ICDI and Labour and Health Social Initiatives (LHSI), an NGO based in Kyiv, opened the first Play Hub in Kyiv, Ukraine, in July 2023. The Play Hub aims to create a safe and inclusive space for internally displaced and war affected children and their families. The project focuses on promoting psychosocial well-being, ensuring access to education and essential services, and fostering integration into the host community. Through a range of activities and partnerships, the Play Hub will provide a nurturing environment for vulnerable children, emphasizing equity, diversity, and intergenerational learning.
Objective
With the support of the Centre Rodinniy Dim the Play Hub serves as a safe and inclusive space for vulnerable groups, focusing on children aged 0 to 10 years. The objective is to provide psychosocial support, access to play and learning activities, healthcare, and protection services, and facilitate their integration into the new/host community.
Strategies
The project achieves its objective through the following strategies:
Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces: The Play Hub is a welcoming environment that fosters socialization, emotional expression, and trauma-informed support for children and families. It provides a range of activities and learning opportunities to facilitate their adaptation and development.
Service Integration: The Play Hub collaborates with education, health, social services, housing, and employment sectors to ensure comprehensive support for the targeted families. By coordinating with relevant stakeholders, the project enhances access to specialized services and resources.
Equity and Diversity: The Play Hub prioritizes the inclusion of vulnerable groups, such as minority communities and children growing up in challenging circumstances (especially internally displaced children and children from the Roma community). It will promote equity, intergenerational learning, and diversity in its activities and services.
Target groups
The project directly benefits the following target groups:
Non-Internally Displaced Children and Caregivers: The Play Hub also welcomes non-internally displaced and war-affected children and their caregivers, creating an inclusive and diverse environment that promotes socialization and mutual understanding.
Internally Displaced and war affected children and their caregivers in Kyiv: offering them access to psychosocial support, educational opportunities, and integration services. This group constitutes the primary focus of the project.
Activities
Capacity Building: ICDI has trained 11 specialists in the TOY for Inclusion approach, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to create a nurturing environment within the Play Hub.
Resource Development: ICDI has adapted and translated the TOY for Inclusion manual and toolkits, enabling effective implementation of inclusive practices and quality educational experiences for the target groups.
Collaboration and Networking within TOY for Inclusion Programme Network: ICDI facilitates collaboration between TOY for Inclusion programme partners, creating opportunities for peer learning and sharing through study visit and peer learning events. By fostering cooperation, ICDI enhances the sustainability, scale-up and impact of the Play Hub initiative.
Through its active involvement, ICDI aims to contribute to the positive development and well-being of internally displaced children and their families in Ukraine, ensuring their successful integration and access to vital services.
Results so far
Since its opening in 2023 and until August 2024 (the latest reporting data available), the Play Hub in Kyiv has achieved the following results:
– 783 children (47,5% girls; 81% aged 0-7 years; 50% IDPs) participated in activities
– 773 adults (97% women) participated in activities
– 604 activities were organised for children and parents together
– 75 sessions organised for parents/caregivers only
– 120 psychosocial support sessions were conducted with children and caregivers
– 100 professionals were trained on play-based learning, psychological first aid, participatory quality assessment, integration of early years services
Expected results
The project will reach and support directly 100 ID children, 100 non-ID children, 50 ID caregivers, 50 non-ID caregivers, 25 professionals from education, health, social and employment services, 10 local authorities representatives, and 5 other NGOs and CBOs
