Using the Theory of Change to Develop the Capacity of Psychosocial Service Providers during Russia's War in Ukraine

Russia's War in Ukraine significantly impacted the psychosocial service providers, affecting their professional quality of life (ProQOL). Professionals in war-affected settings had to adapt their practice to the needs of traumatized clients, while often experiencing the same personal and family war-related challenges as those they serve. While dealing with this shared trauma, they must constantly adjust, as clients and the community needs change with each phase of the war.

This workshop features a panel of two scholars who have worked with training of psychosocial service providers in Ukraine since the beginning of the war in order to improve their professional quality of life and better address clients' needs. Panelists will discuss their trauma-informed and culturally responsible capacity development projects for Ukraine. They used a system of change approach, which involved collecting data about the training needs and ProQOL of 4,837 healthcare, social protection, and education professionals involved in direct practice. The panelists will discuss their findings regarding the ProQOL among providers in Ukraine and present a training program to address the identified needs. In addition, the panelists will discuss how their work relates to the conference theme of social impact through collaborative research and the role of the national and international social work community.

The panel discussion will cover the following topics: 1) Implementing the system of change approach in developing professionals' capacity during times of crises and uncertainty. This will include highlighting the challenges related to displacement, system changes, and destruction of infrastructure. 2) Employing trauma-informed care. The panelists will discuss the importance of access to mental health services for project participants. 3) Cultural issues and language sensitivity. Scholars will share their experiences working and conducting research with Ukrainian populations, highlighting the challenges to sustainable development. 4) Topic priorities. The panelists will highlight the relationships between compassion satisfaction, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and prioritizing areas for capacity development. 5) Education and training format. The discussion will cover the limited access to safe places for in-person training and an unstable internet connection. 6) Collaboration and partnership. The panelists will highlight challenges related to maintaining partnerships and developing collaboration during different phases of war.

The workshop will also discuss current efforts to enhance the quality of training programs available for psychosocial service providers in Ukraine. During a ninety-minute session, presenters will first address each of the topics above. They then will take audience questions and lead a discussion, focusing on the role of the global social work community in developing the capacity of psychosocial service providers during Russia's War in Ukraine.