Since Russia launched the full-scale war in Ukraine, the Children and Adolescent Resource Centre (hereinafter the Adolescent Resource Centre) has been assisting teenagers from Ukraine who has been sheltered in Latvia. Teens are provided with one-time counselling and long-term support for the various mental health difficulties affected by the war.
Last week, the Adolescent Resource Centre launched a formal collaboration with Gen.Ukrainian and will continue to contribute by sharing knowledge and experience related to the mental health of adolescents and the development of community-based mental health care services. Ukraine Charity Foundation Gen.Ukrainian is an organization that has been actively providing psychoemotional support to children who have various mental health care difficulties and have suffered severe personal damage, including parents' deaths. The organization's patron is Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska, whose priority is to set up a national plan to improve mental health for children and adults. Gen. Ukrainian is an organization responsible for developing mental health for children and adolescents as part of this plan.
The First Lady of Latvia Andra Levite: ‘Child psychiatrists and psychologists have broken down into different scientific schools on the question of how much genetics, or, on the contrary, how much social surroundings dictate the development of each child in life, including a child's mental health. On the other hand, undivided consensus exists that war adventures for the mental health of children and adolescents are a severe threat. Since Russia launched a war against Ukraine in February this year, a brutal threat has been experienced by Ukraine's children and teenagers daily. The atrocities of war that have occurred (so-called I made a disaster) will undoubtedly harm the mental health of a whole generation. On-the-spot assistance is needed as quickly and professionally as possible to minimise its inevitably negative forms. Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, understands this need with heart and mind and has undertaken the patronage of the second session in children rehabilitation camp Gen.Camp. Despite the increasingly difficult living conditions of the Ukrainian people, she is already thinking about the future of Ukrainian society after the war. Official cooperation has been established since the week between the Latvian Adolescent Resources Centre and Gen.Ukrainian. Both parties will benefit from exchanges of professional knowledge and experience in both Ukraine and Latvia. A sincere thanks to Liene Dambiņa and all the employees of the Adolescent Resource Centre for their sanctimonious help to Ukrainian children and teenagers!’
The First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska: ‘The first camp session proved that if psychological help is started in time, it is possible to restore the ability to smile and believe in the future in children who have survived the horrors of war. This is an important result, and so we continue. I am glad that new specialists and like-minded people will join the second session, in particular First Lady of Latvia Andra Levite – one of the biggest friends of Ukraine in the world, with whom we are already implementing many projects. I am sure that together we will return childhood to Ukrainian children.’
‘What Gen.Ukrainian has achieved in such a short time and difficult circumstances are worthy of admiration and respect. And I'm honored to become a member of the Gen.Ukrainian Foundation Board to support their work in times of war and the long term. During the first meetings with the head of the Gen.Ukrainian Foundation, Oksana Lebedeva and her colleagues, we highlighted specific areas of cooperation, such as specialist training, remote counselling and supervision. At the same time, we see that our specialists will also benefit because it will be possible to acquire specific war-related trauma knowledge from Ukrainian colleagues. It will help us to support Ukrainian children and adolescents in Latvia,’ said Liene Dambina, founder and CEO of the Adolescent Resource Centre.
Oksana Lebedeva, the founder, and CEO of the Gen.Ukrainian Foundation: ‘After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I felt an overwhelming need to help. Since I’m not fit to fight to defend the borders of our country at the frontline, I will fight to defend the personal boundaries of our children. Gen.Ukrainian is an initiative to safeguard our nation’s future through our children. A full-scale invasion means that an entire generation will fight a fight with mental health. At Gen.Ukrainian, we support our children to make sure they don’t fight this fight, single handedly.’
Ukrainian teenagers and their family members can receive psychological support by contacting Adolescent Resource Center +371 25737636 (available also on WhatsApp). Working hours: 12pm–7pm on workdays.
Riga +371 29164747; info@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Jelgava +371 27323238; jelgava@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Liepaja +371 26623422; liepaja@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Rezekne +371 27313138; rezekne@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Sigulda +371 27899515; sigulda@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Tukums +371 26387905; tukums@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Valmiera +371 26433366; valmiera@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Ventspils +371 25458111; ventspils@pusaudzucentrs.lv
Daugavpils +371 25635533; daugavpils@pusaudzucentrs.lv