KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Today, the first group composed of ASPU professors and students has left for Syunik Marz to provide psychological, public and professional support to the people who have been forcibly displaced from Artsakh following the recent attack by Azerbaijan.

In cooperation with a number of state agencies, in recent years ASPU has been providing urgent help and support to citizens in similar situations, assessing their needs and organizing work efficiently.

We don’t stop getting calls; more and more volunteers want to join us and provide professional services.

Hakob Tadevosyan, Advisor to the ASPU Rector, Associate Professor of the Chair of Education, says the selection is made taking into account professional and psychological needs. There are also many students who have applied to join the initiative. After assessing the needs of the displaced people, they will join the group.

Hakob Tadevosyan says in the first place, they will work in priority directions in line with ASPU’s mission. If necessary, they will work in other settlements as well. “Sophisticated professors of the Pedagogical University, in particular those of the Faculty of Education Psychology and Sociology, carried out volunteer work and provided professional services [in various directions] both during the four-day war in Artsakh in April, 2016 and during the 44-day war in 2020. In Syunik, we plan to provide psychological and rehabilitation assistance. Also, seminars on providing psychological support are organized these days," he said.

He emphasized the need to do psychological diagnostic testing to identify the target groups and work with them with the necessary professional skills.

Hakob Tadevosyan added that consulting and training is conducted with students as well to help them use the correct methods. The support groups include undergraduate and master students, many of whom have professional experience.

"Preschool and school-age children will be given lessons. Also, entertainment events will be organized to solve the problem of employment," he added.

Let us add that first-year students also expressed readiness and willingness to leave for Syunik to engage in public works.