A renovated Daycare Centre for Psychosocial Assistance, including a crisis room for survivors of domestic or gender-based violence, has been officially opened in Ternopil.
The Centre provides a safe and accessible space for survivors to receive comprehensive and free assistance in comfortable conditions. These services include:
- counselling with a psychologist and a social worker;
- primary legal assistance;
- information about the services of other organizations and institutions that carry out measures in the field of prevention and countermeasures against violence;
- a social support service aimed at overcoming or minimizing the consequences of domestic and/or gender-based violence.
If needed, a person can be placed in a crisis room, which is a temporary shelter for survivors. It is possible to stay there for up to 10 days.
“Ensuring free and unimpeded access to safe, quality and specialized services for survivors of gender-based violence is one of the key goals of UNFPA in Ukraine, especially during the war, when the level of violence, including domestic and gender-based violence, is increasing. We are sincerely grateful to our partners, in particular to the Government of Canada and to the local authorities and civil society organizations from Ternopil, and staff, who have made the Daycare Centre possible. The renovated Daycare Centre is yet one more resource made available to all those who need it, in Ternopil” said Jaime Nadal, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine.
From October 2021, the Daycare Centre for Psychosocial Assistance provided services on the premises of the Ternopil City Centre of Social Services. This year, with the support of the UNFPA and the Government of Canada, and in collaboration with the Ternopil City Council, a major renovation of the Daycare Centre was carried out as part of the "Cities and Communities Free from Domestic Violence" project. The Youth Charitable Foundation "Initiative" served as the executive partner for this project, which included the addition of a crisis room to the Centre's facilities.
The community has provided a space of 206.9 square meters for the operation of the centre, allowing up to 50 people to receive services simultaneously. Thanks to the support of partners, the facility has been equipped and staffed with six specialists.
“Exactly two years ago, the Ternopil urban territorial community became a participant in the "Cities and Communities Free from Domestic Violence" project on a competitive basis. This gave us the opportunity to develop a system for countering and preventing domestic violence in our community. UNFPA has become a reliable partner, providing training for specialists in various fields, ensuring the activity of mobile teams, and offering technical support, which is very necessary and tangible, especially in times of war. Today, we opened a Daycare Centre for Psychosocial Assistance for survivors of domestic violence, which will provide social, psychological, legal, and other necessary services to the residents of our community. We are sincerely grateful to UNFPA and all partners who are implementing the "Cities and Communities Free from Domestic Violence" project in our community” said Serhiy Nadal, Ternopil City Mayor.
Since the beginning of work and as of July 2023, the employees of the Daycare Centre have provided over 1,000 consultations. Additionally, 41 people received crisis intervention services and were placed in a crisis room.
Addresses:
- Daycare Centre for Psychosocial Assistance: Maksym Kryvonosa St, 14
- City Centre of Social Services: Medova St, 3
The Daycare Centre, which includes a crisis room for survivors of gender-based violence and domestic violence, was renovated as part of the UNFPA project "Cities and Communities Free from Domestic Violence". The project was supported by the Government of Canada and involved the participation of the Ternopil City Council, as well as the executive partner, the Youth Charitable Foundation "Initiative".
