Training course: Sexual health following spinal cord injury
Sexual health is not a ‘bonus’ topic, but an integral part of every person’s dignified, independent and fulfilling life.
The NGO ‘Active Rehabilitation Group’, in partnership with the leading Norwegian clinic Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HF and the Ukraine-Norway Rehabilitation Project, is implementing a project aimed at radically changing approaches to rehabilitation in Ukraine by destigmatising the topic of sexuality and introducing evidence-based practices.
From training in Norway to building Ukrainian expertise
The story of this project began in the autumn, when a team of specialists from GAR and the Rivne Regional Clinical Hospital (ROR) undertook intensive training at the Sunnaas Sykehus clinic in Norway. Upon returning to Ukraine, the specialists applied their experience to local conditions. Today, they themselves act as trainers, helping other centres to implement this important experience.
Project aims and objectives
The main aim of the collaboration is to enhance the professional skills of Ukrainian rehabilitation specialists: physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and physiatrists. The parties aim to destigmatise the topic of sexuality in the rehabilitation process and provide medical professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools.
What will be implemented?
As part of the project, a series of three practical training sessions is planned to be held at the Rivne Regional Clinical Hospital:
- Training for hospital staff: Specialised training for staff at the base facility.
- Training for outreach teams: Training for specialists from regional centres in the Western and Central regions.
The training programme covers a comprehensive range of knowledge: from physiology and family planning to practical counselling skills and the correction of autonomic dysreflexia.
Geography and scope
The project provides logistics and training for outreach teams from the following cities: Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Vinnytsia and Lviv. This enables the dissemination of training outcomes and the scaling up of practices in other regions of Ukraine.
Partnership and support
The project is being implemented on the basis of a memorandum of partnership between Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HF and the NGO ‘Group for Active Rehabilitation’. The Norwegian side provides grant funding, methodological support, and expert review of all training materials. ARG is responsible for organisation, logistics, recruiting trainers and conducting events.
Key information:
- Implementation period: from 1 March 2026 to 31 July 2026.
- Support: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HF (Norway), the Ukrainian-Norwegian Rehabilitation Project, Rivne Regional Clinical Hospital Public Enterprise.
This project has been made possible thanks to the financial and methodological support of Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HF. Together, we are working to ensure that everyone has access to comprehensive support on their journey towards an independent life.