In Zaporizhzhia, a new guidebook for veterans has been presented, containing information about public organisations that provide services for demobilised personnel, active military servicemen, and their families within the city.
"The state sector is currently making a significant contribution to veteran policy; however, there are still certain services available within the public sector that remain in the process of being formalised within state institutions. That is why it is important to highlight the work of non-governmental organisations, their contribution to veteran policy, and the opportunities and solutions that are already in place to support veterans," says Alina KUDRIAVSKA, a specialist in the Partnership Development Department of the Charitable Organisation “Coordination Humanitarian Centre.”
The reference guide was developed by the Charitable Organisation "Coordination Humanitarian Centre" of Zaporizhzhia Region and the NGO"Zaporizhzhia. Platform for joint action" in cooperation with Serhii Druzhynin, Regional Coordinator of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme “How Are You?”.
It brings together information on 17 non-governmental organisations that provide physical rehabilitation, psychological support, legal assistance, career guidance, social support, and material aid, as well as spaces for informal communication.
"When we spoke with our colleagues in the public sector, we realised that many organisations are involved in providing assistance to veterans and their families, yet there is no single document that would be convenient and easy to use. Therefore, we decided to create this reference guide to strengthen the work of “Veteran PRO” and the public sector by involving non-governmental organisations that cover and provide additional services,” said Dmytro KHALILOV, the Director of the NGO “Zaporizhzhia. Joint Action Platform".
The reference guide will become an indispensable tool for social services, non-governmental organisations, and professionals supporting military personnel, helping them navigate the available support programmes. In particular, it is already being used by specialists at the recently opened veterans' hub “Veteran PRO. Zaporizhzhia”, established in Zaporizhzhia with the involvement of Metinvest.
“This reference guide should have been created several years ago. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to its compilation and creation, as it is extremely necessary. We are already using this reference guide – both our support specialists and, to an even greater extent, our administrators, who provide consultations to male and female veterans. Indeed, when we encounter questions regarding professional referrals, this reference guide proves extremely useful,” noted Mykhailo PYROG, the Director of the Municipal Institution “Veterans’ Space ‘Veteran PRO.' Zaporizhzhia".
The organisers involved in the creation of the reference guide state: the guide will be “living” and will be actively updated with information about new organisations.
“This reference guide should primarily serve as a practical tool for veteran support specialists, social workers, and employees of any government agency, enabling them to use it effectively and understand where they are and how they can assist the individual.
Going forward, we aim to involve as many non-governmental organisations as possible, because the number of NGOs working with veterans in Zaporizhzhia is certainly not just 17, but considerably more. Therefore, we expect other representatives of the non-governmental sector to join us, and together we will be able to provide even more services to our defenders,” stated Serhii DRUZHYNIN, Regional Coordinator of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme “How Are You?”.
At present, the reference guide is available not only in paper form but also electronically. It can be viewed and downloaded via the following link.
