Working in hospitals
- The work of the ‘Fayni Nosy’ hospital clowns is aimed at helping children to rebuild their inner resources through play, genuine human interaction and a caring presence.
- In this way, childhood—which has faced hardships during the war—is restored to its natural state, to its authenticity.
- In this way, childhood—which has faced hardships during the war—is restored to its natural state, to its authenticity.
- Clown therapists often visit young patients in the shelters of medical facilities during air raid alerts. Clowns adapt to any circumstances, whilst maintaining the most important thing of all: a genuine connection.
Therapeutic sessions in healthcare facilities
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A team of professionally trained hospital clowns visits medical facilities in Kharkiv to conduct therapeutic sessions, including the Municipal Clinical General Hospital No. 25 and the Municipal Children’s Hospital No. 5 (Rehabilitation and Palliative Care Department – Children’s Hospice). In addition, our clown therapists also work in western Ukraine: specifically at St Nicholas Hospital in Lviv, Uzhhorod City Children’s Clinical Hospital, and Zakarpattia Regional Children’s Hospital. The geographical scope of our work depends on needs and security conditions.
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Procedures, rules, restrictions — within the hospital walls, a child often loses control over their life, but clown therapists help them regain it through play, comical situations and mini-performances. Through improvisation, trust, rapport and sensitivity to the child’s condition and mood, clowns help to reduce fears of procedures, tension, anxiety and isolation.
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This work reached its peak during the full-scale invasion. The children undergoing treatment suffer not only from physical injuries but also from deep psychological trauma resulting from shelling, the loss of loved ones and evacuation. In such circumstances, clowning in the corridors and wards becomes more than just an activity; its mission is far deeper — it is a tool for psychological survival. That is precisely why hospital clowning is integrated into the system of psychosocial support as a highly sensitive yet effective method of trauma therapy.
Interaction with healthcare professionals and parents
- A significant focus of this work is on collaboration with healthcare professionals: it is trust and partnership that determine the presence of clowns in hospital settings and the effectiveness of the support they provide.
- They also liaise with parents, as the emotional state of adults has a direct impact on the child’s well-being. Often, it is the parents who, for the first time in a long while, allow themselves to smile or breathe a sigh of relief.
- These activities are carried out as part of numerous international and national projects in the field of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). These include initiatives supported by international donors and partners from Europe and the US, as well as local projects aimed at supporting children in hospitals in the Kharkiv, Lviv and Zakarpattia regions.
- It is thanks to this collaboration that our team has ensured a regular presence of clowns in hospitals, conducted hundreds of group and individual therapy sessions, and in this way supported thousands of children and their families.