To enable Ukrainian refugees to find a suitable counseling center, Rat auf Wire is expanding its range of chat and video counseling services. These can be reached in Russian and Ukrainian and specifically for refugee children and young people at number 147.
To enable Ukrainian war refugees to contact them in their native language, Rat auf Wire has hired five new employees who themselves have Ukrainian backgrounds and are psychologically trained. These are networked in the community and are therefore able to help refugee children and young people and their carers with problems or stress and provide psychosocial advice, as stated in a press conference on Wednesday.
strong demand
As Corinna Harles, Rat psychology director on the parent thread, explains, questions about things like war and terror increased immediately after the war started. “Children and young people also used the emergency telephone number to make a lot of inquiries about the war,” says Christine Piriwe, advisor. Because of this strong demand, it was decided to offer a special position only to Ukrainian refugees. Of the five newly hired counselors for Ukrainian refugees, two are specifically available to parents.
Especially chats in question
According to figures from the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF), 77,300 people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war, 70 percent of whom are women. It is often difficult for the parents involved to talk about sensitive subjects such as the war. But as Rat auf Draht reports, children and young people also seek help with issues such as sexuality, homesickness, finding friends or psychological stress. This is then discussed in real time in chats. Thanks to the online offer, the inhibition threshold is also significantly lower, says Piriwe.
Missing reference persons
Another difficulty for young people turning to the service for help is the cultural difference from their home country. Children and young people are used to always having someone to talk to, as several generations often live in one house. However, the war allowed only women to flee with their children, leaving many people they could identify with missing. “Not only is this very painful for the children, but of course the mothers feel overwhelmed as well,” says Harles.
The service is available online at www.rataufdraht.at and www.elternseite.atreachable or by phone on 147.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
