On March 1 and 2 2402 Foundation held a test drive of immersive safety training in Kyiv.

This hands-on training has focused on threats, risks and security situations typical for those who work in war zones. The VR content was developed by 2402 Foundation's partners, New York based company Head Set Immersive along with certified safety, medical, and psychological first aid specialists using their frontline experience.

The 2402 Foundation is an authorized partner of Head Set Immersive. We have compiled a series of trainings for the team and received certification. This means that we can conduct VR sessions around the world.

That's why we are shifting modules of our training to online platforms and cloud collaborative tools and also harness VR and AI for a robust organizational system.

Training wit VR is designed to minimize the risk that a person will get confused unable to control himself or herself and will be helpless and defenseless in a critical situation in real life. It also provides an opportunity to gain insight into individual strength and weaknesses, including the level of situational awareness, threat recognition, and self-control under pressure.

During the first day, participants immersed themselves in the experience of a journalist working in London during civil unrests. This VR scenario simulates the stressful challenges faced by reporters on the scene.

The Civil Unrest scenario is designed to evoke a fight-or-flight response, and help participants control their adrenaline and make important safety decisions under pressure.

During the second day, the participants went through the Digital security scenario. It immerses participants in the challenging experience of an undercover reporter in a hostile environment.

This scenario requires strong digital security skills to protect sensitive information and conduct critical interviews without being seen.

It provides journalists with the experience needed for real-world situation where quick, ethical decision-making is key to safety and confidentiality.

We thank all participants for two busy days, attentive work and openness.
We would like to thank our partners - Headset Immersive, which developed VR-scenarios for training, as well as the international funds Justice for Journalists, Digital Defenders and the Czech non-profit organization People in Need.

Special thanks to BURSA Hotel and KINO42 for the location.