On May 9, the National University of Ostroh Academy hosted a presentation of the project "Game and Rules, or Rules of the Game", based on psychosocial rehabilitation of children in crises.
The university welcomed:
- Philippe Valls — a school teacher, clinical psychologist, and author of the World Health Organization (WHO) training manual for preparing trainers in the field of mental health for refugees, internally displaced persons, and other populations affected by conflict and post-conflict situations.
- Lesley Fox — an economist and coordinator of the Humacoop-Amel project;
- Jean-Baptiste Frappat — a film director and political scientist;
- Nataliia Zhuravliova — the head of the 'Creativity for Life' Foundation, coordinator of "The Game and the Rules, or The Rules of the Game" Project, filmmaker, emotional intelligence mentor, trainer, and facilitator;
- Yaroslava Kolodii — a translator, humanitarian programme facilitator, and volunteer who has been helping Ukrainian children forced to seek physical and emotional shelter since the beginning of the war.
Maksym Karpovets, Director of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Social and Humanitarian Management, PhD, Associate Professor, made an opening speech, describing the event's format and wishing the participants fruitful work.
Philippe Valls and Lesley Fox drew students' attention to the game theory, which served as the foundation for training sessions for shelter workers supporting refugee children.
“It is a great pleasure and honour to be with you today at Ostroh Academy and present our project of psychosocial interaction with children based on the game.”
The speakers also acquainted the NaUOA students and academic staff with the types of games and the peculiarities of their use in the psychosocial rehabilitation of children who have survived a crisis in war.
"Every person who has been "uprooted" from their native environment needs a new life experience. For all children, this experience is play. It is an opportunity to rethink your past, laugh at the oppressor and avoid the trap of repeating misfortunes. It is an experience that cannot wait and requires creating space and time for free play, protected by adults."
The students also had the opportunity to practice this gaming methodology by choosing board or active games.
Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Methodology of Primary Education, Cand.Sc. (Pedagogics), Associate Professor Zoia Stoliar communicated:
"We are grateful to our guests, who once again convinced us that games play an important role in the lives of children and adults. These methods are gaining particular importance in the professional training of future primary school teachers. It is very valuable that we could live this experience and feel everyone's involvement during the game. Smiling faces and positive emotions in the audience evidence this. We hope that our cooperation with our colleagues will be fruitful."
Anastasiia Ilchuk, a 1st year student majoring in Primary Education, shared her impressions:
"The meeting with representatives from France was exciting and useful. We were introduced to several simple yet highly effective games that can be used when working with children. Thanks to this meeting, I realised that for a child, play is not only entertainment but also a whole world, an important part of their life. Play helps children not only develop but also distract them from difficult life circumstances, including experiences related to the war. Also, the game is a tool that allows adults to understand a child's emotional state better and notice problems that bother them in time."
