Category: News

From June 28, 2023, the competitive selection of experts (three main and reserve) for the composition of the Expert Council of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund for the competitive selection of projects Varto: supporting veteran business will begin.

How to apply and when is the deadline

We invite to cooperation experienced specialists who are familiar with the specifics of building and expanding business in Ukraine, understand the problems and needs of business in our time.

The deadline for submitting documents is July 13, 2023 (until 11:59 p.m. Kyiv time).

You can apply using this link.

The results of the selection will be notified by letter to the e-mail addresses of the candidates.

What are the duties of UVF experts and requirements for candidates

Duties of experts of the Foundation’s Expert Council:

1. Conducting expert evaluation of application packages in accordance with the Methodology of expert evaluation (evaluation criteria – appendix No. 1);
2. participation in public presentation (defense) of projects by applicants;
3. formation of a ranking list of the winners of the competitive selection.
4. Requirements for a candidate for the Foundation’s experts:
5. Higher education not lower than the master’s level;
6. experience in effective project management, in particular, at least 1 year of project budgeting experience;
7. business experience and understanding of business processes;
8. knowledge of business Ukrainian language;
9. impeccable business reputation.

The selection of candidates for Expert Councils takes place in accordance with the requirements of the Regulation on Expert Councils of the state budget institution “Ukrainian Veterans Foundatioms” and the Regulation on the Commission for the Selection of Experts for Expert Councils.

We draw your attention: the Foundation’s experts do not have the right to simultaneously be tender applicants or to participate in the implementation of projects submitted to the Foundation (for this or another competitive selection of projects).

How to submit documents for the competition: key tips

To submit documents for the competition, you need:

1. Read the stipulations of the Regulation on Expert Councils of the state budget institution “Ukrainian Veterans Foundation” (in particular, paragraph 2.11) and the Methodology of expert evaluation;
2. statement (in accordance with Appendix No. 1 to the Regulation on Expert Councils);
3. motivation letter (in any form);
4. a copy of an identity document;
5. a copy of the individual tax number;
6. consent to the collection and processing of personal data (in accordance with Appendix 2 to the Regulation on Expert Councils);
7. an extensive professional resume in the state language with attachments confirming the specialized activity;
8. copies of the candidate’s documents confirming higher education at least second (master’s) level.

All copies of documents are submitted in Ukrainian and/or the original language with a translation into Ukrainian and EXCLUSIVELY in PDF format. Documents in other formats WILL NOT be considered. If you need to upload more than one document in one field (for example, passport pages), it is advisable to combine them into one file.

2. Prepare and sign documents (a mandatory signature is required by the Candidate’s Application and Consent for Personal Data Processing). This can be done using Electronic signature, or you can send scanned documents with a physical signature.
3. Fill in the information and submit documents for the contest for the selection of experts in this questionnaire within the time allotted for this.

If you have any questions, please contact the e-mail address: a.ivaniuk@veteranfund.mva.gov.ua

The integration of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war into peaceful life is a pressing challenge for Ukraine, the state and civil society in general. 

At the first panel, the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine Yulia Laputina said: “Veteran policy is among the 10 priorities of the government, at every meeting we talk about the system of the veteran policy. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, also emphasizes this. Veteran policy should be veteran-centric. Currently, the Ministry has launched a pilot project on the creation of a veteran’s assistant institute, in the USA it is called a “professional veteran’s advisor”.

According to surveys of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, one of the most urgent problems faced by veterans is the lack of work – 77.5% of respondents indicated this problem as one of the most likely.

“A veteran needs to reinvent himself, find his place in society, understand his strengths and weaknesses. Working, doing his own business, a person receives not only money, but also satisfaction from action, results, has a horizon for growth. No one wants to ask, demand, run around the authorities, and even more so, people to whom we literally owe our lives should not do this. It is humiliating and shameful. Both for them and for us,” noted Nataliya Kalmykova, CEO of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

James E. Baker, a former former officer of the US Marine Corps, a former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the Director of the Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law, provided his knowledge and experience at the event. Baker defends the rights of veterans and provides international legal support for veterans.

James E. Baker says: “We need to build a system for veterans, which would be built not on “pensions”, but on the system of people who help their country grow by acquiring new opportunities. The issue of veterans is a security sector issue. The American experience suggests that after the Second World War there are a lot of different veterans. These are the people who want to live differently and in another country. In the USA, it was the veterans of the Second World War who transformed the economy after the war.”

In general, Ukraine can take the successful experience of the United States — the return of war veterans — as a basis for developing its own programs to support this community in order to ensure their decent integration into civilian life.

Taras Chmut, director of the ‘’Come Back Alive’’ Charity Foundation, member of the Supervisory Board of the UVF, emphasizes:

“In 2015, we already had this problem: as soon as active hostilities stop, we forget about the army and the military. That’s why we have to squeeze in the maximum at this time – and this is a window of opportunity for veterans, because then, in the time we call “victory”, it is unlikely that everyone and everything will be able to get their hands on it. As a priority, the state should take care of, first of all, the medical block, that is, rehabilitation for veterans. This applies to those affected by the war and it is the least we can do. Secondly, the families of the fallen. The state, civil society, and all of us should take up the solution of all these issues. After all, we should all remember why security and Defense forces are important.”

Nothing about veterans without veterans themselves. The veteran community, founders of public organizations, business representatives and the leadership of the Ministry of Veteran Affairs and the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation joined the discussions and dialogue during the forum. The speakers reached a common denominator — education and retraining are becoming important tools to help veterans adapt to a new environment. Education allows veterans to expand their knowledge and skills, and retraining allows them to use their military experience in a new context.

The main emphasis of the forum is on implemented projects, without dry numbers and ephemeral plans, but with real veteran results. As an example, veterans and their families joined the forum and told their stories: veteran’s wife Oksana Makarova, veterans Denys Dudnyk, Volodymyr Skosogorenko and Taras Yakobchuk. Each of them went from protecting the country to mastering a new business. The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affaris provided project support for the ideas of the veteran community.

“They and other participants in the projects implemented by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation once again proved that: “We, as a society, have received a unique opportunity to build a new, super-strong state and we are just beginning the journey. So now we have to invest in veterans. It is to invest, to give opportunities, so that they do not have to choose their own civilian life as well”, – Nataliia Kalmykova, executive director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.

Support of veteran business and respect for everyone who gives the best years of their life for the protection of Ukraine is a key activity of the Ukrainian Veteran Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. And just today, the Foundation`s team presented a new competition program to support veteran businesses: https://veteranfund.com.ua/contests/

The event was also attended by:

🔹 Yulia Laputina — Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine

🔹 Natalia Kalmykova — CEO of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs

🔹 Taras Chmut – director of the ’Come Back Alive’’ Charity Foundation, member of the Supervisory Board of the UVF

🔹 James E. Baker is a former infantry officer of the US Marine Corps, former chief judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law at Syracuse University, professor at Syracuse College of Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

🔹 Ruslana Velychko-Trifonyuk – First deputy of the Executive director of the UVF

🔹 Olga Svatova is the head of the brand marketing department at American University Kyiv

🔹 Roksolyana Voronovska – head of UCU-online

🔹 Ilya Shpolyanskyi is a veteran, the Movement of Veterans of Ukraine

🔹 Tetyana Zhukova – VMGO “Social Vector” (Education for women: female veterans, wives of veterans)

🔹 Svyatoslav Nikolaychuk – NGO “Podilskyi Development Agency”

🔹Dmytro Dubrovskyi – co-founder of Uklon, ambassador of the UVF

🔹 Oleksandra Adaynik is the manager of the Social Policy Department of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia.

🔹Andrii Remizov – director of the State University “Office for the Development of Entrepreneurship and Export”, Diia.Business

🔹 Maksym Pylypenko is the communications director of Work.ua

🔹 Victoria Shinkarenko – veteran, NGO “Regional Veteran Union of ATO Participants of Rivne Oblast”

🔹 Tatyana Rozumiy is the wife of a veteran, the owner of a shoe store

The event was moderated by: Vladyslav Grezev, CEO Lobby X, coordinator of TEDxKyiv, Marichka Padalko, news anchor, and Oleksiy Tarasov, editor-in-chief of Radio NV.

The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine is expanding the opportunities of defenders together with the Uklon company. New projects will become possible thanks to the conclusion of the Memorandum of Cooperation. Priority is given to creating new opportunities for veterans, including work in the Uklon service.

Meeting the needs of veterans and their families is the systematic work of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. One of the conditions for success on the way to the result is to find points of contact with valuable companies.

“Our priority is servicemen, which protect the country. It is important to understand that gratitude for the protection of you and me must be effective and it should be expressed at different levels. That is why we are fruitfully cooperating with the Uklon company. Gratitude should be timely,” says Nataliya Kalmykova, CEO of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.

The focus of cooperation is work on new opportunities for veterans, including at Uklon. Company co-founder Dmytro Dubrovskyi, who also became an ambassador of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, comments:

“As a business, it is our duty to do everything to ensure that Ukrainian veterans are protected as much as possible and receive incredible support on the way to reintegration into the new Ukrainian society. I call on all Ukrainian businesses to support, help and fight – together with veterans and for veterans,” says Dmytro Dubrovskyi.

The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs is a partner of Uklon among veterans and their families. Institutions already have experience in implementing a joint project. In particular, in April of this year, Uklon launched the “Inclusive” class. Veterans, defenders and all wheelchair users in Kyiv and the suburbs can move freely in specially equipped cars.

Dignified treatment and non-discrimination, in particular towards veterans and their families, are the basic approaches that teams already use in their work. Together we are empowering the strongest!

On June 22, a project presentation was held in Kyiv. Now, families of veterans can complete the quest and get their hands on a brand-new comic.

The CEO of the Ukraininan Veterans Foundation, Nataliia Kalmykova took part in the presentation and met with the project team:

➡ “The veteran returns to his community, to his house, to his street, to his family. We have to perceive this person as someone who went through his difficult experience together with his family. The issue of restoring ties with the family is fundamental. I hope that this project, the comic, will already help those who return from the war to go through this difficult path. We are proud to support such an important and profound idea.”

The idea of creating a comic came from veteran and active military serviceman Ilya Shpolyanskyi. Comic artist Oleksandr Koreshkov drew all the heroes of the comic in such a way that veterans could really recognize themselves in it, and children found it interesting and exciting. Patron the cat will give advice to families. Psychologist Olena Voznesenska helped make the advice really useful.

So, now everyone can register using the link and get the comic book “My dad returned from the war”. Let the comic become the key to understanding a veteran.

🔷 Link to the comic is available here: https://lnkd.in/eCDVEmSp

Today we introduce you to the participants of the Forum “Respect. Experience. Perspective”. These are indomitable veterans Denys Dudnyk, Taras Yakobchuk, Volodymyr Skosogorenko and the veteran’s wife Oksana Makarova. They will tell their stories at the Forum on June 27.

Oksana Makarova

An example of a strong and indomitable woman. Having lost everything, she started things over.

Oksana’s apartment in Mariupol was destroyed by “liberators”, and the most valuable things were looted or thrown away.

She had to live under shelling near the Drama Theater for more than 20 days.
Oksana and her 2-year-old son escaped and left for Lutsk.

Here she began to sew military equipment for her husband at the front, and later her own business gained momentum.

Denis Dudnyk

Today, he is the head of the “Tanto” psychological assistance hub in Irpin. The hub provides support to both veterans returning to civilian life and their family members.

The veteran did not choose such a mission by chance, because he himself faced challenges after participating in combat operations. In addition, during his life he managed to master several professions and started various businesses. Denys Dudnyk is one of those who know how important retraining and education are in the life of a veteran after returning.

Volodymyr Skosogorenko

A veteran in love with his own business. It creates garlic paste and black garlic.

The veteran could not go to the front in 2022 due to injuries previously received at the front. His business partners went to war. Volodymyr himself has an important task in his civilian life: to work, develop business and create jobs for fellow citizens.

Volodymyr knows that the socialization of soldiers can take years, but the work will help speed up and improve this process.

So, the veteran with great enthusiasm develops and promotes his own brand and works today for the future.

Taras Yakobchuk

He radically changed his field of activity after returning from the ATO. The veteran left his work on television and, together with his wife, plunged into the field of HoReCa. Their path to success was long and hard.

Taras says that it was his new job and opening his own business that helped him overcome the difficulties he faced after returning from war. The business of the Yakobchuks survived the pandemic and, despite everything, continues to develop during the war. Taras is not at the front due to injuries, but in the rear he continues to help the country in the fight: volunteering for the army, taxes for the economy, creating opportunities for brothers who will return from the front. Each of these projects was supported by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.

You can listen to the stories of formation, losses and gains of our veterans and their families online and offline. Registration to the forum is availiable at this link (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfg20M_ysjWuST4dK6D7FBHwkdKCwnRY6Iewzp1OD5dHaGXIw/viewform?pli=1).

The team of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation visited the regional military administrations of Lutsk and Rivne.

Vita Kostyk, Deputy Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, and Daniil Momot, specialist of the 1st category of the Department of Organizational Development and International and Regional Relations, told about the opportunities for veterans and their families.

Meetings in Rivne and Lutsk were attended by:

• representatives of the Regional Military Administrations
• public organizations that work with veterans and their families
• mass media
• representatives of territorial communities joined the event online

It was nice to see activity and sincere interest in our projects. Participants of the meeting asked questions in order to convey information to veterans and their families as accurately as possible. Together we discussed possible problems that concern them.

We believe that such meetings lay the foundation for interaction between the UVF, authorities and the public in the regions of Ukraine. They will help veterans quickly learn about where they can get legal consulations, psychological support, business financing and everything else that the Foundation offers.

What guarantees and benefits are provided for different categories of war veterans: the lawyers of the UVF explain Guarantees and benefits from the state are provided for various categories of war veterans.

Lawyers of the UVF consult veterans free of charge on the use of benefits and other issues. In order to get a consultation, you may follow the link and leave an application: https://cutt.ly/s9Asnpo

Requests for assistance can be submitted daily and around the clock. Lawyers consult on working days from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We have listed all benefits in pictures. Save this information and use It.

The Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine and the American University of Kyiv signed a Memorandum of Cooperation regarding the support and comprehensive protection of the interests of veterans of Ukraine, their family members, family members of fallen (deceased) war veterans and family members of fallen (deceased) defenders of Ukraine.

The official signing of the Memorandum took place on June 7, 2023 at the recently opened AUK Campus.

Why is it important?

“Education is a fundamental tool for the reintegration of veterans into civilian life. It opens up new opportunities, helps veterans develop the necessary skills to change careers or advance in the present. Education is a place for socialization, helping veterans establish new social connections and adapt to a “peaceful” life. Education helps ensure economic stability, increaces chances of finding a well-paid job…”.” — Ruslana Velychko-Tryfoniuk, First Deputy Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation.

In 2022, AUK launched a scholarship program for talented Ukrainian students – Build Solid Futures. It provides scholarships to students based on academic achievement, financial need and wartime scholarships as a contribution to the development of Ukraine’s youth, its resilience and commitment to freedom.

“Cooperation with the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine will be a significant contribution to the future of Ukrainian veterans and the families of fallen heroes. By signing this Memorandum, we certify that the implementation of joint programs and projects, created to support Ukrainian veterans and their family members is one of the key tasks and directions for American University Kyiv”, – emphasized Dan Rice, president of AUK.

As part of its scholarship program, AUK has two fully funded scholarships for wounded warriors and children of fallen heroes – those who lost their parents in war.

The number of scholarships for veterans is limited, stay tuned for details of the competition. We would like to add that in the study on the needs of veterans and active military personnel conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, 24.4% of the interviewed veterans indicated that they need support in getting an education now or will need It in the future. They also mentioned the possibility of retraining as an important tool of resocialization.

In partnership with the American University Kyiv, UVF creates conditions for advanced training and retraining of veterans, expands their opportunities and provides a tool for mastering a new profession after military service.

Частина команди Українського ветеранського фонду перебуває у США на навчанні на сертифікаційній програмі в Centre for Military Transition Raymond A. Mason School Of Business WILLIAM & MARY. 

The curriculum aims to integrate leadership and is based on the latest research on flourishing and development.
Ruslana Velychko-Tryfoniuk, First Deputy Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, comments on her participation in the program as follows:

“My goal is to study the transformation of a veteran in the process of transition from military to civilian life in practice. And then to actively implement the acquired knowledge and skills in the life of Ukraine.”

Already now, the participants of the program are considering the possibilities of accelerating the processes that will help to turn theoretical knowledge into practice faster.

What is known about the College of William and Mary

The William & Mary is a public research university in the city of Williamsburg.American presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler studied at the College, as well as such famous American figures as Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court John Marshall, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Henry Clay and 16 American statesmen who signed the Declaration of Independence.

The institution has an Office of Student Veteran Engagement and has launched a new certified program that prepares veterans and members of the intelligence community to transition into high-level civilian leadership positions.The Office of Student Veteran Involvement supports student veterans in a variety of ways, from supporting the efforts of student veteran organizations to helping with applications and obtaining benefits.

Staff assists in finding internship and employment opportunities, and coordinates initiatives across schools and programs, working to increase the number of veterans among the student body. Thanks to Jonathan L. Due and Volunteers for Ukraine, for making the participation of the Ukrainian delegation possible.