Ukrainians often start worrying about their health only when problems already appear. Not in advance, as the WHO advises. This trend has especially intensified since the start of the full-scale war. People's own health was “out of time” because there were other things that seemed more important.
Our task was to encourage residents of 16 pilot communities to change their behavior from indifference to responsibility for their health.
We suggested that people start small - develop a habit of taking some time for themselves every day. At least a few minutes to do something useful and enjoyable: walk, exercise, eat a fruit, do something you love.
And they presented this idea rationally as an investment: «Add a little time for yourself - get more time for the future».
The campaign started with outdoor advertising, radio spots on local and national radio stations, and posters that we placed in the most crowded places.
To reach older people, we published a newspaper called Time for Yourself with useful and effective tips on self-care. The newspaper was distributed through community leaders in shops, hospitals, ASCs, libraries, etc.
In social media, we used targeted advertising in pilot regions and organically engaged local groups and communities.
All materials were sent to the Time for Yourself chatbot on Telegram and Viber. The chatbot sent reminders with tips and exercises to maintain physical and mental health, and helped to gradually form good habits.
For subscribing to the chatbot, community members received a fridge magnet - a Diary of Healthy Habits as a gift.
To ensure that community residents have a physical space to take care of themselves, we worked with a team of architects to design the Time for Yourself space, a specially equipped place where people could take care of their emotional and physical states, as well as get useful tips on how to implement healthy habits in their lives.
Although the campaign is over, the spaces remain and benefit the community.
Ovruch, Zhytomyr oblast
Kosiv, Ivano-Frankivsk oblast
Mohyliv-Podilskyi, Vinnytsia oblast
To raise awareness of the new place and show how it works, we organized a grand opening in each community. At the event, adults could check their health in the medical area, children could take part in creative workshops, and everyone could join in the exercises and drawings for useful prizes from the project.
Family doctors and nurses are an important part of creating a health culture in the community. We conducted motivational counseling trainings for them, during which we discussed how to better encourage patients to take care of themselves, follow medical recommendations, and undergo regular checkups. We also distributed project materials to patients through doctors.
The total coverage of the campaign –
3,4 mln contacts
More than 2,5 thousand people have installed the chatbot
139 of healthcare workers improved their skills in motivational interviewing
Over 2,2 thousand people attended community events
In each of the 10 communities, Time for Yourself spaces have become permanent points of activity for local residents
