Surviving the war together: How Mykolaiv helps people overcome stress and find new opportunities

Women during a training session on starting their own business in the space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo by NikVesti

How to get rid of excessive anxiety due to the war? How to adapt in a new city? Where to apply for social benefits? How to learn a new profession? Almost every Ukrainian has faced these questions since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Municipal institutions are not always able to provide these services in a quality manner, so to strengthen their work, spaces are appearing in cities that provide people with the necessary assistance free of charge. Mykolaiv is no exception, as the city of almost half a million people is now home to many IDPs.

The space «Zatyshno Space» has been operating in Mykolaiv for two years now. It provides assistance to people affected by the war and in difficult living conditions. Initially, the space was opened as a place of support for women only, but today it also provides assistance to men, teenagers and children.

Read about how the specialists of «Zatyshno Space» help people, what mission they fulfil in Mykolaiv, and what visitors think about it in the article NikVesti.

Space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo NikVesti

Do municipal institutions have time to provide quality social services?

Today, due to the insufficient number of social workers, the relevant institutions do not have time to cover the number of people in need of assistance, according to a study by experts from the Cedos think tank as part of the Council of Europe project «Strengthening Social Protection in Ukraine» in May 2024. Therefore, they note, it is necessary to increase the number of employees in municipal institutions that provide such assistance.

At the same time, the report points out, there is a need for a comprehensive assessment of the needs of people applying for social assistance. After all, the study results showed that municipal institutions providing social services do not meet the needs of people, but only work within their resources.

The study also shows that institutions should conduct practical training to help people learn new skills to live independently.

Space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo NikVesti

What kind of help is provided in the space?

The space for social, psychological and legal assistance «Zatyshno Space» has been operating in Mykolaiv since the beginning of June 2023. This space is an all-Ukrainian initiative of the Charitable Foundation «Vostok SOS». The space receives financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office.

The main mission of the space is to protect and provide visitors with the help they need, Yuliia Chokas, regional manager of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions of the «Vostok SOS» Charitable Foundation, told NikVesti.

«We work with civilians affected by the war. We understand that there are a lot of internally displaced people in Mykolaiv, as well as locals who have been under fire.

The work of the space has a positive impact on the community of Mykolaiv, as it helps our visitors to receive support, develop new skills and integrate into society. And it generally helps to strengthen social ties and improve the quality of life in the region,» says Yuliia Chokas.

From the very beginning, the team of «Zatyshno Space» positioned itself as a place where support is provided exclusively to women and girls, but today men can also get help here. «We saw a demand in the region from the population itself and therefore changed the format», explained regional manager Yulia Chokas. But, she noted, it is still more often women who turn to the space.

Women during a training session on starting their own business in the space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo by NikVesti

Women during a training session on starting their own business in the space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo NikVesti

Women during a training session on starting their own business in the space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo by NikVesti

The space offers individual and group classes for visitors. Individual support is available upon request, explained «Zatyshno Space». To do this, you can write to the space's social media page and get a free consultation with the right specialist. Group sessions are held daily in various formats: information sessions, workshops, trainings, therapy groups, art therapy, and consultations on legal and social issues.

You can contact «Zatyshno Space» via the space's Telegram channel or by phone: +38 (099) 790 00 70. The space is physically located at 79-A Kropyvnytskoho Street in Mykolaiv.

The space also has a playroom where masterclasses for kids are held or where visitors can leave their children with specialists while attending classes.

Playroom in the space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo by NikVesti

Playroom in the space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo NikVesti

The most frequent request is to overcome stress and anxiety

Over almost two years of operation, 4,000 visitors have turned to the space for help, says regional manager Yuliia Chokas.

«We try to provide comprehensive assistance in every situation. But if, for example, we cannot cover the request in full on a particular issue, we have a large database of partner contacts and can redirect a person to the necessary organisation or institution to resolve this issue», explained Yuliia Chokas.

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Most often, people turn to the space for help in overcoming stress and anxiety, and less often for help with divorce, alimony, appealing court orders, restoring documents, receiving social benefits, etc.

However, recently, the space has also been requested to overcome background anxiety and fatigue, says psychologist Anastasiia.

«A year ago, people had hope and expectations that everything was about to end, but the war is not over. And this expectation of victory, the expectation of completion, is very exhausting,» the psychologist explained.

Psychologist of the space «Cosy Space» Anastasia, photo NikVesti

The psychologist says that stress causes people to have issues with finding themselves, overcoming depression, self-realisation, eating disorders, self-esteem, and establishing family relationships. To overcome these problems, group psychological sessions are held in the space.

«Group activities work well because women share their experiences with each other. And when a woman realises that she is not the only one, but there is someone else with the same problems, they can support each other,» says the psychologist.

«Such places make you feel that you are not alone with your difficulties»

This opinion is shared by the visitors of the space. Anastasiia, who first visited the space for a business start-up training, says that such places help not only to learn and explore new topics, but also to find support among other women who have been in similar situations.

«This is my first time in this space, but I've visited similar spaces before. And I think it's very important. We are living in such a difficult time. Most women are now without men, and they carry everything on their shoulders. Therefore, such spaces are useful because a woman can come and even just talk. Because sometimes most women don't even have anyone to talk to. In such a difficult time, it is very important,» says Anastasiia, a visitor to the space.

Visitor of the space «Cosy Space» Anastasiia, photo NikVesti

Another training participant, Tetiana, who has been visiting the space for several months, says that such places are important for Mykolaiv because they help to socialise.

«In the realities in which we exist today, I think such spaces are a very good opportunity to find like-minded people. I have been participating in such meetings, including psychological ones, for several months now. I really like it and hope that I will continue to have the opportunity to attend these meetings.

I am grateful to this space and other volunteer centres operating in Mykolaiv for the opportunity they provide today.» Because the topics they raise are quite social and modern,» says Tetiana, a visitor.

Visitor of the space «Cosy Space» Tetiana, photo NikVesti

Classes in the space help to find support among other visitors and to be inspired by other people's stories of resilience, she added.

«First of all, such places probably give you the feeling that you are not alone, you are not alone with your difficulties. There are people who have more difficult life circumstances. Yesterday, for example, at a training session, we looked at the situations faced by businesses that have left the occupied territories. Losing everything, they rebuilt again and again. These stories are very motivating and give us faith that nothing is impossible and we have to get up and do something», the woman says.

Where else can you go for help?

In Ukraine, in addition to the initiatives of NGOs and charitable foundations, there are also government support programmes and free hotlines where you can get psychological, social or legal help remotely.

The following hotlines are free to call for psychological help:

• State Support Line for Veterans and Their Families — 0 800 33 20 29 (round the clock).
• National hotline for suicide prevention and mental health Lifeline Ukraine — 7333 (round the clock).
• NGO hotline «La Strada-Ukraine» — 0 800 500 335 (from a landline) or 116 123 (from a mobile).
• Contact centre of the Ministry of Health — 0 800 60 20 19.
• International Organisation for Migration emotional support line — 0 800 211 444 (daily from 10:00 to 20:00).

Space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo NikVesti

The state provides social services through social protection agencies. They deal with social benefits, employment advice, legal issues and other types of assistance.

Residents of Mykolaiv can contact the Department of Labour and Social Protection of the Regional Military Administration at +38 (098) 031 31 41 or at 2A/1 Robocha Street.

Space «Cosy Space» in Mykolaiv, photo NikVesti

In difficult times, people should not be left alone with their problems. In Ukraine, there are many ways to get support: state social services, free hotlines, community initiatives and help spaces.

In Mykolaiv, centres such as «Zatyshno Space» offer not only psychological, social and legal support, but also the opportunity to find like-minded people, gain new knowledge and adapt to change. Such spaces significantly «strengthen» the work of municipal institutions that have clearly defined funding and number of employees.

The main thing is not to be isolated. There are no hopeless situations, and together the community can overcome any difficulties.

Yuliia Boichenko, NikVesti