With the ideological and financial support of Metinvest Group, a new project for veterans "Speak Up, Veteran" has been launched in Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih. The project will be coordinated by the NGOs "Zaporizhzhia. Platform for Joint Action" and "Kryvyi Rih Foundation for the Future". 

The project "Speak Up, Veteran" aims to provide a platform for an open dialogue between war veterans and field experts to identify the main problems and challenges the Ukrainian defenders face upon returning from the front line. And, accordingly, to find effective ways to solve them. Another important goal is to promote the development of a veteran-centric society that unites around the idea of respect for heroes, establishing trusting and effective communication with veterans to provide them with the support they need most.

The initiative came from Metinvest that is gradually implementing an ecosystem at its enterprises to support defenders on the front line and help them adapt to civilian life after they return from service. 

The project "Speak Up, Veteran" will organise panel discussions with veterans, at which they can share their stories, problems, and needs.  Qualified psychologists will be engaged to provide emotional support and counselling to demobilised defenders. Another key area is cooperation with Metinvest and other businesses to create opportunities of employment and professional development for veterans who have returned to civilian life and work.

At the onset of the project 

The first panel discussions that kick-started the large-scale project took place at the end of June. The discussions on the topic "Welfare of war veterans. Mains problems and needs to be addressed" involved Uliana Tokarieva, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Tetiana Lomakina, Advisor to the Presidential Commissioner for Accessibility, representatives of regional and city authorities, war veterans who work at Metinvest's enterprises after discharge from service under special circumstances, as well as veterans' organisations, psychologists and war trauma experts, and others.

"You are now doing very important work to build a system of support for female and male veterans, their families - all those who are defending Ukraine. The Ministry of Social Policy is working to improve the existing services and create new ones, as well as new support programmes for veterans and their families, whose role in the process of adaptation of soldiers to civilian life cannot be overestimated. Uniting around this idea through a concerted effort of the government, society and businesses helps us create a system that strengthens self-sufficiency of our Ukrainian defenders, their confidence and resilience in civilian life," said Uliana TOKARIЕVA, Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine.

"Almost 200 female and male veterans started working at Zaporizhstal alone after being discharged from the army. I am convinced that the best way to show respect and honour for our heroes is to support them and their families. The first step on this path is open communication, understanding the needs of defenders and the substantive tools to address them, and creating opportunities for veterans' self-realisation in all areas of civilian life. The project "Speak Up, Veteran" has been created for veterans, it is about veterans and serving them," said Roman SLOBODIANIUK, General Director of Zaporizhstal. 

For Kryvyi Rih, working with veterans is also extremely important today. Since 24 February 2022, more than 3,000 employees of Metinvest's Kryvyi Rih mining and processing facilities have joined the Ukrainian Defence Forces. War veterans are now beginning to return to work. 

"Our task today is to help those employees who have returned the front line to re-adapt to civilian life and manufacturing environment. We have implemented psychological support programmes for employees and their families, psycho-emotional rehabilitation and adaptation programmes, and veterans' development programmes at our mining enterprises. We are also working with the teams, preparing them for the return of their colleagues. Thanks to the project "Speak Up, Veteran", we will be able to understand the needs of our heroes even better and work together as much as possible," said Igor TONEYV, Director of the Mining Department of Metinvest Group. 

As part of the project "Speak Up, Veteran", other meetings are planned in Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih to discuss the relevant issues of veterans' integration.