Within the EU project “Service-Learning in Higher Education for Ukraine's Recovery” (ServU), No. 101128922 — ServU — ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE, medical students together with Viktoriya PETRASHENKO (PhD, associate professor of the Department of Pediatrics) began practical implementation of the course “Supporting Children’s Mental Health” in the Sumy community.

After successfully mastering the theoretical part, students conducted a number of activities to develop psycho-emotional resilience of children and adolescents, stress prevention, and psychological first aid skills.

On 25 November 2025, a face-to-face meeting with students of the Sumy Professional Medical College took place, during which students taught teenagers the basics of psychological first aid, time management as a means of reducing stress, and strategies for emotional self-regulation. During the session, participants worked with practical cases, applied exercises, and interactive tasks. It helped teenagers better understand their own emotions and ways to safely respond in difficult situations.

During 26-27 November 2025, the course participants held two more meetings for three groups of college students on the topics of “Stress and Emotion Management in Adolescence” and “Stress Resilience and Effective Communication”. Teenagers learned to identify their own stressors, mastered self-help techniques, trained constructive communication skills, and worked with interactive tools for healthy models of emotional response.

On 27 November 2025, students also held a separate meeting for pupils of the communal institution “Unicum” of the Sumy City Council. Participants considered a spectrum of emotions in a playful way. They were taught to recognize basic emotional states and correctly express feelings. Children worked with therapeutic cards, participated in role-playing games, emotional regulation exercises, and breathing techniques. Thanks to the interactive approach, participants easily mastered skills of managing emotions and received practical tools for overcoming daily stressful situations.

Practical activities within the ServU project demonstrate how education and community service can shape professional responsibility of future doctors and at the same time contribute to psycho-emotional well-being of the youth in the Sumy community. Students not only gain valuable experience working with children of different age groups, but also make a significant contribution to supporting mental health and resilience of the community during this difficult period for the country.