SOM Camp was the first Plast camp in Ukraine where psychological support was an official and systemic part of the program.

The social Plast camp “SOM: Social. Inter-District. Maritime” offered children an experience that helped them regain a sense of stability, learn to trust themselves and others, and move forward despite difficult life circumstances.

The idea of organizing a maritime camp was born among three 16-year-old Scouts from Lviv, Ternopil, and Kyiv. Later, during the first planning meetings, the leadership team jointly defined the core mission of the camp:
a free-of-charge Scout camp with a strong water-based program and continuous psychological support for younger Scouts whose parents had sacrificed their health, freedom, or lives in defense of Ukraine.

In July 2025, near a lake close to the village of Zarychchia in the Lviv region, Plast brought together 25 Scouts aged 12–14 from different parts of Ukraine. All participants were children from families directly affected by the war.

What made SOM camp unique

🌊 Water as a space for growth
SUP boards, canoes, catamarans, swimming, water rescue skills, and a river journey on the Dniester — every day, participants spent several hours on the water. They learned balance, teamwork, and how to keep going after setbacks.

Even rain and thunderstorms did not stop the camp. On the contrary, they became part of a lived experience of resilience and adaptability.

🧠 Psychological support as a core program element
Daily reflection circles, art therapy, emotional regulation exercises, and individual consultations with psychologists
Senior Scouts Iryna Yakubovska and Yaroslavna Okan helped participants to:

• better understand their emotions;
  
• communicate their needs;
  
• find inner support and identify “safe adults” around them.
  

Each participant received a personal self-reflection and self-help journal, developed specifically for this camp by Plast members who are professional psychologists.

The impact of the camp

According to observations by the psychologists and the camp leadership:

• participants became more open in communication;
  
• self-confidence and teamwork skills increased;
  
• adolescents gained experience in overcoming challenges within a safe and supportive environment.
  

At SOM Camp, physical activity, psychological care, and Scout values came together — a combination especially vital for children growing up during wartime.

Who made SOM camp possible

The camp was organized by a Plast team led by Senior Scout Olga Kalbus, together with 17 volunteers, and with the support of Plast troops, Plast Training Center in Lviv, Lviv Plast Branch

We are proud of this experience and are planning to continue SOM Camp in 2026, so that even more young people can find balance, support, and the strength to move forward.