How people's well-being affects the success of communities - students of the Community Recovery Academy studied psychological aspects of the environment
A truly restored community is one that knows how to take care of its residents, creating conditions for their mental and social well-being. This was the key message of Valeria Paliy's lecture at the Community Recovery Academy.
Valeria Paliy, Academic Director of Psychology Programs at Kyiv School of Economics, President of the National Psychological Association, and a recognized expert in the field of mental health, shared her unique knowledge of how natural conditions, climate change, and environmental factors shape our emotional well-being and affect the resilience of communities.
Ms. Valeriia emphasized that our mental health is closely related to the environment we live in. Air pollution, lack of access to green areas, extreme weather events - all of this not only worsens physical health, but also increases the level of anxiety, stress, and depression.
Studies show that communities that have access to natural areas and a favorable environment demonstrate higher levels of psychological resilience and social cohesion.
One of the key emphases of the lecture was the importance of integrating an environmental approach into community recovery strategies. Ms. Valeriia gave examples of successful initiatives where the creation of city parks, greening of territories and raising environmental awareness contributed to the improvement of the well-being of residents.
She also emphasized that modern communities should take into account the impact of climate change by adapting their infrastructures and implementing mental health support programs.
The lecture also touched on psychological counseling and the importance of access to professional support. Given the challenges faced by communities due to environmental disasters or migration, Valeria Paliy emphasized the need to develop comprehensive approaches to working with the population. She reminded that supporting mental health is not only an individual task, but also an important element of social policy.
Why is this lecture important right now? Because the topic of climate change and its impact on the psyche is becoming increasingly relevant. Communities that want to be successful and sustainable must take these aspects into account in their activities. It is important not only to create conditions for the physical restoration of infrastructure, but also to take care of people's psychological well-being.
Valeria Paliy's lecture was a source of inspiration and new ideas for the participants. Her experience and expertise, combined with practical recommendations, help communities find effective solutions to overcome current challenges. After all, community recovery begins with the recovery of each individual.
Community Recovery Academy, founded by the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the NGO Mariupol.Reborn, aims to train municipal managers for the recovery period. The project is being implemented with the support of the UK Government under the UK International Development program and the International Republican Institute (IRI Ukraine) in partnership with Metinvest and SCM. The educational partners of the project are Metinvest Polytechnic and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
