Supporting Teachers — Caring for Children: a Reflective Workshop for Educators in Southern Ukraine was Held in Odesa

This weekend, January 16–18, 2026, Odesa became a venue for sincere and profound conversation. As part of the project “Strengthening Teaching and Learning Processes in the Southern Regions of Ukraine” the NGO “Progressive and Strong” held a Reflective Workshop with the support of UNICEF. Educators from Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Odesa regions gathered to find an answer to the main question: how to make learning safe and high-quality in times when crisis has become commonplace.

The first day of the event included a presentation of the results of a large-scale study. Its mission is to form an evidence base so that assistance from the state and international partners is targeted and as effective as possible. As noted by Bohdan Ferens, founder of the NGO “Progressive and Strong”, the study was prepared primarily to ensure that the voice of the educational community in southern Ukraine is heard, which is impossible without trust, empathy, and feedback.
The results of the quantitative survey and focus groups revealed an alarming picture of “multidirectional pressure” on educators. In particular, 74% of respondents reported a significant deterioration in working conditions, 76% of educators are in a state of deep emotional exhaustion, and 54% of respondents rate their level of burnout as critically high.

The results of focus groups with educators in the South indicate that the system is functioning at the limits of human capacity: chronic instability, forced online formats, and daily work with traumatized children have turned teachers into the first line of psychosocial support without adequate training. The widespread exhaustion of teachers is exacerbated by bureaucratic pressure and social isolation, which creates an acute demand not for formal education, but for practical skills for surviving the crisis and creating physical support centers — “points of support.” Without a transition to systemic solutions and the humanization of management, the education sector risks completely exhausting its human resources, because teachers who are themselves in a state of deep burnout are unable to fully support children.

Project coordinator Ievgeniia Shelest emphasizes: "Today, teachers are not just specialists, they are leaders of change and a source of support for children in extremely difficult circumstances. We have come together to listen to each other and give educators a voice that will be heard by the authorities and partners."

More results of the study can be found in the [Analytical Report "Educators of Southern Ukraine: Needs, Challenges, and Priorities for Support"] in Ukrainian.

The presentation of the study results was followed by a public discussion, which turned into a platform for frank debate, questions, and answers.

Olena Danylova, head of the Department of Education and Science of the Kherson Regional State Administration, stated that creating decent conditions for learning is not just a humanitarian issue, but a strategic one: the authorities are doing everything possible to keep children in the region and create conditions under which they will not leave.

Liudmyla Sozonova, director of the Novyi Buh Vocational Pedagogical College, talked about how education in times of air raid sirens becomes a daily feat, and young children turn into great heroes. Two boys from Oleshya, who became role models for local students, are examples of this. Seeing the boys' thirst for knowledge, other children began to “follow” them. Thus, the motivation of those who had lost everything became the driving force for the entire college.

Anatolii Ihnatovych, UNICEF education project coordinator, emphasized the importance of “footholds.” These became the digital centers in the south, which gave impetus to blended learning. Exhausted teachers can now recover in psychological support spaces opened with the assistance of UNICEF. There, teachers can paint, relax, and regain themselves.

Olena Semenishyna, representative of the Odesa City Council's Department of Education, noted the need to foster a new culture of respect. We demand that teachers be “multifunctional robots,” but we don't give them the right to say, “I'm not available.”

Oksana Levchyshena, Vice-Rector of the Odesa Academy of Continuing Education of the Odesa Regional Council, added that professional support must be practical: “We are introducing supervision to help teachers cope.”

The final two days of the workshop were devoted to preparations for the launch of eight Teacher Support Centers, which are set to open their doors in the Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Odesa regions. It is there that training sessions for teachers will be held, promoting professional development and supporting educators.

“When we talk about the development of education, we must first and foremost talk about people — about teachers who work to the best of their abilities. This workshop is an attempt to create a space of trust, understanding, and professional dialogue for them,” emphasized project manager Liudmyla Kornuta.

The reflective workshop became not just a platform for sharing experiences, but the beginning of a systemic transformation of the educational space in the south. Ahead lies the launch of Teacher Support Centers, which are to become the very “fulcrums” where teachers from Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Odesa regions will be able to replenish their resources. We believe that the seeds of knowledge and support sown today will surely sprout into a successful and peaceful future for children.

The event was held as part of a joint project between UNICEF and the NGO “Progressive and Strong”, “Strengthening Teaching and Learning Processes in the Southern Regions of Ukraine”.