National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” together with its partners will receive funding for the project under the Erasmus+ KA2: Cooperation Among Organisations and Institutions, dedicated to supporting the mental health of war-affected citizens through art therapy and cultural competence.
Project type: Erasmus+ KA220-ADU – Cooperation partnerships in adult education (KA220-ADU).
Title: Trauma of refugees in Europe: An approach through art therapy as a solidarity programme for Ukraine war victims.
The project title stands for the following:
TRUST
T – Trauma
R – Refugees
U – Ukraine
S – Solidarity
T – Therapy
The total project budget is a maximum of €400,000.00.
TRUST is a three-year project dedicated to supporting the mental health of people affected by the war in Ukraine through art therapy and cultural competence; presented by the Saint Martin Neuropsychiatric Centre in partnership with 5 other partners, involving six countries in total. The project was awarded 90 points out of 100.
“We are sincerely pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate on this impactful project aimed at supporting the mental health of war victims in Ukraine. The project’s focus on culturally competent art therapy is not only innovative, but also critically necessary given the significant trauma experienced by our people. The consortium’s emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and the promotion of European values is perfectly aligned with our university’s mission to promote resilience and healing through education and community engagement. The project’s environmentally friendly practices and comprehensive approach to addressing mental health issues underline its relevance and potential to make a significant difference in the lives of people affected by war.
In addition, the involvement of a wide range of partners, including both experienced organisations and newcomers, adds significant value to the project. This cooperation will allow us to share experiences, learn from each other and ensure that the project results are applicable and useful in different contexts. The planned activities, such as workshops, the development of a hybrid MOOC, as well as the organisation of international events, will not only enhance the skills of mental health professionals, but will also contribute to the wider recognition of art therapy as a vital tool in overcoming trauma. I firmly believe that the results of the project will have a lasting impact both in Ukraine and in Europe, and I am looking forward to the positive changes that will result from our collective efforts,” – says project manager, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation of Poltava Polytechnic Anna Pavelieva.
The project is co-financed by the EU and is led by Centre Neuro Psychiatrique St-Martin from Belgium, in partnership with Poltava Polytechnic (Ukraine), Greek Carers Network EPIONI (Greece), Fondazione Don Luigi Di Liegro (Italy), Lekama Foundation (Luxembourg), and EuroPlural Project (Portugal). The consortium brings together 3 newcomers and 3 experienced organisations.
The war in Ukraine has indeed significant consequences for Europe and its values. It challenges principles such as peace, solidarity and respect for human rights, which are fundamental to the European Union. Therefore, this project is dedicated to supporting the mental health of war victims in Ukraine through culturally competent art therapy. The project’s objectives include raising awareness of the impact of war on mental health, providing art therapy skills and organising events aimed at destigmatising mental health, promoting art therapy as an inclusive tool, promoting its healing power, promoting the hashtag of European values and establishing links between mental health centres and artists, as well as promoting art therapy as a tool for inclusion.
Among the strengths of the project noted by the Commission it is worth mentioning clearly defined and realistic project objectives, a strong consortium that promotes synergies between different sectors, a clear, adequate and feasible project methodology, inclusive activities, active participation of all partners in the project, its coordination and implementation of various tasks, a clear dissemination plan with appropriate measures to make the project results public. It was also noted that such a large budget is fully justified given the number of results to be delivered. In addition, the intention to work with people suffering from war-related post-traumatic stress disorder, including Ukrainian refugees, reinforces the positive values of the European Union.
It should be recalled that the Veteran Development Centre provides cultural and educational support for veterans to help them reintegrate into civilian life.
Recently, scientists of Poltava Polytechnic joined an online information session for the universities participating in Twinning.
Earlier, Polytechnic and its partners won the “Digital Europe” competition and received a grant to create a hub for the development of Central Ukraine.
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National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
