On September 29, in the city of Kamianske of the Dnipropetrovsk region, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs met with veterans, NGOs, and local authorities of the Dnipropetrovsk region to discuss ways of implementing veteran policy on the ground.
The event was opened by Yulia Laputina, Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine. She said that Dnipropetrovsk Region was one of the first to open a structural unit for veterans’ affairs. Now the region is one of four where the pilot project — the Veteran’s Assistant Institute is being implemented.
“The Veteran’s Assistant Institute should become a basic infrastructural body that communicates with all institutions that will be useful for veterans: ministries, regional administrations, etc. At the community level, there should be a service office in which veteran’s assistants will work. These will not be office workers. These will be people with a tablet or phone that contains the contacts of veterans and those who provide them with services. Veterans can call the assistant at any time. If, for example, a veteran needs psychological support, his assistant takes a doctor or psychologist with him and goes to see him.”
Yulia Laputina emphasized that veteran policy is a change in approaches. If we do not do this, society will feel serious tension.
“We have to provide every opportunity to support the veteran. It is important that they integrate into society, become partners of the community, move into the future, and develop their own business by example. The Ukrainian Veterans Foundatiob is now helping with this. The winners of the competition programs are fantastic people.”
Karina Doroshenko, Deputy Executive Director of the UVF, congratulated the participants of the regional veterans forum:
“Today we live in a new reality where each of us is responsible for the future of veterans. The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation works to ensure that veterans get the opportunity to develop their projects, legal and psychological support, crisis support groups for veterans and their families, and educational courses. We listen to their requests, conduct analytical research, our team includes veterans and their family members, so we have a clear understanding of the challenges and offer solutions. Therefore, today’s forum is an opportunity to share experiences, to cooperate for the sake of veterans for a common future”.
Representatives of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation also held dialogue platforms:
🔹 Together with veterans and representatives of self-government bodies, they discussed possible changes to the draft law on veteran business
🔹 held a workshop on how to fill out applications for competitive programs of the UVF
🔹 provided legal advice on participation in competitive programs of the Foundation
Veterans will return to their communities. It is important to provide them with the necessary support on the ground.
This is the first event in a series of regional veterans forums, the holding of which was announced by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, Yulia Laputina, during the Kyiv VI International Veterans Forum “Ukraine. Defenders. Future.”
The event in Kamianske was organized by the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration with the support of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.
