Mental health and psycho-social support for Children and Caregivers Course

Dear partners,

UNICEF Headquarters in cooperation with ECARO is currently preparing the mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) for Children and Caregivers Course for the implementing partners across all sectors in ECARO region.

The training is developed for frontline workers and community volunteers that have limited opportunities to receive dedicated training and supervision on child and family MHPSS. The course seeks to bring together individuals working directly with children and families across multiple sectors to develop community based MHPSS skills and basic psychosocial competencies to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and caregivers. By the end of this course, they should be able to:

• Identify their role in promoting the mental health and wellbeing of children and families in my community
• Describe activities and practical skills to promote the mental health and wellbeing of children and families in their community
• Demonstrate basic helping skills to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of children and families in their community
• Display foundational competencies for helping children, youth and families
• Identify protection and support structures and resources in your community
• Describe practical tools to support caregivers
• Describe the importance of child, youth and family engagement and participation and practical tools and activities that support engagement
• Explain the ways how you can support yourself and the peers to stay well

The training consists of 5 modules:

Module 1: Introduction to MHPSS for children and families

Module 2: Supporting children and families with MHPSS

Module 3: Skills to engage children, youth, and families to promote mental health

Module 4: Coordination and supporting vulnerable groups

Module 5: Supporting children and families with MHPSS

The training will take 5 weeks – 1 module each week, starting on Fridays at 1pm CET. The first training will be conducted on September 29. Each session will take approximately 3 hours, but we will try to prepare it in the most engaging way possible. Each participant who attended all 5 sessions will receive the certificate. Online space allows us to open it up for all your partners who are willing to participate.

There will be requests to work on extra commitments between the sessions. Importantly, the participants will be provided with the Learner handbook, Learner workbook and PPTs for each module. The simultaneous translation will be provided in both Slovak and Ukrainian language.

Please think of nominating participants who could contribute from this training and would also have a capacity to attend the sessions every Friday for 5 weeks. We will share with you the ZOOM link. Please feel free to share the invitation with all interested individuals.

• the first training will take place next Friday, 29 September, between 1pm – 4pm CET
• the following sessions will take place every Friday until the end of October (6 October, 13 October, 20 October, 27 October) during the same time slot (1-4pm CET)
• the training will be conducted via ZOOM platform (the system requires to have the version 5.15.7 (20303) in order to have the simultaneous translation provided)
• simultaneous translation in Slovak and Ukrainian will be provided
• there is a registration link attached to the ZOOM invitation, in order to track the number of participants for each session
• once registered and received the link, the same link will be used for all 5 sessions using the code 351025

Please register at the following link: https://unicef.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pduGvrjorHtQn6Re5Ruuj8N_fdoEnKYgQ and please feel free to share it with everyone you might think will be interested.

V prípade dodatočných otázok kontaktujte: Mrs. Dance Gudeva Nikovska (dnikovska(at)unicef.org)