“Transit Point” brings up a concern of stereotypes and discrimination caused by the war in Eastern Ukraine and reminds the audience of the cyclical nature of historical events. This is a story about the Lemka ethnic community which was deported from Western Ukraine to Peremozhnoe village, Luhansk Oblast. In 945, the Lemkos were removed from their villages near the Tatras to the East of Ukraine. In 204, as a result of military actions, this ethnic community had to leave their homes again and “return” to Western Ukraine to start living anew. Three heroes of the film tell us about the fate of the Lemkos time and again discriminated because of the involuntary resettlement. The film title symbolically reflects the current situation in the East of Ukraine since hundreds of thousands of people had to leave their homes in seeking for asylum because of military operations. The house of the main characters in the Luhansk Oblast turned out to be Transit Point where from they again returned to their historical homeland.

We remind you that civil society volunteers whose actions are aimed at protecting the rights of the people who are suffering from military operations in the East of Ukraine can use this film as well as guidelines for conducting a media lesson during their anti-discrimination activity.

You can watch the film and download the attached guidance recommendations how to conduct a media lesson for the anti-discrimination activity on its basis here.

The educational course consisting of two parts is a continuation of the training in the anti-discrimination work of the previous project of 205-206. During the first two modules, which took place within the previous project, the participants have already begun to acquire the skills of anti-discrimination work coach in conflict regions. Having continued their studies in the current project, they successfully completed it with the third and now the fourth and final training, which took place in early December.

The first two training modules taking place within the previous project explores, in particular, the causes of prejudice and stereotypical thinking and methods of recognizing their various forms of manifestation. During the third module, participants became acquainted with strategies that can be used to avoid situations of discriminatory treatment. They learned to use different approaches and methods to prevent and resolve conflict situations arising from discrimination, such as the multi-perspectivity approach, the “Empowerment” method (work aimed at self-reinforcing of the target group’s participants, without discriminating the participants’ data), as well as they got acquainted with methods of dialogue preventing discrimination between different groups. Basing on this, Ukrainian activists have developed practical tools which help them to act as coaches in the work of reducing and preventing discrimination as a consequence of a military conflict.

After systematization of knowledge obtained in the course of the previous three modules, the final fourth training was devoted to deepening of the coach skills of the participants through practical exercises, such as, for example, Ochki Trenera (Coach’s points). Through such practical exercises, participants improved their skills as a coach, as well as developed new concepts for various anti-discrimination courses and future planned projects.

During the last day of the training the participants shared their personal experiences and the results of anti-discrimination work over the past year. And those who received mini-grants made presentations of their projects. The documentary ”Transitnyi punkt” (“Central point”) which is also the result of one of five sub-grant projects was shown as well. The plot of the film is about Lemki people, their escape from the combat zone in eastern Ukraine in 204, as well as their background of forced relocation from the western part of the country to the eastern part during Soviet Union times, and it clearly demonstrates a tendency to endue people with certain qualities basing on their origin, and, as a result, the use of these qualities as a basis or justification of discrimination of these people.

In general, along with the aforementioned film, financial support was granted as part of our training to 5 more sub-grant projects, which were implemented under the professional supervision of the trainer Marina Chernivsky (you can read more information on sub-grant projects at the pages containing the project issues: “Overcoming discrimination caused by conflicts”).

Maria Slesazeck, head of the project “Overcoming the consequences of the war together,” was present as well at the final meeting of the fourth module. Together with Marina Chernivsky, she awarded the participants with certificates of the “Trainer on anti-discrimination work in conflict regions”. The certificates confirm and at the same time recognize that the participants during the learning process have become qualified trainers and consultants in the work on the resolution and prevention of discrimination caused by conflicts.

We congratulate the participants on the successful completion of training and wish them good luck and success in future projects.

The result of this project component will be a trilingual methodological handbook on anti-discrimination work in conflict regions which will make it possible for the methods of Marina Chernivsky to be available to other members of civil society. Also, the examples of effective anti-discrimination work in conflict regions on the example of Ukraine will be presented in the handbook.

The sub-granted project “Spiral of History” was implemented to study and attract public attention to the historical relationship, to dispel myths and stereotypes as well as to enhance the anti-discrimination thinking among people. The short film “Transit Point” was produced within this project.

The documentary film “Transit Point” covers such topics as prejudices occurred in Ukraine in the course of the war and reminds the audience by the Lemcos ethnic community example that prejudices against immigrants and displaced persons have historical continuity. Three main characters tell us the story of the Lemcos that were forced to relocate from their native villages situated at the foot of the Tatras to Peremozhnoe village, Luhansk Oblast for policy reasons in 945. In 204 due to military operations and Peremozhnoe bombing this ethnic community was again forced to leave their homes and “return” to Western Ukraine to start living anew. Ironically, as a result of the current war in the East of Ukraine, they returned to their historical homeland whereof they were expelled in 945 but this time they are alien or considered to be “not belonging here” like until recently in Peremozhnoe.  Interestingly, the prejudices regarding re-settlers are often reasoned that they “are not originated from here” and therefore they are alien. And despite the fact that this is not the case with Lemkos, they like other re-settlers are considered to be strangers. This fact completely contradicts the logic of the often described prejudice on “(non) membership” characters.

Basing on the history of the Lemkos the film points to the paradox and irrationality of prejudice and discrimination and at the same time indicates their historical dependence.

The project “Spiral of History” was implemented by Olga Platonova from the non-government organization “Sumshchyna Actyvna” and Oleksey Bida. They are also civil society volunteers and attendees of our educational training course “Strategies for preventing and overcoming discrimination caused by military conflict”. With the aid of “Transit Point” and the held training Olga Platonova and Aleksey Bida set up a dialogue between the internally displaced persons and Sumy city social workers.

One of the reasons for the sub-granted project was the prejudice and tension between internally displaced persons and representatives of Sumy host society. For example, re-settlers often communicate with social services and civil organizations that currently perform a number of important missions in Ukraine. The current critical social policy as well as the tough economic situation in Ukraine due to the war often lead to conflicts between the above mentioned groups and to the renew stereotypes and development of discrimination scenario.

The educational training took place from July 2 to July 22 with coaching support from Olga Platonova. It was attended by 4 people, including internally displaced persons, civil volunteers, psychologists, the job center employees and Sumy social workers, representatives of the parties who are often in conflict as a result of the war in the East of Ukraine. The dialogue form provided the grounds for the training that allowed the attendees to communicate freely, discuss topics of concern and answer the controversial issues.

The film “Transit Point” was shot with the same educational and anti-discrimination purpose and it has a written training manual how to work with this film to develop anti-discriminatory thinking. The film had its premiere on August within “The Human Rights Educational Festival 207” in Chernigiv, which was attended by civil society volunteers whose activities are directed at the defense of the people’s rights suffering from military operations in the East of Ukraine.

The spectators including the civil social volunteers highly appraised the effectiveness of the method and expressed their willingness to use the film “Transit Point” in their anti-discrimination work in the future. For example, by including the film into the film clubs, various festivals and trainings programs. They also offered to show the film to schoolchildren, especially those among which there are children of re-settlers and local ones, and even offered to include it in the extracurricular and educational school programs.

The discrimination cases in Ukrainian society are increasing owing to the armed conflict in the east of the country. During the training it was said that the grounds for such actions are primarily the origin from any particular region, political beliefs or other conflict-relevant signs. The training was attended by ten representatives of Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Kharkiv Oblasts – the regions that accepted the largest number of internally displaced persons, as well as Sumy, Cherkasy, Vinnitsia and Lviv Oblasts.

Marina Chernivsky from Berlin, the coach of the pilot project “Change of Perspectives Plus”, implemented by the Central Charitable Organization of Jews in Germany, demonstrated to the activists various tested tools for effective anti-discrimination work. The first two training modules taking place within the previous project, explored, in particular, the causes of prejudice and stereotypical thinking and methods of recognizing their various forms of manifestation. In the third module, participants got acquainted with strategies that can be used to avoid situations of discriminatory attitude. In addition, participants learned how to conduct consultations on the prevention of conflicts arising from discrimination in the form of role-playing games. Marina Chernivsky presented various approaches and strategies for preventing and resolving conflict situations, such as the principle of multi-perspectivity, the “Empowerment” method (work aimed at self-reinforcing of the target group’s participants without discriminating the participants’ data), as well as ways of a dialoguing that prevents discrimination between various groups.

In addition, the participants had the opportunity to develop specific ideas and concepts for mini-projects, where new methods and gained knowledge will be applied immediately after the training event is completed. In general, as a part of the project training “Overcoming the consequences of the war together”, five mini-projects will receive funding in the amount of ,500 euros, which will give participants the opportunity to take effective measures to overcome the discrimination of internally displaced persons and (former) participants of military activities at the beginning of the following year.

After the implementation of the mini-projects under the professional supervision of the coach Marina Chernivsky, in September 207, the fourth and last module of training in strategies to prevent discrimination and anti-discrimination work is planned. Upon completion of the training, the participants will become qualified consultants and multiplier of anti-discrimination work for post-conflict regions.

The project working meetings as well as two thematic trainings have already taken place. The first training was addressed to the issues under Ukrainian law on discrimination prevention, to the review of international practice as for anti-discrimination policy and moreover in the process of work there were updated the attendees own practice, dealing with the real life situations, as well as the difficulties which occurred in their work.  Natalya Sergienko who is the representative of the NGO “Bureau of Institutional Development”, the mastermind, the chief project manager and expert noted that the group was particularly sensitive to the interaction with the war veterans in the East of Ukraine and to a district psychiatrist practice who was also a member of a military commissariat.  She shared her experience in difficult situations, dispelled a large number of myths about psychiatry, and at the same time she was an active member of the group. The second training was arranged for the facilitators from different districts of Vinnytsia Oblast. There were a lot of talks about stereotypes, groups, diversity within these groups. There were many examples, especially about families that have deceased combatants in the East of Ukraine. In addition they raised issues of language, diversity in Ukraine, and mentality.

The sub-granted project “A step forwards” is a part of the long-term international project “Overcoming the consequences of war together” where Natalia Sergienko is an attendee of the educational course “Strategies for overcoming and preventing discrimination caused by the military conflict in the East of Ukraine”, and the mini grants competition was held within it to support the trainees initiatives.

Within the sub-granted project a number of thematic trainings and professional consultations are planned that can provide in-deep analysis, understanding the situation and searching for solution strategies in difficult cases. All these entire will be accomplished at the final meeting where it is planned to analyze the successes and problematic topics raised and covered in the process of the project implementation.

The implementer of this sub-granted project is a non-government organization “Association of large families – AMMA”. This project is a part of the project  “Overcoming Discrimination Based on Conflict” and is being held with our professional and financial support.

Journalists, public figures from Kharkiv, as well as all those who are not indifferent to the problem of violence on the discrimination grounds in school environment were invited to participate.

According to Alla Yevdokimova, promoter and manager of the sub-granted project “Non-violent communication at school”, the problem of violence and aggression on the discrimination grounds among the schoolchildren is very acute and requires an urgent response. This project target is to counteract and prevent violence at schools on the discrimination grounds as a consequence of military operations in the East of Ukraine. It is planned to deliver training within the project “Nonviolent Communication at School” and  to invite school psychologists, community volunteers, employees and psychologists of social services, internally displaced people, former ATO participants who later, after training, will be involved in work with children using their knowledge and experience.

The philosophy of the curriculum  which is going to be used as the ground for the training materials will be based on the course “Strategies for preventing and overcoming discrimination caused by the military conflict in Ukraine” with Alla Yevdokimova involved as an attendee. The topics of this training course cover in particular the prejudice and stereotypical thinking reason as a result of the war in the East of Ukraine, as well as the ways to recognize their various forms and manifestations and to form the anti-discrimination awareness. This course was developed in association with Marina Chernivsky, the coach of the pilot project “Perspectives Change plus” (the Central Charitable Organization of German Jews), which is one of the associations involved in international project “Overcoming the consequences of war together”.

Conference video: 

The competition was held within the project “Overcoming the consequences of war in Ukraine together” among the attendees of the training course “Strategies for preventing and overcoming discrimination caused by the military conflict in Ukraine”. This training course is aimed at preparing among the volunteers the multipliers whose field of work is to reduce the conflicts extent caused by discrimination.

Along with military events the intensity of conflicts related to their consequences and discrimination in Ukrainian society is increased. Thus, internally displaced persons (hereinafter referred to as IDPs) often face discrimination in hiring, searching and renting housing. The number of conflicts of IDPs with the authority representatives and state institutions is also increased. Often, soldiers who come back from the war and begin to get used to a peaceful life, find their place in life as well as opportunity for employment and psychosocial adaptation also face reintegration problems in society.

All those projects that have been supported financially are provided to work with conflicts caused by the discrimination cases due to the military actions in Ukraine. The key topic in all five project initiatives is a discrimination of internally displaced persons and conflicts arising in the context of the relationship between IDPs and the host community which includes former and current military personnel and their families.

Despite the fact that all projects are united by one common goal, the methods and approaches to achieve it have been chosen depending on the existing situation and the community’s request. So in Nikopol, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, IDPs often face discrimination when applying to state services and local governments. The project “Formation of the anti-discrimination awareness of social workers, employees of psychological, legal and other consultations in Nikopol and the Nikopol Raion via trainings” is delivered to work with the government service employees who render the services to IDPs and residents. The training program is intended to form the attendees’ anti-discrimination awareness and develop tolerance towards IDPs and other people who find themselves in difficult circumstances and apply to them for assistance. In Vinnytsia  within the project “Take the first step to meet” it is planned to work with the representatives of the authorities and teachers who according to their duty work with IDPs and other vulnerable groups of the population. The training course is aimed to develop the anti-discrimination awareness among the attendees and to reduce their prejudices and  stereotypes.

Equally relevant is the issue of discrimination and violence that are present among the teenagers at schools. So, the volunteers from Kharkiv and Cherkasy have plans to work with teenagers from IDPs and the host community within their projects.  For promoter of the project “Formation of the anti-discrimination awareness among the teenagers via the anti-discrimination trainings” in Cherkassy the major priority is to change the pattern of the young people thinking that is often imposed by an “adult” society in particular to re-settlers and people with migratory background as well as to develop critical and anti-discrimination thinking among the attendees.

Within the project “Non-violent communication at school” which is scheduled to be implemented in Kharkiv and as a result it is expected to decrease the level of violence and conflicts which arose from discrimination in educational institutions of Kharkiv and its Oblast. Throughout this project it will be prepared a group of facilitators consisting of volunteers, HPE psychologists and social workers, as well as former combatants who should become multipliers and knowledge holders in the future. In addition, a guidance manual for giving classes for non-violent communication at schools will be developed.

The fifth project “Spiral of History” which was approved by the international competitive commission to receive grant support combines several components that should be available to a wide audience. The promoters are planning within the project to make a short documentary film which should  be available for viewing on the Internet to create  a positive  image of  IDPs  in response to the personal stories as well as to draw the public attention to the crimes against humanity in the past and now. The idea is that one of the main characters of the film is a representative of the Lemkos re-settlers who has lived in Luhansk Oblast before military actions began, and now leaves for the territory of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk Oblasts. In addition to the film, during the project it should  be prepared a plan for a media lesson which is going to be used to train schoolchildren to  form the anti-discrimination awareness.

The former training was primarily aimed to motivate attendees to be engaged into in-depth analysis of their ideas and thematic self-reflection.

Special attention was given to the introduction of M. Chernivsky’s  reflex approach  and the methods used. The training was based on the reflection of personal biography, analysis of practical work and generation of specialized knowledge. Special attention was also given to the interactive forms of communication and group behavior. The training was delivered with account of needs and interests of the attendees as well as using such methods as M. Chernivsky’s reflex approach, role-playing games, thematic discussions, work in small groups, theatrical and pedagogical methods, as well as the results of the project “Perspectives Change” (ZWST, Germany).

In the process of training the following issues were carefully investigated:

• problems of ethnic, religious, social and political differences and conflicts;
• self-identification, collective memory;
• prejudices and factor reflections leading to the prejudices formation towards different groups, to isolation and discrimination.

At the end of the training the attendees noted that they were touched by personal emotions and reflex experiences. The feedback received indicates that all attendees are looking forward to continuing their studies.

Attendees:

The seminar is intended for the volunteers and corporate employees who:

• Face mental consequences of war, violence and relocation from the  zone of military operations at their job;
• Are engaged in the evacuation of people from the war zone;
• Have the first / direct contact with people who have experienced violence / traumatic situations; they receive them at the resettling locations, they are the first to hear their stories about their experiences in the zone of military operations.

This seminar is not intended for the professional psychologists, physicians.

Date held:

The ^st part of the training course: on 29.8.-3.8.205 from 0.00 am till 6.00 pm including lunch and coffee brakes.

The 2^nd part of the training course: on 03.0.-05.0.205 from 0.00 am till 6.00 pm including lunch and coffee brakes.

You are kindly requested to arrange your well timed arrival by the start of the training (in the evening on 28.8.) and departure after the end of the training (say, after 8.00 pm on 3.8. or in the morning on .9.).

Topics and intentions:

Many people from eastern Ukraine who are seeking security in other regions of the country have experienced severe violence and are traumatized. At the seminar we are going to investigate what trauma means for such people and how they can be supported. The range of topics covers the introduction to the trauma psychology, overcoming critical situations and preventing volunteer burnout. In addition, we are going to discuss which organizational structures are suitable / necessary to provide good support to traumatized people.

The agenda:

^st day, Saturday, 29.08.205:

On the st day a non-working meeting will take place for acquaintance and exchange of experience with psychologists / psychotherapists who participate in another training of this project and work with traumatized people. The meeting is modulated by the experts who conduct the seminar.

In addition within the meeting a working group will be founded to prepare booklet on trauma which helps:

• Victims and their relatives to get information about symptoms of the post traumatic diseases ;
• Victims can  be motivated to have a psychologist / psychotherapist consultation;
• To provide the long term counter actions to the prejudice associated with the psychotherapeutic treatment.

2nd day, Sunday, 30.08.205:

1. Introduction to the trauma psychology;
2. Treatment of traumatized people.

3rd day, Monday, 3.08.205:

1. Evaluation of critical situations and strategies to deal with them.
2. Burnout prevention:

• What does “burnout” mean?
• What does “indirect traumatization” mean?
• How to recognize overwork?
• Stress control.

2nd training program:

2^nd training program will be constructed according to the results and practice of the^st training.

Experts:

Gisela Scheef-Maier and Ph.D. Boris Friele have specialized for many years in psycho diagnostic examination and psycho therapeutic treatment of traumatized refugees. Both work in the Treatment Center for Victims of Torture in Berlin

The experts do not speak Russian so the seminar will be translated from German into Russian.

To take part in the training, please complete the application by August the 2th.

Competitive selection. The hosts pay for accommodation, meals and transportation. For all questions related to the training, please contact: [email protected].