Irena Karpa’s free course for teenagers, “If you can’t say it, write it!” about how writing and creative thinking skills help one support oneself in adverse conditions, has been launched on Zrozumilo! Educational Online Platform of East European Foundation with the support of Switzerland.

“Ukrainian children and adolescents have gone through something that no one should have to go through. During the war, Switzerland has been supporting Ukrainians through various mental health initiatives. We support mental health centers and psychological hotlines and help deploy mobile teams of psychologists in the most remote parts of Ukraine, including near the front line. But mental health is more than just working with a psychologist. This online course for teenagers, “If you can’t say it, write it!” by writer Irena Karpa is a bright and necessary idea for the development of young Ukrainians, which we at the Embassy of Switzerland are pleased to support!” commented Mario Trutmann, Coordinator for Humanitarian Policy and Protection at the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.

The course includes five episodes and a game for each. The author and presenter of the course is Irena Karpa, a writer and singer for the QARPA band. She will talk about methods that allow you to reclaim your resources and find out what gives you resources and what fills you with joy. She will share the practice of automatic writing to end the traumatic cycle and tell you what options for automatic writing exist. She will teach you to determine your coping strategy, i.e., your usual way of overcoming stressful situations.

“According to the PISA-2022 report from the Ukrainian Center for Educational Quality, 59% of 15-year-old Ukrainians demonstrated basic and higher levels of creative thinking. At the same time, data among adolescents living in Ukraine showed that 32% of them had moderate or severe depression, 18% had moderate or severe anxiety, and 35% had clinically significant psychological trauma. We believe that this course will be able to support our young Ukrainians, speak to them in an understandable, creative language and form, and push them to make the desired small, seemingly small, or big changes. After all, this course allows young Ukrainians to think about how diligent or persistent students they are and what interesting personalities they are!” said Victor Liakh, President of East Europe Foundation.

The course is free of charge and is already available on Zrozumilo! Educational Online Platform