Meetings of the updated Working Groups on Community Engagement were held in the Velyka Oleksandrivka, Vysokopillia, Kochubeiivka, and Novovorontsovka communities of the Kherson region. Participants discussed key challenges, identified development priorities, and agreed on next steps for cooperation as part of UNDP's new phase of community support.
Representatives from military administrations, town and village councils, municipal utilities, the local fire department, community police officers, veterans’ and youth groups, civil society organizations, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine joined the discussion.
From Public Safety to Comprehensive Development
Previously, the working groups focused primarily on public safety. Now they are becoming multi-tasking advisory bodies. To ensure effective coordination and avoid duplication of efforts, the groups invite experts in veteran policy, social protection, administrative services, healthcare, and economic recovery, as well as active youth and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
During the meetings, participants identified key areas of cooperation with UNDP for the next three years:
- local governance and quality administrative services;
- the rule of law and public safety;
- citizen engagement (in particular, the integration of IDPs);
- reintegration of veterans and veterans’ policy;
- support for youth initiatives;
- development of healthcare, social services, and the economy;
- environmental protection.
Focus on Supporting Veterans and New Opportunities
One of the priorities for the near future will be developing local veteran policy strategies. Strategic sessions will soon be held in communities to develop effective plans to support veterans and to establish new and existing veteran spaces.
The UNDP team also presented current grant opportunities in the area of access to justice. For its part, the Union Foundation announced upcoming events for communities:
- social mapping to identify informal leaders;
- an online course on inclusive solutions and barrier-free reconstruction;
- trainings for employees of Administrative Service Centers and government agencies on communicating with veterans;
- hands-on training sessions on project proposal writing conducted directly on-site.
Participants in the meetings emphasized that effective community recovery requires constant dialogue between authorities, civil society organizations, international partners, and, most importantly, community residents. It is precisely this kind of cooperation that enables better addressing people’s needs and finding common solutions, even in areas close to the combat zone.
The grant initiative is implemented by the Kherson Regional Charitable Foundation "Union" within the framework of EU4Recovery - a flagship partnership of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.
