VBC Training and Employing Ukrainian Psychologists to Provide Psychosocial Support to Refugees in Germany

Funded by Aktion Deutschland Hilft and in cooperation with Malteser Werke (Bündnisorganisation Aktion Deutschland Hilft)

This project focuses on the advanced training of experienced Ukrainian psychologists in VBC and their subsequent employment (10 full-time positions) for providing psychosocial support to Ukrainians through individual counseling. The certified counselors work online from the care points in the asylum shelters and in Berlin as well as in large arrival centres such as Tegel Airport with around 3,000 – 4,000 refugees or the hangars at Columbia Damm with 1,000 places as well as in our IPSO Care Center Berlin. We also provide support groups in the premises belonging to other aid organisations in Berlin, Baden- Württemberg, Bavaria and Hamburg as part of this project. In regular workshops held with staff members from Malteser Werke nationwide, there has been lively exchanges involving questions that arise in dealing with and counseling psychologically stressed people – people from Ukraine as well as those from different regions in the world.

This project has the following objectives:

• to strengthen the resilience and self-efficacy of Ukrainian refugees,
• to help Ukrainians affected by the Russian war of aggression to re-establish themselves quickly by providing training and subsequent employment,
• to develop skills amongst Ukrainians that they can use to develop the capacity of the Ukrainian health system after the war ends.

A five-person Malteser team (regional coordinators) is providing support for this project to successfully implement and spread psychosocial support as wide as possible.

Contact persons:

Clara Hüttenbrink-Marku
Project coordination “Mental Health-Ukraine Aid”
Project team member in the migration department
Clara.Huettenbrink@malteser.org

Imke Siefer
Head of Berlin/Brandenburg Migration Office
imke.siefer@malteser.org