Fishing as a Space for Recovery: Fishermen Club of Ukraine and Save Ukraine Launch Partnership
At the end of summer, the NGO Fishermen Club of Ukraine and Charitable Organization Save Ukraine joined forces to create a space for recreation, social interaction and psychosocial support for young people who have experienced occupation. In Pushcha-Vodytsia, Kyiv region, 16 young people aged 18 to 22 took part in a joint event focused on fishing and outdoor activities.
For the participants, it was an opportunity to step away from their usual environment for a day, try a new activity, connect with others and spend time in a safe space.
Fishing as a Tool for Psychosocial Support
Fishing can offer much more than the process of catching fish. It provides time in nature, concentration, communication, interaction with others and an opportunity to shift attention away from everyday challenges for a while.
This is why the NGO Fishermen Club of Ukraine uses fishing as one of the tools of psychosocial support. This format combines outdoor activity with informal communication and team interaction.
During the event, participants learned the basics of float fishing under the guidance of internationally recognised athlete Andrii Matsuyev, as well as athletes from the Federation of Sport Fishing of Ukraine and our partners at Flagman. The young participants immediately put their new skills into practice, following the key environmental principle of catch and release.
From a Joint Activity to a Partnership
At the end of the event, the organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding, Cooperation and Partnership.
The document outlines the main areas of joint work in humanitarian and social support, education, psychosocial assistance, community development and support for people affected by the war.
Future cooperation will include joint programmes and projects, educational and awareness-raising activities, training sessions and masterclasses, exchange of experience and expertise, research and needs assessments, as well as information and advocacy initiatives.
Particular attention will be given to children, veterans and their families, internally displaced people, people with disabilities, people affected by the war, and other groups requiring additional support.
A Partnership with a Practical Focus
For the NGO Fishermen Club of Ukraine, the partnership with Charitable Organization Save Ukraine provides an opportunity to combine the experience and expertise of two organisations and develop new forms of support for people affected by the war.
The first joint event demonstrated how this cooperation can work in practice. Fishing, time in nature and team activities created an opportunity for young people to communicate, relax and gain a new experience.
Going forward, the two organisations plan to develop joint initiatives in line with the areas outlined in the Memorandum. These include support for children and young people, assistance to people affected by the war, strengthening community resilience, educational and psychosocial activities, knowledge exchange and the implementation of joint projects.
For us, it is important that agreements between organisations lead to practical cooperation. The signing of the Memorandum provides a foundation for further joint work, while the meeting in Pushcha-Vodytsia marked its first step.