At Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, a meeting was held between Olena Zelenska and participants of the “Peer-to-Peer” programme

On World Mental Health Day, a meeting was held at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv between the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and veterans and servicemen — future consultants of Ukraine’s first certificate programme “Peer-to-Peer Consultant Training.”

The programme was initiated by the Office of the First Lady of Ukraine as part of the national mental-health initiative “How Are You?” and is implemented by the Institute of Psychiatry of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv together with the Institute of Continuing Education, in partnership with the Coordination Center for Mental Health.
The Institute of Psychiatry played a key role in developing the concept, structure, and content of the training, and ensured scientific, methodological, and organizational support. Specialists from the Veteran Mental Health Center of Excellence also made a significant contribution to the design and implementation of the programme.

🔹 Experts from the Institute of Psychiatry adapted international standards for peer-consultant training to the Ukrainian context, prepared educational materials, conducted supervision and practical modules, and engaged leading mental-health professionals as lecturers.
The guarantor of the programme is Professor Iryna Pinchuk, Director of the Institute of Psychiatry and President of the Ukrainian Psychiatric Association.

🔸 During the meeting, the First Lady paid special attention to the graduates of the first cohort of the “Peer-to-Peer” programme, which trains veterans capable of providing psychological support to their fellow service members.

“I hope the ‘Peer-to-Peer’ approach will take its rightful place in the official occupational classification. This will allow resilience and rehabilitation centers to officially employ such specialists” emphasized Olena Zelenska.