Ukrainian libraries to open mental health spaces

On March 13, Ukraine's culture ministry and UNESCO met to plan the "Libraries as a Space for Psychosocial Support" project for library staff.

What is the problem?

Libraries are important assets of the cultural infrastructure. During the war, they also became places where humanitarian centers, other institutions, and structures important to communities were located.

Ukraine seeks to create a truly accessible, unhindered, and comfortable physical and information environment in library institutions.

A library should not be a place to store books, but rather a community space and a center for self-development.

What is the solution?

Ukraine's culture ministry and UNESCO met to plan the "Libraries as a Space for Psychosocial Support" project for library staff.

The initiative will help library staff learn first aid techniques and some art therapy techniques.

How does it work?

To create mental health spaces in libraries, Ukraine plans to raise awareness among library staff about mental health issues and first aid techniques, tell the community about library spaces as hubs of psychosocial support, etc.

"We will try to implement all stages of this project as early as 2024," said Daniel Chuturich, Senior Education Coordinator at the UNESCO Office in Ukraine.

The initiative will cover 15 libraries in six Ukrainian regions. Experts will create special programs for trainers who will teach library staff psychosocial support techniques.

The organization of space in libraries for citizens to receive psychosocial support is planned within the framework of the Art of Helping project of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program "How Are You?" initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska.