On 9–10 December, Kyiv hosted the intensive “Power of Change: Experience That Transforms” – the first offline module of psychosocial training for specialists. The training was conducted by Olena Kapustiuk, Psychosocial Support and Soft Skills Training Expert at EdUP, Swisscontact.
Over the course of two days, participants immersed themselves in a comprehensive programme aimed at developing skills for working with stress, building emotional resilience, supporting motivation, and strengthening self-confidence – aspects that are crucial for people returning to professional activity after traumatic experiences, relocation, military service, or a prolonged break in their professional development.
The training combined mini-lectures, practical exercises, and reflective sessions. Participants worked through models of self-regulation and resource recovery, learned to identify and overcome impostor syndrome, addressed internal barriers and biases, and explored communication styles and tools for non-conflict interaction. A separate block focused on fostering motivation and supporting positive change: specialists created motivational maps, defined personal development trajectories, and practiced techniques that will help programme participants set realistic goals, build plans, and observe their progress.
Significant attention was devoted to employment-related topics: participants practiced methods for building confidence during interviews, self-presentation, identifying strengths, and forming an individual “path to employment.” The final exercises focused on preparing practical tools that specialists will use in their daily work with students, helping them expand their awareness of personal possibilities and strengthen their readiness for professional life.
For programme participants — veterans, internally displaced persons, and women — such support is essential. Returning to professional education after difficult experiences is often accompanied by heightened stress, anxiety, loss of motivation, or uncertainty. Trained psychologists and social pedagogues become the specialists who help individuals restore inner stability, recognise their potential, and take the first confident steps toward stability and employment.
The completion of the training marked the beginning of systemic support for specialists who play a key role in implementing the direction and helping people rebuild their lives and professional prospects.
