Reimagining the Way People Come Together

Our initiative is launching an innovative support project to help Ukrainian teenagers navigate the challenges of war and its aftermath through psychologist-led online support groups on Roblox. Using Roblox’s immersive and accessible environment, we aim to provide a safe, stigma-free virtual space for mental health support, where teens can freely share and connect. Importantly, these support groups will be offered at no cost to all participants.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Health estimates that around 15 million Ukrainians are in need of psychological support as a result of the ongoing military aggression.

Support groups provide a valuable format for psychological help, allowing individuals to work together on their common problems, observe how others deal with similar difficulties, share experiences, and receive the support they need.

Our support groups will allow us to provide a safe virtual environment for individuals to connect with others who have either experienced or are currently facing similar life changes and circumstances. Through these sessions, participants will be able to:

• Share their feelings about what is happening around them.
• Feel the support of other group members and professionals.
• Find ways to support themselves and their loved ones through difficult times.
• Communicate easily with peers and be part of a community of people who understand and support each other.

Networking in Roblox platforms offers several advantages, in particular:

• Interact without revealing identity: Reduces the stigma associated with seeking mental health support.
• Accessibility: With cross-platform online support (desktop, mobile, and virtual reality), virtual spaces can be made easily accessible to a wide range of users.
• Immersive experiences: Simulate presence and increase empathy compared to video calls.
• Gamification: Adds engagement to the support experience.

The immersive technologies are scientifically validated and have also shown efficiency in clinical practice. This approach allows us to provide a safe space for participants to interact with each other. The groups will be led by our volunteer therapists in both Ukrainian and Russian.

Our initiative aims to help young people between the ages of 13 and 19, including those who are internally displaced, refugees, and have war veterans in their families. We believe that this method will be ideal for group psychological support.

It is also important that group therapy is suitable for people who want to try working with a psychologist but are unable or afraid to go to a personal meeting.

Statistical data will be valuable for the further development of this method of mental health care, both in general and specifically for dealing with the aftermath of armed conflict.

We have experience in developing virtual environments and organizing virtual events.

Thank you for your attention and possible support of our important project. Together, we are Reimagining the Way People Come Together — creating a safe, effective environment to support as many people as possible who need mental health assistance.

https://calendly.com/rezon/15min