Training "Safe interaction with students of privileged categories"

The “Entry-2025” project helped more than 350 military personnel and veterans become students of universities and colleges of Zaporizhia and the region. Now, teachers have an important mission – to find the right approach to new students in order to help them become professionals in their chosen field.

Zaporizhzhya Polytechnic never stays away from such issues. Therefore, on August 8, the Polytechnic educational hub hosted a training session “Safe interaction with students of privileged categories: participants in hostilities” for employees of higher education institutions. This is the first training in the cycle, conducted at the initiative of the NGO “Our Dreams”.

The trainer was Serhiy Druzhynin, regional coordinator of the All-Ukrainian mental health program “How are you?” of the Coordination Center for Mental Health of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The rector of the Zaporizhia Polytechnic National University Viktor Greshta addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. He emphasized that the integration of military personnel into the student environment is a priority of our university. After all, we want military personnel to feel like they are not guests at the university, but equal members of a large student family.

During the training, teachers mastered practical tools for effective communication with people who have experience of combat operations. They discussed how to build a trusting dialogue, how to respond to stressful situations, how to avoid bias and create a safe space for veterans and military personnel in the student group.

Successful adaptation of military personnel in training is another step towards their full integration into society. Working together – developing together!