Forum of Ideas and Opportunities for Veterans/Veteranesses and Their Family Members Held in Chernivtsi

On August 14, 2205, the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation held the Forum of Ideas and Opportunities for veterans/veteranesses and their family members in the Red Hall of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University — education, employment, and community interaction were identified as key priorities.

The event brought together veterans/veteranesses and their family members, family members of fallen (deceased) Defenders of Ukraine, those missing in action and those in captivity, representatives of regional and city authorities, employment services, higher education institutions, veteran initiatives, civil society organizations, and volunteers in order to coordinate concrete steps for the educational and economic reintegration of veterans.

The purpose of the forum is to create an open platform for establishing effective interaction among veterans, public authorities and local self-government bodies, civil society institutions, and educational institutions to generate and implement innovative solutions in the fields of education, social support, and employment of veterans/veteranesses and their family members.

Within the forum program, the results of the study “Map of Opportunities for Veterans/Veteranesses and Their Family Members in Chernivtsi Oblast,” conducted by the team of the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation, were presented; panel discussions were held with the participation of Valentyn Pabat, Deputy Head of the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration; Yurii Lesyuk, Deputy Mayor of Chernivtsi; Mykhailo Pavliuk, Deputy Chairman of the Chernivtsi Regional Council; Ruslan Biloskurskyi, Rector of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University; Vasyl Karpo, Dean of the Faculty of History, Political Science and International Relations of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Needs and opportunities created for veterans/veteranesses and their family members in Chernivtsi Oblast were discussed with Valerii Vivchariuk, Head of the Department for Veteran Policy of the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration; Olha Hramota, Head of the Department for Veterans’ Affairs of the Department of Social Policy of the Chernivtsi City Council; Nataliia Katriuk, Head of the Mamaivtsi Territorial Community; and Anzhela Kristel, Secretary of the Mahala Territorial Community. The panel discussion “Education — a Bridge to Change” featured Oleh Shmanko, Head of the Center for Veteran Development of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University; Mariia Kobielieva, Deputy Director of the Chernivtsi Regional Employment Center; and Olena Tanasiychuk, President of the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation.

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The discussions covered a wide range of issues: from social support and access to education to employment, launching community projects, and the effective reintegration of veterans. In addition, the problems of infrastructure accessibility for veterans with disabilities, the importance of public support for actions concerning service members in captivity, the issue of engaging employers to equip workplaces for veterans/veteranesses, the importance of changing public attitudes toward family members of combatants, the need for patriotic education of children and youth, and the implementation of programs for participants in wars of different periods were raised.

“We were not just talking — we were looking for opportunities for veteran initiatives, opportunities to support and develop the families of service members. There were sharp questions, painful topics were voiced, and at the same time, we heard impressive success stories of veterans; we saw how men and women changed their uniforms for jeans and began moving toward restoring their lives and implementing their ideas,” said Olena Tanasiychuk, President of the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation. “Our task is to move from disparate initiatives to coordinated actions: short practical courses, mentorship, and real support toward employment. The Forum gave us a common framework of solutions for the oblast.”

The warmest reception from the Forum participants was given to the participants of the panel “From Idea to Change: What Can We Do Together?” — Oleksandr Koshovyi, veteran, Head of the municipal institution “Chernivtsi Regional Center for Social and Psychological Assistance to the Defenders of Ukraine ‘Veteran Hub,’” and Serhii Holovach (callsign “Beaver”), owner of a veteran-owned business producing paper tableware and a self-service coffee shop, who presented developed cases and already operating veteran businesses. The speech by Viktor Hryha, veteran, Deputy of the Dnistrovskyi District Council, Chief Specialist of the Department for Support of Reforms and Audit of Local Programs of the Chernivtsi Regional Council, concluded the Forum.

“By joint efforts. Only in this way can we create a safe space. The return of veterans home, to their communities, is about joint action, community-building, and mutual assistance. We all realize that our lives have changed forever. And we all need each other’s support. Veterans, their families, civilians need one another, because if yesterday and today the Armed Forces of Ukraine had not defended us on the front line, could we have met today? Road construction, educational opportunities, opening new businesses — this is about developing our communities. This is about everyone who lives in Chernivtsi and Chernivtsi Oblast: because we all want our region to truly be a place worth living,” comments Nataliia Nechaeva-Yuriychuk, member of the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.

Forum Results

• The study “Map of Opportunities for Veterans/Veteranesses and Their Family Members in Chernivtsi Oblast,” which compiles and systematizes all useful information for veterans and analyzes their requests and proposals, was presented.

• The priority “training → mentorship → employment,” with a focus on short practical programs and support at the start of work or business, was defined.

• Cross-sector coordination was agreed upon: communities ↔ educational institutions ↔ employment service ↔ civil society organizations.

• A list of first steps was formed: conducting an in-depth study of the needs and problems of veterans/veteranesses and their family members in the communities of Chernivtsi Oblast.

The event was held by the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation with the organizational support of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University within the project “Reintegration of War Veterans through the Creation of Educational Opportunities: Ours for Ours”, implemented by the “Public Resources and Initiatives” Charity Foundation in partnership with DVV International in Ukraine with the support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.