The Donetsk Regional Museum of Local History held another online workshop as part of the ‘Culture Without Borders’ series. Participants discussed how to make cultural institutions accessible, safe and comfortable for children, particularly those who have experienced traumatic events.
The workshop programme consisted of two parts: a theoretical section and a practical section. During the lectures, experts in museum studies and psychology shared their experiences:
Svitlana Osipchuk – Programme Director of the Museum of Wartime Childhood;
Anastasia Savitska – research fellow at the Department of Applied Museology of the State Natural History Museum of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, head of the Laboratory of Scientific and Museum Communication and Exhibitions;
Yanina Omelchenko – a consultant in positive psychotherapy, a crisis psychologist, and acting head of the Laboratory of Counselling Psychology and Psychotherapy at the H. S. Kostyuk Institute of Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine.
The speakers discussed how to preserve the memories of children who have survived the war, how to involve children in research projects, and how to help them cope with stress.
During the practical session, participants were introduced to tools that help create a safe and accessible environment for children. They also learnt self-regulation techniques to help manage stress and prevent professional burnout.
The workshop will help professionals at cultural institutions to better understand children’s needs and take them into account in their day-to-day work. After all, every child should feel safe at a cultural institution, have the opportunity to take part in its activities, and be able to count on their experiences being treated with care and consideration.