About the project: “Chest for Shelter”(“Skrynia v Ukryttia”) is the author’s development of the NGO Smart Osvita team and psychologist Svitlana Roiz. This unique set of things children of all ages will need in shelters during air raids is designed considering the characteristics of elementary, middle, and high school students. Each chest is designed for a simultaneous stay in the shelter of one hundred children.
The chests included things that will help children cope with anxiety: anti-stress toys, puzzle mats, lighting devices, warm blankets, board games, books specially matched for different ages, coloring pages on patriotic themes, and more. Psychologist Svitlana Roiz selected each item with the NGO “Smart Osvita” team as a result of an analysis of strategies for coping with stress, which children most often use. The objects were combined to give protection on all levels: visual, auditory, and tactile. In addition, many things have value for psychological comfort and physical — they warm and illuminate. After all, sometimes the shelter is a typical basement, where it is often cold, and there are not always enough light sources.
The pilot version of the project has started in 2023. The first 15 schools test the composition of the chests, and “Smart Osvita” analyzes the needs and, if necessary, makes changes before filling the subsequent batches. The pilot schools that received their “Chests” in 2023 say that when they are not in shelters, the psychologists also use these resources in their work.
Thirty more schools from frontline and borderline areas received “Chests for Shelters” in May 2024, and 72 more “Chests” will soon be completed for Ukrainian students.
Goal. To help children cope with anxiety and overcome possible stress, make their stay in the shelter as comfortable as possible. Provide educators with materials to create more favorable conditions for learning and leisure while staying in shelters with students.
The following worked on the development of chest filling:
- the team of the NGO “Smart Osvita”;
- psychologist Svitlana Roiz;
- Children’s Reading Laboratory “BaraBuka” of the National Center “Minor Academy of Sciences of Ukraine” headed by Tetyana Stus;
- illustrator Lidiia Golosko.
Partners:
- Educo;
- ChildFund;
- Mr. Edmond Nielsen’s legacy;
- MBO “Eastern Europe Foundation”;
- Terre des Hommes.
Term: from December 2022.
Coloring pages on a patriotic theme from chests are freely available to download and print: https://bit.ly/3JGRGCr
Feedback from the participants of the project “Chest for Shelter”: http://bit.ly/4094RRZ
Media about the project
2024
- Kyivshchyna 24/7: Bobrytskyi Lyceum joined the ‘Chest for Shelter’ project
- Media NUS: Thirty more schools from frontline and borderline areas have received “Chests for Shelters”
- Osvita.Rayon: The non-governmental organization “Smart Osvita” sends “Shelter for Chests” to schools
2023
- Nova Ukrainska Shkola: The first ‘Chest for Shelter’ has already been sent to schools: about the ‘Smart Osvita’ project and Svitlana Roiz
- Osvitoriia: NGO ‘Smart Osvita’ sent the first chests to school shelters
- Viddil osvity, kultury, molodi ta sportu Horodotskoi silskoi rady Rivnenskoho raionu Rivnenskoi oblasti: NGO ‘Smart Osvita’ sent the first chests to school shelters
- 4mama: Supporting children during an air raid: the important project ‘Chest for Shelter’
- MamaTato: The NGO ‘Smart Osvita’ together with Svitlana Roiz launched the project ‘Chest for Shelter’ for schools
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