Over three days, the team from, Community Self-Help, a non-governmental organization (NGO) humanitarian aid and psychosocial support, had the honor of participating in the National Mental Health Forum "Resilience of Individuals – Resilience of Systems.” This yearly event of a cornerstone of the growing mental health field in Ukraine. Organized within the framework of the National Mental Health Program "How Are You?" initiated by Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska, the forum was implemented by the Coordination Center for Mental Health under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and international partners. This forum marked the second event in a series aimed at strengthening Ukraine's mental health system through multisectoral collaboration.
The forum brought together representatives from the public sector, NGOs, international partners, experts, and practitioners. Participants engaged in discussions on key aspects of mental health system reform, including:
developing a robust network of community-level services;
implementing the "peer-to-peer" principle;
coordinating specialists’ work and supervision;
promoting a culture of self-help and raising awareness about mental health.
Special attention was given to the resilience of service providers and the overall well-being of Ukraine's population in wartime conditions.
The event served not only as a platform for strengthening professional connections but also as a space for showcasing achievements, sharing successful practices, and presenting innovative projects aimed at improving mental health in Ukraine. A highlight of the third day of the forum was the "Initiative Marketplace," where the Community Self-Help NGO team presented several key projects, showcasing their contributions to supporting society during the war:
Implemented as part of the Global Health Program by Boston Children’s Hospital at Harvard University (USA) in partnership with the Community Self-Help NGO, this initiative is a cornerstone of our strategy to support children in Ukraine's de-occupied territories. At the Marketplace, we shared the course structure, pilot training results, and invited participants to join future stages of the project.
This project, run by the International Foundation of Oleksandr Tereshchenko in collaboration with the Community Self-Help NGO, seeks to enhance public understanding of the lives of veterans who have lost limbs. Through a series of video tutorials, veteran Oleksandr Tereshchenko shares his personal experience, demonstrating how to independently perform daily tasks and adapt to new realities.
This guidebook compiles the best somatic practices aimed at enhancing innate resilience and boosting human vitality.
This year’s forum was a source of inspiration, professional dialogue, and knowledge exchange. We held dozens of meetings and gained valuable ideas to improve our projects. Discussions with colleagues and international experts unveiled new prospects for collaboration in the mental health field.
The Community Self-Help NGO expresses gratitude to the organizers for the opportunity to be part of this significant event. We remain committed to building a resilient support system that helps every Ukrainian find the strength to overcome today’s challenges.
