Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya" has joined the German Federal Government’s international project "JOFU: Joining Forces for Child Protection in Ukraine," which is being implemented in partnership with the Joining Forces consortium and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

The aim of the activities of CAMZ and partners is to improve the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents, increase their resilience, and enhance their social interaction through structured group psychosocial support interventions in a safe and supportive environment. The project activities are being implemented in the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, specifically in community hubs, collective accommodation centres, and other accessible, safe spaces for internally displaced persons and populations affected by the war.

The key regional partner of CAMZ in this project is the NGO "Mental Recovery," with which the Committee has already carried out several meaningful psychosocial support (PSS) activities for vulnerable population groups. The team of specialists has already completed the registration of applications for participation in the free long-term PSS program. The next steps include assessing the needs of potential beneficiaries and determining the most appropriate format of professional support.

All specialists involved in the project, including psychologists working with children and adolescents and facilitators trained to conduct group PSS sessions, follow child safeguarding standards and are trained in disability inclusion. They also apply gender-sensitive and SOGIESC-sensitive approaches and ensure that participation is safe, inclusive, and confidential.

Over the course of the project’s more than 18-month implementation period, the team’s efforts will focus on improving the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents and reducing their stress levels, strengthening social connections and peer support, and enhancing resilience and coping skills. So, let’s get started!