Freedom Institute carries out the Help Ukraine program, within which refugees from Ukraine receive professional, legal, and psychological support. The program’s main goal is to help them find employment in Poland that aligns with their qualifications and experience, as well as assistance with ongoing matters related to their stay in Poland. The Center for Legal and Psychological Assistance for Ukrainian Citizens – as the official name of the program goes – is funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the government of South Korea.
Under the agreement signed in June 2023 between the Institute of Freedom, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the government of the Republic of Korea, the activities of the Assistance Center have expanded, enhancing its capacity to support Ukrainian refugees in terms of career development, legal-administrative counseling, and psychological support. The Republic of Korea supports the program through the Korean Technical Assistance and Cooperation Fund (KTACF), providing a support amount of EUR 128,255.00.
The project was initiated in March 2022, shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, by a group of School of Leadership graduates from the Institute of Freedom. Since the program’s inception, nearly 8,000 refugees have received legal and psychological assistance.
The team consists of five individuals: Project Manager – Karolina Ruszczyńska, two Consultants for legal-administrative support – Iryna Novikova and Julia Shulga, Consultant for psychological support – Anna Kozlowska, and Consultant for professional support – Kateryna Pankiv.
Below are interviews with Iryna Novikova and Kateryna Pankiv, where they share their experiences working in the program.
Interview with Iryna Novikova – Consultant providing legal advice as part of the Help Ukraine program.
Adam Dąbrowski: Iryna, how did you come to the Help Ukraine program?
Iryna Novikova: After arriving in Poland, I was looking for a job and came across an announcement by the Institute of Freedom regarding the Help Ukraine program. I sent my CV in response to the announcement published in June 2022. I have been working in Help Ukraine since July 1, 2022.
A: How long have you been in Poland? What were you doing before coming here?
I: I have been in Poland since March 2022. I am a lawyer; in Ukraine, I worked as a lawyer, dealing with the legal matters of a company based in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast.
A: What are the main topics you deal with in the program?
I: Firstly, we cannot help everyone who approaches us with any issue. At the beginning, I try to identify the basic problem and direct the person to the appropriate channels.
Mostly, women approach us, around 98% of cases. These are often difficult matters for them, emotionally charged, so to understand what they are going through, I need to analyze the issue and listen to the person. I often have to ask for details before providing legal advice.
In the program, we deal with many different cases. In 2022 and early 2023, they were mainly administrative issues related to crossing the border and legalizing the stay for refugees. Most people in Poland have already dealt with these issues; they are legally settled. Currently, we handle more challenging cases related to child custody, divorce, inheritance, obtaining citizenship, getting a driver’s license, or working in industries that require special qualifications. Additionally, there are issues related to business registration, care for the elderly, pensions, disabilities. In 2023, we have many more specialized cases, sometimes very complex.
A: Do consultations take place in person, or only over the phone or email?
I: In 2022, meetings were mainly in person at our office. Guests would come to us. However, in 2023, we provide more online services, both 1:1 and webinars. But there are still people who ask for in-person meetings.
A: I hear that you speak Polish very well. Did you learn the Polish language before coming to Poland? How does the language issue work during client interactions?
I: I started learning Polish only when I arrived. I conduct consultations in the Ukrainian language. Some women speak Russian, but I provide assistance to all of them in Ukrainian. However, I have no objections if they speak to me in Russian.
A: From what you mentioned, Help Ukraine also deals with psychological assistance. Your colleague Ania is responsible for that.
I: Yes, Ania is a psychologist, mainly working with post-war trauma issues. Ania is from Donetsk Oblast. Before the war, she lived in Browary near Kyiv. Ania left Donetsk after 2014. In Ukraine, she worked as a psychologist before the war.
A: I know that within psychological assistance, you also receive calls from Poles. Is that true?
I: Yes. Calls from Poles also happen. Some time ago, a high school teacher called concerned about the mental health of Ukrainian students struggling with trauma and depression. She asked if we could advise her in such a situation.
Poles also call – men regarding their Ukrainian partners. Also, Poles who have taken in Ukrainian families call for psychological assistance for them.
A: What are the main issues that Ania deals with in terms of psychological assistance?
I: Women call for various reasons. Many issues revolve around the psychological state of children aged 6-12 and teenagers. Ania discusses these issues with their mothers and tries to help them.
Men also call for psychological help – Ukrainian men with problems. They call for help and advice.
Some time ago, an older man taking care of his elderly mother called, facing problems and unemployment. Men are also people, not machines. They need help. However, sometimes these are men’s issues, and perhaps other men could help them better.
A: Are there many cases of long-term assistance, where people come back to you?
I: Yes, people return to us with other questions. For example, there is a woman from Mariupol who calls regarding pension matters.
There are also people with more serious mental health problems, which are challenging to address in psychological consultations.
Psychological consultations usually start online and then lead to offline meetings. There are regular offline consultations for people who need more assistance.
A: Do you like your job?
I: This is my first experience in direct work with people. I am very empathetic and emotional, taking the problems of these people to heart. But I see that I am a bit more hardened now and can separate myself from these people and their experiences.
Professional experience is very interesting. But above all, I can help people, and that is very important to me. I am very glad to be here and help my fellow Ukrainians.
In the future, I would like to return to Ukraine. That is our home, and I dream of going back to Ukraine and working as a lawyer again.
Interview with Katia Pankiv – Consultant conducting career counseling as part of the Toćka Zmin (Point of Change) program, a component of the Help Ukraine program. Katia is a psychologist and a professional career counselor.
Adam: What do you do in the Help Ukraine program?
Katia: I am a career counselor and created the Toćka Zmin program. It is a skills development program. The program we implement is my own, based on the best practices I have encountered in my professional career.
A: How long have you been in Poland?
K: I came to Poland after the war, precisely on February 26. In Ukraine, I worked in HR, in the IT industry, and developed my own psychotherapeutic practice. I am a psychotherapist by profession. Before the war, I lived in Lviv, and I am originally from Rivne.
A: What do consultations look like?
K: We have both offline and online versions of the program. Any person from Ukraine living in Poland can benefit from this program. The program aims to facilitate finding a job suitable for their qualifications and predispositions for individuals from Ukraine residing in Poland. There are several stages. Participants practice the job interview process and go through typical HR issues. The program focuses on skilled workers, so we concentrate on so-called white-collar workers. In practice, well-educated women participate in the program, but they are professionally and personally lost, needing support in navigating the difficult stage of life they find themselves in.
Participants initially fill out a form, then a comprehensive questionnaire, and then undergo a qualification interview. The next stage is a boot camp, a joint meeting – a workshop where I tell them about the program, tools, and teach them to use online tools.
The actual program consists of two stages. The first stage is training-oriented, and the second stage is conducted in the form of a mastermind. At the end of the program, diplomas are awarded, feedback is provided, etc. After completing the program, individual consultations are possible, and those who graduate gain access to the knowledge base. The entire program lasts from two to three months. Additionally, we organize webinars. Those who complete the program form a community where relationships are maintained, and meetings are organized.
A: In which industries do program participants seek employment?
K: Mainly in the IT industry, as well as beauticians, photographers, craftsmen, psychologists, doctors, volunteers, graphic designers, teachers.
A: How does working with women in the program look like?
K: I’ll tell you about something specific. In our program, one participant often has a family funeral. Their men are either at war or under occupation. Women cry a lot during consultations. My father and uncle are also at war.
A: I understand; it must be difficult for you. Besides finding employment, what changes do you see in program participants?
K: I see that the program significantly contributes to raising the self-esteem of participants. These women start believing in themselves. Some women in our program say they experience discrimination. Many of them feel bad in Poland. They constantly hear that they are taking someone else’s job. Many people say that the program is intense but causes significant changes in their lives. Recently, one of the participants made gloves by crocheting for group members. It was very touching.
A: Are you satisfied with your work?
K: Yes, I have great satisfaction from my work, but now is a stage where I am experiencing professional burnout. It’s hard for me to endure. It’s very difficult for me. Due to the stories I know, I live in many different contexts; it’s challenging. I can’t relax. When I find strength, I will plan further actions.
I also currently have a side project: created by WHO, led by the International Medical Corps – a program of psychological intervention. I sent invitations to girls I know, and many people signed up. It is partly voluntary because people who have received help want to give back that help.
From what I know, 70% of my students start further training. After the program, we monitor the level of satisfaction with their professional careers. According to the results, this level gradually increases.
A: What do you want to do in the future?
K: Psychotherapy. But I can’t work in this profession in Poland now. Most likely, I will go to university in Poland to get qualifications. Perhaps in the future, I will start the Toczka Zmin 2.0 program. Finally, I want to add what I always say: Thank you very much to the Poles for accepting us.”