We’re helping the Helpers in Ukraine to keep going!
For the past three years we have had a special category of grants in our Small Grants Scheme to fund projects designed to help the staff and volunteers of our partner organisations in Ukraine to maintain their wellbeing and resilience so that, with the generous help of our donors, they can continue working to mitigate the effects of the war on the most vulnerable in society. (These grants are separate from the ones funded through the Emergency Appeal, which is now being replaced by a new Community Resilience Fund – further details of this will shortly be on the website.)
What do we mean by wellbeing and resilience? Everyone hoped three years ago that the nightmare of war would soon be over, but it was not to be, and by now many volunteers and organisers of humanitarian assistance are exhausted. They worry about their children, about loved ones defending their homeland or living as refugees abroad, and are also deeply concerned about what the future holds, particularly in the wake of recent developments in geopolitics. And to make matters even worse, just a couple of weeks ago, hundreds of US aid programmes in Ukraine were terminated without notice because of the closing down of USAID, meaning that funds for humanitarian assistance are scarcer than ever.
Anxiety, fatigue and burnout are a major concern among staff and volunteers in the organisations we support, and can lead to physical ailments, so to help these organisations continue their vital work The BEARR Trust has encouraged partner organisations to think about self-help and resilience. We offer small grants of up to £1000 at a time for a small number of projects, and invite organisations that have already received funding from BEARR, either in the Small Grants Scheme or the Emergency Appeal, to apply for them. The projects suggested are imaginative – from a team-building retreat in a quiet part of the country not under bombardment, with a psychologist and yoga teacher on hand, to a coffee corner in a warehouse where aid packages are assembled. Many projects involve learning how to manage stress as well as one-on-one sessions with a psychologist for staff who feel unable to discuss their stress and fears in a group environment. The feedback we have had from the staff and volunteers who have taken part in the projects is heart-warming. People say it is a relief to be allowed to think about themselves for once, take a break and rebuild strength and determination to carry on.
Here are some examples of the feedback we received:
“Working with a psychologist gave me not only self-help techniques, but also the strength to get back to life. I realised that my emotions are important, and I can work with them. I realised that my feelings are normal. That I can be sad and cry. Because before that I had only heard: “Be strong. Hold on.” And where do you get that strength from? Now I know that any emotions are normal. Now I know how to take care of myself.”
“As a result… employees and volunteers gained useful knowledge and practical skills that will allow them to: – pay attention to their own condition and be confident in their physical and emotional ability to help others; – take care of themselves in order to take care of others better; – take an interest in the well-being of other team members; – use their own skills to cope with a difficult life situation; – increase the effectiveness of their activities.”
Could you help us to Help the Helpers?
We have received more proposals for really good resilience projects than we can at present fund – each grant is for up to a maximum of £1000 – and it would be massively appreciated if we could do more to help our partners. If any of our supporters would like to contribute to the projects in this strand of our Small Grants Scheme by funding part or all of a grant, please contact us at info@bearr.org. We would be happy to discuss with donors what kind of project they might wish to support.
