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Description
Since the first day of the war in Ukraine, Palīdzēsim.lv has been voluntarily engaging in coordinated assistance to Ukraine. Palīdzēsim.lv have experience in responding quickly and professionally to acute situations, we are ready to continue, looking for the most rational and meaningful form of support possible for each of those fleeing the Ukrainian war, without distinguishing between nationality, gender or race. The aim of the project is to continue to provide support to Ukrainian war refugees by tracking financial and product donations and to attract volunteers.
By attracting existing cooperation partners and donors, we will continue to provide practical support to Ukrainian war refugees, as well as by attracting specialists from various fields (e.g., in cooperation with the association "Latvian Association of Art Therapists") to provide psycho-emotional support, to involve children and young people in summer camps and other activities of the organization, to integrate women and children into interest groups. The cooperation with existing cooperation partners will be continued and new ones will be attracted: companies, NGOs ( Tuvu, Otra elpa, Red Cross, etc.) that will help with donations and/or the allocation of goods at a cost price that could provide support to refugees affected by the Ukrainian war. Volunteers of the organization who successfully cooperate with the organization for a long time are and will be attracted to provide practical support. In order to provide qualitative and meaningful support to Ukrainian war refugees, remuneration of the employees of the organization is necessary.
Summary of project results
Potential needs and challenges identified included:
- A decrease in individual Latvian residents'' enthusiasm and willingness to volunteer to support Ukrainian war refugees. The solution was explanatory work and involving new and existing volunteers in project-related activities, as well as individually approaching existing cooperation partners (e.g., psychotherapists, art therapists).
- A decrease in Latvian companies'' ability and willingness to provide support. The solution involved leveraging the organization''s long-term relationships with various companies, which have been providing material or service-based support for over 13 years, ensuring that support levels would likely remain stable based on successful cooperation principles.
- Burnout among organization staff and volunteers. The solution was to ensure employees received at least minimal remuneration for their work, while volunteers were offered various benefits the organization could provide (e.g., services from cooperation partners, material donations, expressions of gratitude).
To ensure a quick and meaningful response to Ukrainian war refugees'' requests for material or psycho-emotional support, the coordination of the organization’s existing and new volunteers, collaboration partners, and private donors who could provide practical assistance was necessary.
1. Volunteer engagement. To achieve the project''s goal of providing coordinated practical and psycho-emotional support to Ukrainian war refugees, Latvian volunteers of various professions, ages, and genders were engaged in multiple activities. These included conversations with refugees, donation management, transportation, public information dissemination, charity stand operations at major events, cultural event coordination, and therapy sessions for emotional balance. Although the project report lists 51 volunteers who were directly involved, the total number of individuals who provided support through the organization''s events is significantly higher but cannot be precisely determined. The project also strengthened collaborations with other NGOs, exchanging donations and resources to better support the refugees. A special system was created to register volunteers, detailing their willingness and capacity to help with transportation, translation, publication preparation, warehouse work, and refugee communication ensuring more coordinated support to target groups.
2. Daily support to refugees. The organization collaborated with other charities to manage material donations effectively. Volunteers sorted and distributed these donations based on refugees'' needs. On average, 4-5 help requests from Ukrainian refugee families were received daily, occasionally surging to 30-50 people due to news of new supplies. An accounting system was developed to track refugees and donations, enabling efficient and meaningful distribution of material donations. This system recorded family details, needs, and contact information to ensure targeted assistance. A special effort was made to integrate Ukrainian refugees into Latvian society through cultural, public, and sports events. This included inviting families to theater performances, festivals, and charity stands.
3. Partnerships with business sector. To promote civic responsibility, not only volunteers but also companies were involved in providing support. Various business companies were approached and involved in providing donations and support.
Project activities collectively ensured a structured, sustainable, and resilient framework for supporting Ukrainian refugees, enhancing the engagement of Latvian civil society in a meaningful and coordinated manner.
Thanks to the financial support from the "Active Citizens Fund," the project achieved its goal of providing coordinated practical and psycho-emotional support to Ukrainian war refugees. The project involved at least 51 volunteers, who supported 415 Ukrainian war refugees by providing material donations and emotional support, and by facilitating connections among the refugees.
Key outcomes and impacts include:
1. Volunteer involvement. The project helped mobilized at least 51 Latvian volunteers of various professions, ages, and genders. These volunteers assisted with a range of activities including donation collection and distribution, transportation, public information, and organizing cultural and therapeutic events. The project highlighted the importance of sustained volunteer engagement and the ongoing need for motivating volunteers and securing support from partners and donors.
2. Organisational systems created. The introduction of volunteer and refugee registration systems in the organisation facilitated efficient and effective support delivery. These systems ensured that donations and support were tailored to the specific needs of each family.
3. Support provided. Over the course of the project, essential items such as hygiene products, bedding, food, clothing, toys, and school supplies were distributed. Additionally, several refugees in transit through Latvia were housed and supported. More than 30 Ukrainian children, youth, and adults received psycho-emotional support through individual and group therapy sessions conducted in collaboration with the "Latvian Association of Art Therapy" and other therapists. Ukrainian youth were integrated into "Palīdzēsim.lv" youth events, and both adults and youth were invited to participate in various sports and cultural events, fostering community integration.
Overall, the project successfully established a structured system for providing support, built valuable contacts with supporters, and developed a framework for assigning specific tasks to volunteers based on refugees'' needs.