On March 2–3, 2026, the National Forum of Volunteer Councils was held in Lutsk, which brought together representatives of volunteer initiatives, public organizations, and charitable foundations from all regions of Ukraine. The participants discussed the future of the volunteer movement, the state's role in supporting it, and possible formats for interaction between the authorities and civil society.
The Kherson region was represented at the forum by Yurii Antoshchuk, head of the Kherson Regional Charitable Foundation "Union", and Oleksandra Knyga, head of the Charitable Foundation "KRYLA FOUNDATION".
The forum became one of the first platforms where representatives of the volunteer community from all regions of the country were able to openly discuss not only their own experience of work during the war, but also the issues of regulating volunteer activities, standardizing the activities of volunteer councils, and the role of the state in coordinating this area.
Open dialogue between volunteers and government representatives
The event was also attended by representatives of the central government, including the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine, and people's deputies of Ukraine, as well as representatives of donor organizations.
During the panel discussions, volunteers asked government officials direct and often critical questions:
- Does the state need stricter regulation of volunteer activities?
- How does the state see the role of volunteers in the humanitarian aid system?
- Whether the standardization of advisory bodies will lead to unnecessary bureaucracy.
In particular, the forum presented the volunteer development program and the future volunteer council under the Ministry of Social Policy, which should become a platform for interaction between the state and the volunteer sector.
Is a digital system needed for volunteers?
One of the topics of the discussion was the launch of the state platform “E-volonter”, which should become a tool for coordinating volunteer activities.
According to the government's plan, such a platform will allow you to see how many volunteers are working in the country, where they are involved, and how to coordinate their activities, as well as create a system of support and insurance for volunteers.
At the same time, the forum participants asked the following questions:
- Will such a system become a real tool for supporting volunteers?
- whether it risks turning into an additional mechanism of bureaucratic control,
- whether it will be safe for volunteers to register in the system, given the active phase of the war in the country.
Discussion of legislation and humanitarian activities
Separately, the forum participants discussed new legislative changes, in particular Law №4608-ІХ, which introduces the concept of a verified humanitarian organization and establishes new rules for humanitarian organizations engaged in humanitarian response and the import of vehicles as humanitarian aid.
Also during the forum, participants worked on a draft model regulation for volunteer councils, which can be created at the national and regional levels as advisory bodies for the interaction between the volunteer community and the state.
At the same time, many participants emphasized that the effectiveness of such bodies will depend not only on formal provisions but also on whether they have a real impact on decision-making.
The Kherson Region Experience: Intersectoral Cooperation at the Community Level
During his speeches, Yurii Antoshchuk presented the experience of cooperation between civil society and government bodies at the community level of the Kherson region:
“In the Kherson region, there is a Volunteer Council under the Kherson Regional Military Administration, but in fact, it is ineffective and currently not functioning. I shared with the participants our experience of intersectoral cooperation at the community level in the Kherson region, where representatives of the authorities, public organizations, the police, the State Emergency Service, and municipal institutions discuss community problems and seek solutions at the same table.
Is such interaction necessary at the regional level? Perhaps. But it is important to understand what results we want to achieve and whether such an advisory body will not turn into a political platform again.”
This approach, according to the forum participants, can be one of the ways intersectoral cooperation can work effectively - when it is focused on practical solutions for communities, rather than only on formal structures.
The National Forum of Volunteer Councils in Lutsk was the beginning of a broader discussion about the future of the volunteer movement in Ukraine. Participants agreed that volunteering during the war became a key pillar of Ukrainian society. At the same time, the issues of regulation, coordination, and interaction with the state remain open and require further discussion - with the participation of both state institutions and volunteers themselves.
