VOLUNTEER REHABILITATION DURING WAR: «MENTAL VECHORNITSI»
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34142/23129387.2026.74.09Keywords:
volunteering, social rehabilitation, war-related stress, psychosocial support, burnout prevention, community interventionAbstract
Relevance. During the full-scale war in Ukraine, volunteering has become a crucial community resource. However, prolonged exposure to chronic stress, moral strain, time pressure, and repeated contact with traumatic events increases the risk of emotional exhaustion and burnout. This necessitates accessible community-based social rehabilitation formats for volunteers.
Aim. The study aimed to theoretically justify and empirically pilot a social rehabilitation programme for volunteers in wartime Ukraine (“Mental Vechornitsi”) and to evaluate its short-term effectiveness.
Methods. A pre/post descriptive design was implemented (n=10). Measures included self-rated tension/anxiety (0–10 scale), perceived acquisition of stress-regulation skills (1–5 scale), overall programme satisfaction (0–10 scale), and qualitative group reflection.
Results. The distribution of tension/anxiety scores shifted from predominantly high values before the intervention (mode = 7) to low values after participation (mode = 1). All participants reported acquiring at least two stress-regulation techniques (scores 4–5), and satisfaction ratings were high (7–10). A chi-square test (χ²=22.0; p≈0.015) indicated a statistically significant shift in distribution.
Conclusions. The “Mental Vechornitsi” programme demonstrates feasibility and practical value as a brief community-based rehabilitation format for volunteers during wartime. Further research should include larger samples, validated instruments, paired analyses, and longitudinal follow-up.
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