A meeting of the Working Group on Public Safety and Recovery was held in the Bilozerka community. The participants identified the current needs and priorities for community development amid a difficult security situation. The event brought together representatives of local authorities, institutions, public organizations, and various services that work together to improve residents' safety and quality of life.
One of the key areas of discussion was the current security situation and response measures. Among the main aspects:
- protection from drones,
- ensuring fire safety,
- security in educational institutions,
- protection of critical infrastructure,
- installation of mobile shelters,
- searching for opportunities to purchase transport for evacuation and work.
The second block of discussion concerned community development and population support:
- Development of veteran policy: support for veterans and their families, including psychological and legal assistance, employment, retraining, rehabilitation of children of veterans, and career guidance.
- Ensuring energy independence of the community through the installation of solar panels on wells, medical and educational institutions, as well as small-capacity cogeneration units for administrative buildings.
- Restoration and improvement of water supply in settlements of the community.
Special attention was paid to the possibility of conducting a comprehensive risk analysis in the community. The experience of the Union Foundation in the Chornobaivka and Kherson communities within the Impulse Project, implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation and the East Europe Foundation with funding from Norway (Norad) and Sweden (Sida), was presented.
Such analysis allows:
- to strengthen public safety – through the development of joint solutions and local initiatives;
- to attract international funding – thanks to the availability of substantiated data and analytics.
The methodology includes:
- in-depth research among residents;
- consultations with various target groups;
- identification and structuring of risks;
- expert assessment and preparation of practical recommendations.
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For the Bilozerka community, this approach can be an effective tool for strategic planning, though it requires active involvement from both local authorities and residents.
Effective response to challenges and community recovery are possible only with close cooperation between authorities, services, the public sector, and residents themselves. Such interaction enables joint funding of important initiatives amid reduced donor support due to security risks.
