” application – developed under UNDP leadership with financial support from the Government of the Netherlands in 2021 – is already installed on the tablets. This app enables professionals to more quickly diagnose the most common problems – such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD – and plan steps for initial therapy or referral to a related specialist. Development Foundation, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Wesleyan University (USA), “Community Self-Help” NGO and Indeema Software also participated in developing the app.

UNDP in Ukraine purchased the tablets with financial support from the European Union, as part of the “EU4Recovery – Empowering Communities in Ukraine” (EU4Recovery) project.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org