In Zaporizhzhia, the project "Speak up, Veteran" united the public around the support of defenders.

The initiative was launched last year by the public organization "Zaporizhzhia. Platform for Joint Actions" and "Kryvyi Rih Foundation for the Future" with the financial support of Metinvest. Its goal is to provide veterans and their families with a platform for dialogue, support, and solving current problems after returning from the front. 

During this time, the project has been transformed into a platform for cooperation between various organizations working with veterans. In particular, in Zaporizhzhia, it is included in the comprehensive program "Veteran Policy of the Zaporizhzhia City Territorial Community». The organizers are convinced that by joining forces, it is possible to systematically approach each issue and create conditions for the full adaptation of defenders in civilian life.

"We cannot solve every problem, but we can tell you exactly where veterans will be provided with comprehensive support and assistance. The hub actually works 24/7, and every veteran knows: if there is a request, it will be heard," said Iraisat MAGOMEDALIEVA, Head of the Regional Development Department of Metinvest Group.

During the year of implementation, nine events were held, more than 300 participants were involved in the interaction - veterans, public sector specialists and representatives of social services. At the meetings, veterans' requests for legal assistance, social security, medical services, psychological rehabilitation, retraining and employment opportunities were discussed, discussions, workshops, specialized consultations, trainings, etc. were held. But the main idea of the project is even deeper and more important, Iraisat Magomedalieva is convinced:

“Society must adapt to the return of veterans, not vice versa.” Our defenders have done everything to protect us, so we must do everything in our power to make the return to civilian life comfortable and dignified for the defenders. People are often far from the problems of defenders, they do not know and do not understand many things. Therefore, one of the tasks of the project is to help society learn to understand veterans, their needs, and be able to communicate and support them properly.

One of the areas of the project was a dialogue between veterans and youth. During the panel discussions, the military raised the issues of education and employment: Some older participants do not see the need for retraining, while younger veterans need new knowledge and business support. 

Also, such meetings cover the issue of the lack of qualified specialists who should help veterans in solving their issues. 

– There is a shortage of personnel – first of all, there is a shortage of psychologists. In addition, many veterans have a request for a “peer-to-peer” format: They would rather go to another veteran than to an ordinary psychologist. And there are even fewer such specialists, – noted Serhiy DRUZHYNIN, regional coordinator of the All-Ukrainian mental health program "How are you?" 

Veterans express positive feedback about the initiative and talk about the need to expand its scale. 

– Communication between everyone involved in veteran politics is extremely necessary. It can be a psychological direction, a legal one, or several at once – rehabilitation, lawyers, psychologists. Many ideas are being implemented, but they are still not enough. We need a large centre where organizations, administrative services, rehabilitation and educational programs can be combined in one room," explained Mykhailo PYROG, director of the veteran space "Veteran PRO" in Zaporizhzhia.

Let us remind you that the initiative to establish the "Speak up, Veteran" project belongs to Metinvest, which has identified one of its main areas of focus as creating an ecosystem to support veterans at the front and their adaptation to civilian life at the company's enterprises. Today, Metinvest employs 60 thousand employees, more than 8 thousand employees are currently serving in the army, and almost a thousand have returned from the war and joined the company. 

In particular, in Zaporizhzhia – at Zaporizhstal, Zaporizhvognetriv, Zaporizhcoke, Zaporizhzhia Foundry and Mechanical Plant – there is a program to support servicemen who have returned from the front.