Resource Center “Opora”

16.2.2026

On the basis of the Veteran Development Center of LTSNU, the Opora resource center for war veterans, families of military personnel, as well as families of deceased and missing Defenders of Ukraine, has begun operating.

The project is implemented with the support of the Askold and Dir Foundation, which is administered by ISAR Unity, within the framework of the initiative “Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – a Driver of Reforms and Democracy” funded by Norway and Sweden.

Rehabilitation classes in clay therapy for veterans were held at the Municipal Institution “Lubny Regional Hospital for War Veterans” of the Poltava Regional Council and the Veteran Development Center of LTSNU. The Social Pedagogy Department participated in the art therapy classes with Anastasia STAVYTSKA, a 3rd year student majoring in 231 “Social Work” under the educational program “Social Work. Social Pedagogy. Practical Psychology” of the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology.

During the classes, the main emphasis was placed on the clay therapy method, which in martial law conditions demonstrates high efficiency in working with acute stress states and anxiety. Clay, as a natural plastic material, allows veterans to process their own experiences on a safe, non-verbal level. Through tactile interaction, the resistance of the material and the process of forming three-dimensional figures, a gentle processing of traumatic experiences occurs, which contributes to a decrease in cortisol levels and the restoration of emotional control.

Clay therapy allows participants not only to stabilize their emotional state, but also to “sculpt” a new image of their own “I”, finding internal balance. Classes also contribute to the development of fine motor skills and concentration — critical skills for restoring cognitive functions after concussions or a long stay in a combat zone.

As a result, such rehabilitation becomes the first step towards the formation of social leadership: a person who has learned to manage his own condition through creativity receives a stable foundation for self-realization and active participation in community life as an agent of positive change.

In the future, such activities of the Resource Center “Opora” will be carried out on an ongoing basis, providing systematic assistance and support to all who need it, and contributing to the development of active civic leadership among veterans and their families.

According to the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology