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Centres for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation of the Population and Information Dissemination about the mitigation of the Chornobyl catastrophe consequences (hereinafter in this text referred to as Centre) were established in 1994 –2000 by the Ministry of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe of Ukraine (Ministry of Emergencies) with the support of the UNESCO-Chornobyl and UN Chornobyl Programme in Kyiv oblast – Borodyanka, Boyarka, Ivankiv, Slavutych and Zhytomyrska oblast – Korosten.

The Centre includes such specialists as: psychologists, sociologists, social pedagogues, PR and communications specialists.

Main directions of their activities:

-          Psychological support to the affected population to overcome consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe;

-          Informational-analytic work, research and educational activities;

-          Methodical support for social, public institutions, organizations and associations intra vires of the Centre;

-          Support community development process and socio-economic recovery at the Chornobyl-affected regions;

-          Ensure emergency psychological help to the population affected by natural disaster, technogenic accidents, etc. according to the decision of the Ministry of Emergencies and Oblast State Administrations.

With the aim to provide psychosocial assistance to the affected population from the Consequences of Chornobyl catastrophe, the centres offer different forms of work, namely: individual consultation of children, teenagers, adults on different social and psychological problems; psychodiagnosis; psychotherapeutic and modifying group study; trainings; lecture-seminar lessons and etc.

Individual work and psychological consultations are conducted to all the population of different age on request.

Group activities in all centres are conducted according to the information provision, developing, modifying, therapeutic, preventive programs and promotes improvement of development, self-expression, self-knowledge, activation and normalisation of internal potential of the person, self-realisation of internal capabilities of children, teenagers and adults.

Work in group aims at providing the psychological support for invalids, lonely people of advanced age, people with psychological trauma, those who undergone violence, and addicted people (alcoholism, drugs). Besides, working in group manages to consolidate categories of the population of different age with the general interests, opinions, views and etc.

Informational-analytic work and educational activities of the centres are directed to identify the main problem of the ecological situation in region, social-economic processes, and also needs – to inform the population on safety living in affected areas contaminated by radiation. The “chornobyl problematic” is a priority of the Centres researches: population attitude to different problems, awareness degree, and psychological, social and ecological aspects of life in regions.

There are informational-analytic departments at each centre, which do social and socio-psychological monitoring of public opinion and are engaged in working out and dissemination of information materials of Chornobyl problematic.

Information provision via lectures, seminars and educational activities with the involvement of doctors, teachers and other specialists from social sector, booklets, letter-card, newsletters and other publication are disseminated.

Public information provision via web-sites of Kyiv-Svyatoshyn (www.cspr.info) and Ivankiv (www.ivankiv.cspr.info) Centres. Implementing of such technologies makes possible to expand the awareness of the population on socio-psychological consequences after accident in Chornobyl NPP, promoting safety living and healthy life style, and also identifying the community needs.

Centres Specialists conduct sociological researches of the population aimed to analyse the socio-psychological condition of community, improvement of communicative cooperation between the population and the local authorities and on other problem questions of local communities.

Centres Specialists regularly provide the methodical support to teachers and psychologists of pre-school educational institutions, schools, branches of higher educational institutions, to specialists of local executive committee on different questions for different population groups.

Сentres operational experience is presented in methodical purpose-oriented and rehabilitation programs.

Support of local communities development and socio-economic recovery of affected regions implemented with the support of UNDP Chornobyl Recovery and Development Programme is the new centres activity. 27 Local Communities in 10 rayons of Chernigiv, Zhytomyr and Kyiv oblasts in affected areas and places of compact living of re-settlers are supported by this Programme.