AFT&TUESWU Project Launched to Promote Psychological and Emotional Support for Educators

On July 29, 2025, a new international project “The Impact of Trauma and How It Affects Behavior and Learning: What Teachers Should Know” was launched to strengthen the psychological resilience and professional development of educators.

The project is organized by the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine in cooperation with and with financial support from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Education International. This is not the first time these organizations have joined forces to support Ukrainian teachers during wartime.

The goal of the initiative is to help Ukrainian teachers learn to recognize the effects of trauma in children and in themselves, better support students in difficult times, and maintain their own professional and emotional stability.

The project aims to implement a professional development program for social and emotional competencies for teachers and their students through a cascade training system. 

Training will take place in the form of practical seminars, supplemented by an UCAP online course accessible from any device. This cascade model ensures that participants in the first wave will be able to share their knowledge with their colleagues, spreading the effect of support.

During the project, educators will receive modern tools for coping with stress, adapting to conditions of prolonged instability, and developing emotional self-regulation. Participants will learn to better understand student behavior that may be the result of trauma, create a safe school environment, and support students of all ages based on emotional sensitivity and understanding.

The online training was opened by Serhiy Romaniuk, Deputy President of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine. In his address, he emphasized that supporting educators during the war is one of the union's most important tasks. After all, teachers are working in extremely difficult conditions, facing both their own exhaustion and the needs of students who are in a state of anxiety and stress. In such conditions, it is especially important to have access to resources for self-support and recovery. This is precisely the aim of the Trade Union's initiative in collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers, which aims to provide real and practical assistance to educators.

Kateryna Maliuta-Osauova, head of the Trade Union's international department, told the training participants about the international support that the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine receives thanks to its long-standing partnership with the American Federation of Teachers, which began in 2014 during the Revolution of Dignity.

She emphasized the value of this cooperation, mentioning in particular the three visits by the AFT leadership and its president, Randi Weingarten, to Ukraine as evidence of solidarity and real support for Ukrainian educators in times of challenge. 

The classes are conducted by project trainer Olga Denisova, a practicing psychologist and psychotherapist who specializes in working with traumatic experiences, emotional support, and recovery. 

The training is based on materials from the Ukraine Children's Action Program (UCAP) initiative, which are fully electronic, accessible, and specially adapted for working with educators in conflict situations. These materials form the basis of the training conducted by the trainer.

She helps teachers understand how trauma is reflected in behavior, how to recognize warning signs, how to avoid burnout, and how to be a reliable source of support for their class.

As part of the program, participants will explore topics such as the impact of trauma on children's behavior and learning, learn strategies for supporting students of different ages, learn to take care of their own emotional stability, and create a safe classroom environment where there is space for trust, understanding, and support.

In addition to a deeper understanding of the topic, educators will receive practical advice and tools that will allow them, even without special psychological training, to support a child in crisis, choose the best words, prevent bullying or aggression, avoid harming themselves, and recognize situations when professional help is needed.

In total, 10 training seminars are planned within the project, each of which will bring together participants from two or three regions. The total number of participants is expected to reach approximately 200 educators from all over Ukraine. 

The project will run until the end of the year and aims to create a strong network of educators who will become agents of support and stability in their communities, even in times of challenge and danger.

The first participants in the four-day training were more than 20 teachers and psychologists from the Zakarpattia and Lviv regions. 

After completing the training, participants will not only be able to apply their new knowledge in their work, but also pass it on to their colleagues, forming a community of educators capable of supporting themselves and others.

In a world where challenges must be faced every day, this project does more than just teach—it unites, supports, and strengthens educators. After all, a strong teacher is a reliable pillar for the future of Ukraine. 

International Department