Exchange of Experience Without Borders: How a Meeting Between British and Ukrainian Colleagues Opens New Horizons for Leaders in the Mental Health Field
From Liverpool to Shared Solutions: A Strategic Step in Partnership Development
On 23 June 2026, a closed professional meeting organized by the Human Rights Vector NGO took place, marking an important milestone in the development of international cooperation. The event was a continuation of the dialogue launched in May during the Liverpool-Ukrainian Leadership Symposium at Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom). The main participants were professionals involved in the “Leadership Development Group: Reflecting on Leadership Experience”, as well as other experts working with our organization.
The meeting was opened by Valeriia Rybak, Director of the Human Rights Vector NGO, who shared the history of the leadership programme, introduced its authors — Kevin Flynn, Senior Lecturer in Executive Education at Liverpool John Moores University and author of several books on leadership (United Kingdom), and Iryna Ratzke-Rybak, psychologist, supervisor, group analyst, and head of the Life Competencies organization (Regensburg, Germany) — and spoke about the programme’s development and the support provided by the Human Rights Vector NGO.
“Today’s meeting is an important step in the development of the Programme and a successful example of how joint initiatives between leaders from different countries generate real actions and changes within our professional fields, particularly in the development of mental health support systems,” noted Valeriia Rybak.
The meeting with representatives of the British organization Bluecoat not only enabled an exchange of experience but also marked the beginning of discussions on integrating innovative artistic and social approaches into Ukraine’s psychosocial support system.
Professional Context: Leadership That Transforms Communities
the “Leadership Development Group: Reflecting on Leadership Experience” brings together professionals from various sectors, including the mental health field at both local and national levels. Leaders from different sectors — public, civil society, and private — and from different countries (Ukraine, England, and Germany) joined the exchange of experience.
The key discussions focused on identifying tools that enable professionals to move beyond traditional clinical protocols and on exploring ways to combine approaches from different countries while taking into account diverse external circumstances, including the development of mental health support systems and the impact of war.
British Experience: Bluecoat and the Blue Room Programme
Our British colleagues presented the work of Bluecoat, Liverpool’s oldest contemporary arts centre. It is a space where art becomes a tool for social transformation and inclusion.
A central focus of the discussion was the Blue Room programme. Since 2008, the project has worked with adults with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals. The Blue Room approach is based on a shift from a model of “care” to a model of “co-creation”:
Ukrainian Perspective: Adaptability and Multidisciplinarity
The challenges faced by Ukrainian leaders are of a critical scale. “According to UNICEF, approximately 1.5 million children are at risk of developing depression and PTSD. WHO estimates indicate that nearly 10 million people may experience war-related mental health conditions. Save the Children’s 2024 analysis confirmed that 43% of children receiving support showed signs of psychosocial distress,” shared Anna Vashchuk, Head of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the UA Mental Help Foundation, during her presentation.
In response to these challenges, Ukrainian professionals, such as clinical psychologist Liubov Bolekhan, are implementing comprehensive innovations. In particular, the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Children’s Hospital” (Ivano-Frankivsk Region) has successfully established a sensory room for neurodevelopmental therapy and is implementing the Strong Families programme (a UNODC pilot project) to support families facing difficult circumstances. At the same time, specialists from the UA Mental Help Foundation are implementing a variety of mental health support projects adapted to current realities.
In public institutions, introducing innovative methodologies often requires overcoming significant challenges, and professionals frequently contribute not only their expertise and time, but also their own financial resources.
“A particular source of joy and an important step forward for our department has been the recent opening of a modern sensory room, where we are already beginning to conduct our first therapeutic sessions. We have high hopes for this neurodevelopmental therapy space. Combined with the work of a multidisciplinary team, it will help create a holistic and comfortable recovery pathway for every child,” noted Liubov Bolekhan, Clinical Psychologist at the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Children’s Hospital”, Ivano-Frankivsk Region.
Anna Vashchuk, Head of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the UA Mental Help Foundation, Tetiana Samoilichenko, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Manager at the UA Mental Help Foundation, and Daryna Dutova, Coordinator of the Daphne Child Project, shared their experience in developing and implementing the “Safe Space” Quest.
Ukrainian professionals deliberately moved away from a lecture-based format in favour of active engagement, recognizing that children often struggle to maintain attention under conditions of ongoing stress. The creation of a workbook that can be used independently both inside and outside shelters is an example of the strategic adaptability demonstrated by Ukrainian leadership.
“We chose the quest format because it allows us to address important topics such as safety, mental health, and mutual respect in a way that is engaging and understandable for children and adolescents. Unlike a traditional lecture, a quest actively involves participants: they not only receive information but immediately apply it through situational tasks, tests, exercises, and practical cases. This approach helps maintain attention, increases motivation to learn, and improves knowledge retention,” noted representatives of the UA Mental Help Foundation.
The Value of Dialogue: From Clinical Approaches to Social Integration
The meeting highlighted an important direction for development: despite the challenges of war, Ukraine’s mental health system is moving towards greater person-centredness and sociocultural integration. The exchange of perspectives enabled participants to rethink their own approaches and methods of work.
The Blue Room experience inspires a shift in focus. We see how art can transform rehabilitation into social inclusion. This broadens the framework of our work—from simply addressing symptoms to creating spaces where individuals can become active creators of their own lives, even in the most difficult circumstances. Such dialogue serves as a professional source of support, helping us move beyond familiar approaches and discover new meanings and possibilities.
Conclusions and the Future: The Beginning of a Long-Term Partnership
This meeting was not merely an exchange of information; we hope it will become the starting point for a long-term international partnership. Leadership in the field of mental health during wartime requires flexibility, openness to diverse practices, a willingness to share unique experiences, and the ability to adapt and integrate these experiences into local realities across different countries.
The Leadership Development Group Programme and the Human Rights Vector NGO continue to build such bridges between Ukraine and other countries. We believe that combining the British methodology of social inclusion with Ukrainian resilience and multidisciplinary practice can help create a unique support system in which every person feels heard, valued, and included.
On 23 June 2026, a closed professional meeting organized by the Human Rights Vector NGO took place, marking an important milestone in the development of international cooperation. The event was a continuation of the dialogue launched in May during the Liverpool-Ukrainian Leadership Symposium at Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom). The main participants were professionals involved in the “Leadership Development Group: Reflecting on Leadership Experience”, as well as other experts working with our organization.
The meeting was opened by Valeriia Rybak, Director of the Human Rights Vector NGO, who shared the history of the leadership programme, introduced its authors — Kevin Flynn, Senior Lecturer in Executive Education at Liverpool John Moores University and author of several books on leadership (United Kingdom), and Iryna Ratzke-Rybak, psychologist, supervisor, group analyst, and head of the Life Competencies organization (Regensburg, Germany) — and spoke about the programme’s development and the support provided by the Human Rights Vector NGO.
“Today’s meeting is an important step in the development of the Programme and a successful example of how joint initiatives between leaders from different countries generate real actions and changes within our professional fields, particularly in the development of mental health support systems,” noted Valeriia Rybak.
The meeting with representatives of the British organization Bluecoat not only enabled an exchange of experience but also marked the beginning of discussions on integrating innovative artistic and social approaches into Ukraine’s psychosocial support system.
Professional Context: Leadership That Transforms Communities
the “Leadership Development Group: Reflecting on Leadership Experience” brings together professionals from various sectors, including the mental health field at both local and national levels. Leaders from different sectors — public, civil society, and private — and from different countries (Ukraine, England, and Germany) joined the exchange of experience.
The key discussions focused on identifying tools that enable professionals to move beyond traditional clinical protocols and on exploring ways to combine approaches from different countries while taking into account diverse external circumstances, including the development of mental health support systems and the impact of war.
British Experience: Bluecoat and the Blue Room Programme
Our British colleagues presented the work of Bluecoat, Liverpool’s oldest contemporary arts centre. It is a space where art becomes a tool for social transformation and inclusion.
A central focus of the discussion was the Blue Room programme. Since 2008, the project has worked with adults with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals. The Blue Room approach is based on a shift from a model of “care” to a model of “co-creation”:
- Exploring Heritage: Participants engage with contemporary art and cultural heritage objects.
- Creative Self-Expression: Participants create their own artworks as a way of communicating with the world.
- Social Inclusion: Art becomes a tool that helps participants see themselves as active members of society rather than merely recipients of services.
Ukrainian Perspective: Adaptability and Multidisciplinarity
The challenges faced by Ukrainian leaders are of a critical scale. “According to UNICEF, approximately 1.5 million children are at risk of developing depression and PTSD. WHO estimates indicate that nearly 10 million people may experience war-related mental health conditions. Save the Children’s 2024 analysis confirmed that 43% of children receiving support showed signs of psychosocial distress,” shared Anna Vashchuk, Head of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the UA Mental Help Foundation, during her presentation.
In response to these challenges, Ukrainian professionals, such as clinical psychologist Liubov Bolekhan, are implementing comprehensive innovations. In particular, the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Children’s Hospital” (Ivano-Frankivsk Region) has successfully established a sensory room for neurodevelopmental therapy and is implementing the Strong Families programme (a UNODC pilot project) to support families facing difficult circumstances. At the same time, specialists from the UA Mental Help Foundation are implementing a variety of mental health support projects adapted to current realities.
In public institutions, introducing innovative methodologies often requires overcoming significant challenges, and professionals frequently contribute not only their expertise and time, but also their own financial resources.
“A particular source of joy and an important step forward for our department has been the recent opening of a modern sensory room, where we are already beginning to conduct our first therapeutic sessions. We have high hopes for this neurodevelopmental therapy space. Combined with the work of a multidisciplinary team, it will help create a holistic and comfortable recovery pathway for every child,” noted Liubov Bolekhan, Clinical Psychologist at the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Children’s Hospital”, Ivano-Frankivsk Region.
Anna Vashchuk, Head of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the UA Mental Help Foundation, Tetiana Samoilichenko, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Manager at the UA Mental Help Foundation, and Daryna Dutova, Coordinator of the Daphne Child Project, shared their experience in developing and implementing the “Safe Space” Quest.
Ukrainian professionals deliberately moved away from a lecture-based format in favour of active engagement, recognizing that children often struggle to maintain attention under conditions of ongoing stress. The creation of a workbook that can be used independently both inside and outside shelters is an example of the strategic adaptability demonstrated by Ukrainian leadership.
“We chose the quest format because it allows us to address important topics such as safety, mental health, and mutual respect in a way that is engaging and understandable for children and adolescents. Unlike a traditional lecture, a quest actively involves participants: they not only receive information but immediately apply it through situational tasks, tests, exercises, and practical cases. This approach helps maintain attention, increases motivation to learn, and improves knowledge retention,” noted representatives of the UA Mental Help Foundation.
The Value of Dialogue: From Clinical Approaches to Social Integration
The meeting highlighted an important direction for development: despite the challenges of war, Ukraine’s mental health system is moving towards greater person-centredness and sociocultural integration. The exchange of perspectives enabled participants to rethink their own approaches and methods of work.
The Blue Room experience inspires a shift in focus. We see how art can transform rehabilitation into social inclusion. This broadens the framework of our work—from simply addressing symptoms to creating spaces where individuals can become active creators of their own lives, even in the most difficult circumstances. Such dialogue serves as a professional source of support, helping us move beyond familiar approaches and discover new meanings and possibilities.
Conclusions and the Future: The Beginning of a Long-Term Partnership
This meeting was not merely an exchange of information; we hope it will become the starting point for a long-term international partnership. Leadership in the field of mental health during wartime requires flexibility, openness to diverse practices, a willingness to share unique experiences, and the ability to adapt and integrate these experiences into local realities across different countries.
The Leadership Development Group Programme and the Human Rights Vector NGO continue to build such bridges between Ukraine and other countries. We believe that combining the British methodology of social inclusion with Ukrainian resilience and multidisciplinary practice can help create a unique support system in which every person feels heard, valued, and included.
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