Communication and interaction with veterans became the central theme of the sixth meeting held as part of the project "Speak Up, Veteran" in Zaporizhzhia. This time, Zaporizhzhia schoolchildren joined the discussion.
The project "Speak Up, Veteran" was launched in the summer of last year. In Zaporizhzhia, the project was initiated and is implemented by the NGO "Zaporizhzhia. Platform for Joint Action", with financial support by Metinvest and Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works, in partnership with the Zaporizhzhia City Council. The project was created as a platform to explore the needs of veterans and provide comprehensive support in addressing the issues they face.
Recently, leading experts in veteran reintegration, together with war veterans, met with schoolchildren to talk about overcoming communication barriers.
"How do you talk to someone who has combat experience? What questions are appropriate, and which ones should be avoided? As civilians, we need to know all of this. It's a relevant issue, yet in some ways people are hesitant to talk about it, hesitant to ask these questions, hesitant to find answers and then apply that knowledge in real life. This is because they don't know how veterans will react – is it okay to hug them, to approach them, how to show respect, how to respond to certain behaviours. In other words, there are a lot of questions. Children and teenagers need to learn these things because we’ll all be interacting with each other daily," says Serhii DRUZHYNIN, regional coordinator of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme "Are You OK?".
Ninth-grader Sofiia Giziuk attended the meeting with a purpose. She plans to study law after high school and already sees herself working with veterans in the future.
"Given the current situation, this topic is extremely important for young people, as we understand how hard it is for veterans to adapt today. I truly want to understand our defenders better – to learn how to communicate with them in a way that doesn't offend them," says Sofiia GIZIUK, a student at the college "Elint".
War veteran Tymyr Shkoda volunteered to join the army in 2022. Serving as a reconnaissance officer, he was seriously wounded during a combat mission and lost a leg.
This was his second time taking part in a meeting held as part of the project "Speak Up, Veteran". He says such initiatives are especially important when it comes to communicating with teenagers and young people.
"Schoolchildren ask a lot of questions I didn’t expect – about injuries, weapons, and some are even curious about UAVs. The conversations happen in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. We’re building a dialogue that benefits all of us and our society," says war veteran Tymur SHKODA.
The organisers of the meeting emphasize the importance of involving schoolchildren in discussions of this kind.
"Last time, we held a similar event with war veterans and university students, and we also had in-depth conversations with representatives of the local authorities. We’re working on a joint project with the Department of Education, so when we received a request to hold a meeting between war veterans and senior school students – grades 10 and 11 – we were happy to make it happen. As veterans return home from the frontline, many families are asking themselves how to communicate with their loved ones in a way that does not hurt their feelings, is respectful, supportive, and helps them reintegrate into civilian life. It's very important that young people are showing concern for these issues and are initiating these discussions," says Dmytro KHALILOV, director of the NGO "Zaporizhzhia. Platform for Joint Action".
Thanks to the open discussion, participants learned how society can support its heroes in their transition to civilian life. Similar meetings will continue to be held.
