Ukrainian Red Cross

Main programmes and types of support

1. Humanitarian assistance

The Ukrainian Red Cross provides humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons and other people affected by the war who need support.

Types of assistance:

• food parcels;
• hygiene and personal care products, including nappies;
• clothing and footwear;
• essential items (blankets, bed linen, towels, crockery);
• medicines, subject to availability.

How to receive assistance: contact the regional organisation of the Ukrainian Red Cross to check the availability of assistance and the conditions for receiving it.

Contacts of regional organisations.

2. Support for IDPs in temporary accommodation

Local organisations of the Ukrainian Red Cross support residents of collective accommodation centres for IDPs according to their needs.

Assistance includes:

• providing food, drinking water, hygiene products, clothing and other essential items;
• psychosocial support activities;
• first aid and mine safety training;
• improving living conditions with the support of international partners.

How to receive assistance: through the administration of the temporary accommodation facility or the local organisation of the Ukrainian Red Cross.

3. Psychosocial support and psychological assistance

The Ukrainian Red Cross provides psychosocial and psychological support to people affected by the war who are experiencing stress, loss, forced displacement or other difficult life circumstances.

3.1. Basic psychosocial support

This includes group and family activities aimed at reducing stress, restoring social connections and improving emotional well-being.

Main formats:

• group and family activities;
• sessions to develop self-help skills;
• information sessions on mental health;
• outreach psychosocial support activities during emergency response.

Children and adults who need emotional support, social interaction and help with adapting may participate.

3.2. Focused psychosocial support

These are structured activities for people who are experiencing high levels of stress, facing difficult life circumstances or need additional support.

Main formats:

• psychoeducation sessions;
• support groups;
• psychosocial counselling;
• specialised programmes for children and adolescents.

In particular, the following programmes are implemented:

• “Book About Me” - for children aged 6–10. Aimed at developing emotional literacy and self-regulation skills.
• “Developing Emotional Resilience” - for children aged 10–14. Helps develop stress management skills, self-confidence and social skills.
• “Building the Future Together” - for adolescents aged 14–17 and, where needed, up to 24. Promotes self-determination, goal-setting and planning for the future.

IDPs, people with disabilities, veterans and their family members, families of service personnel, and people who have experienced captivity, occupation or other traumatic events may participate.

3.3. Psychological assistance

This involves professional support from specialists to overcome emotional difficulties, reduce psychological and emotional strain and improve psychological well-being.

Main types of assistance:

• Psychological counselling - individual short-term consultations, usually between 1 and 10 sessions. These may take place online or in person.
• Psychological crisis intervention - immediate psychological support for people in a crisis situation or those who have experienced traumatic events.
• Psychoeducation - information sessions on emotional responses to stress, mental health and methods of self-help.
• Psychological support during emergencies - assistance provided to people directly at emergency response sites.

Anyone who needs assistance may seek it, including IDPs, people affected by the war, veterans, their family members and families of service personnel.

How to receive psychological assistance?

• Call the Ukrainian Red Cross hotline: 0 800 332 656.
• Contact the nearest local organisation of the Ukrainian Red Cross to find out about available psychological consultations, support groups and activities in your region.

Participation in activities and the availability of particular types of assistance depend on the region, the person's needs and the organisation's available resources.

4. Centrally coordinated humanitarian assistance

The Ukrainian Red Cross assembles and delivers humanitarian shipments to the regions according to the identified needs of the population. They may contain food, hygiene products and other essential items.

How assistance is organised: local organisations of the Ukrainian Red Cross, medical institutions and local authorities collect information on the needs of the population. On this basis, the National Committee assembles and sends humanitarian shipments to the relevant regions, where the assistance is distributed among recipients.

How to receive assistance: contact the local authority where you live, which collects and forwards information on the needs of the population. Assistance is distributed taking into account identified needs and available resources.

5. Cash assistance

The Ukrainian Red Cross implements cash support programmes for people affected by the war. Conditions depend on the specific programme and the funding available.

How to receive assistance: check with regional organisations of the Ukrainian Red Cross for open programmes, participation criteria and registration conditions.

6. “Reboot: Expanding Employment Opportunities” programme

The programme aims to support employment, restore incomes and develop entrepreneurship among people affected by the war.

6.1. Preparation for employment

Participants may receive:

• employment advice and help with finding work;
• vocational training and retraining;
• development of digital and language skills;
• psychosocial support;
• help with establishing contacts with employers.

Who can participate: people able to work who have little or no income, including IDPs, people with disabilities, single parents, members of low-income and large families, older people and demobilised service personnel.

How to join: contact the programme's activation point in your region. Before contacting it, you should check the availability of services in your region with regional organisations of the Ukrainian Red Cross.

6.2. Microgrants to start or restart your own business

The programme provides support for entrepreneurial initiatives.

What you can receive:

• funding for business ideas in the form of microgrants;
• support to develop entrepreneurial skills;
• opportunities to establish business contacts.

Who can participate: IDPs and local residents affected by the war who meet the criteria of the specific competition. Priority groups include unemployed people, single parents, families with two or more minor children, and households caring for older people or people with disabilities.

The main participants may be people able to work aged between 18 and 65 who meet the criteria of the specific competition.

How to apply: prepare a business plan and contact the programme's activation point or apply through the online service during an open call. Applications undergo a competitive selection process.

The grant amount, application deadlines and participation criteria are determined by the conditions of the specific competition.