On May 6, the NGO “Space for Positive Changes” will celebrate it’s third birthday. To mark this event, we have prepared a series of interviews with members of the organization’s team to remind them of what has been done over the years and the path we have taken.
Natalia Stadnichuk, founder and director of the NGO “Space for Positive Changes”
– Ms. Natalia, could you tell us how the idea to create the organization came about?
The idea to create the organization came about in April 2022. After the start of the full-scale invasion, a new wave of volunteerism began, aimed at helping everyone in need. It reminded me of 2014 – back then, as a project management and communications trainer, I worked a lot with volunteers and newly formed NGOs. I have seen how people, investing 100% in helping others, exhausted themselves and came to burnout. It cost many people their health, some even their lives. Thus, the main idea behind the organization was to support the mental health of those who help others.
– How was the organization’s team formed?
I founded the organization together with a fellow coach, and since the beginning of 2023, the team has been growing. Currently, the organization has 9 members, 5 permanent employees, and several external experts who join projects. The main principle is that all team members share and implement the values of the organization – dignity, freedom, respect, equality, trust, awareness, understanding, responsibility, professionalism and partnership.
– In almost 3 years, how have the organization’s activities changed?
We started with trainings for volunteers and NGO representatives in Dnipro on psychological self-help and resilience development. But already during the implementation of the first project, we developed our own model of work – psychological resource groups. This model became the basis for our further activities. So far, 89 facilitators have been trained using this model and are now networked. Most of them work in communities in the Dnipro region and help people of different categories improve their psychological state.
– What are the principles of the Network’s work?
Our basic principle is equal to equal. All of our facilitators have vast life and professional experience. Among them are psychologists, public figures, representatives of educational, cultural, and social protection institutions. We engage people who share our values and are willing to run groups in their communities in their spare time, and provide them with a tool to support others – a methodology for running psychological resource groups. We believe that every person has a powerful potential and can improve their quality of life if they are provided with knowledge and support. Therefore, we build adult-to-adult communication on an equal footing both within the network and in our work with groups.
– In your opinion, is the NGO fulfilling its mission now?
Our mission is to create positive changes in society by promoting a culture of dignity, respect and understanding. We believe that such culture will help create conditions for recovery and development in Ukraine. Hearing each other, understanding even when we disagree with each other, reaching an agreement, treating ourselves and others with respect, especially when dealing with complex issues – all this is what we convey in every communication.
– What are your plans for the future?
We plan to continue supporting and expanding the Network of Psychological Resource Group Facilitators, adding new tools to their work, such as gaming technologies. We are also planning to support the organizational development of newly created NGOs and initiative groups, in particular women’s groups. We also believe that it is important to create projects that aim to strengthen social cohesion in communities, which directly aligns with our mission.