Representatives of five communities in the Kherson region, where the Working Groups of Public Safety and Recovery are active, took part in a study visit to communities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions. From October 12 to 16, 2026, participants explored practices to support veterans and their families, organize social services, promote civic engagement, and strengthen cross-sector cooperation.
The Kherson region was represented by the communities of Kherson, Chornobaivka, Vysokopillia, Velyka Oleksandrivka, and Kochubeivka. The delegation included representatives of local self-government bodies, social services, veteran hubs, specialists supporting veterans and demobilized persons, and civil society organizations.
The study visit was organized as part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine’s Regional Recovery Project Portfolio, with support from the Government of Switzerland.
From Veteran Hubs to a Comprehensive Support System
The study visit program covered seven localities across the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions: Dnipro, Slobozhanske, Samar, Kamianske, Mykolaiv, Voznesensk, and Buzke.
In Dnipro, participants learned about the activities of the Titans veteran hub and the TITANY.UA project, with a particular focus on cooperation among local authorities, the veteran community, and civil society organizations.
In the Slobozhanske community, they explored the integrated delivery of social services, the work of the Administrative Services Center (ASC), the implementation of the “I Am a Veteran” service, and the Mobile Administrator service. In Samar, they visited the Territory of Opportunities veteran center, a Resilience Center, and social adaptation and integration spaces for internally displaced persons.
Particular attention was given to the experience of Kamianske, where participants learned about the operating model of the municipal veteran hub, the results of a pilot project on the social adaptation of veterans and their families, and practices for cooperation between the police and the community.
In the Mykolaiv region, the delegation explored the experience of the Voznesensk community, where veteran support extends beyond a specialized hub to include adaptive sports, physical and social rehabilitation, vocational retraining, and pathways back into economic activity. In Buzke, participants discussed the specific challenges of establishing a veteran hub in a small rural community.
In Mykolaiv, participants visited the municipal center supporting war veterans and training workshops that provide opportunities for vocational adaptation and retraining.
An important part of the visit was the exchange of experience on ensuring the sustainable operation of veteran facilities, coordinating different service providers, and securing funding from local budgets and international partners.
Experience That Can Be Adapted in the Kherson Region
For representatives of the Kherson region, the question of implementing these approaches in communities that continue to operate amid persistent security threats and limited resources was particularly relevant.
Viktor Kuliush, Director of the Velyka Oleksandrivka Municipal Veteran Hub, highlighted the practical value of learning directly from other communities’ experience.
“Although some communities have larger budgets and others have smaller ones, it is still possible to organize this work by adapting what we have seen to our own capabilities. You cannot understand the challenges people face when establishing and running these facilities simply by sitting in an office. You need to visit, see things for yourself, and talk to people. We exchanged contact details and will stay in touch, as our colleagues are willing to share their experience,” Viktor Kuliush said.
Olena Baranova, a specialist supporting war veterans and demobilized persons at the Kherson City Social Services Center for Families, Children, and Youth, also emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to supporting veterans.
“What impressed me most was how the veteran hub worked with the city authorities and donors. It is very important for the city to ensure continuity of operations, including support for staff, because donor funding may end. It is also extremely convenient when different services are available in one place. It is currently difficult for Kherson to implement such a model in full, but I hope that a comprehensive center like this will eventually be established in our city,” Olena Baranova shared.
Veteran Policy as Part of Public Safety and Recovery
The participation of Kherson region representatives in the study visit builds on ongoing efforts to strengthen local mechanisms for supporting veterans and their families.
In communities across the region, the membership of Public Safety and Recovery Working Groups is gradually expanding. Specialists supporting veterans, representatives of the veteran community, social services, and institutions responsible for implementing veteran policy are increasingly becoming involved in their work.
According to Yurii Antoshchuk, Head of the Kherson Regional Charitable Fund “UNION” and coordinator of the network of Working Groups of Public Safety and Recovery in the Kherson region, this approach enables the integration of veteran policy into broader community development and recovery processes.
“Veteran policy is cross-cutting and is not limited to the work of veteran hubs, healthcare facilities, or specialized government departments. It encompasses social protection, education, employment, accessibility, public safety, economic development, and participation in decision-making. That is why our working groups are expanding their activities by involving specialists who support veterans and representatives of the veteran community. Veterans bring their own experience, skills, and leadership potential, making them an important human resource for community development. Their participation is essential not only for identifying support needs but also for jointly developing solutions, planning recovery, and implementing local initiatives. It is crucial to us that the veteran community be directly involved in these processes rather than merely receiving services,” Yurii Antoshchuk noted.
From Experience Sharing to New Projects
The experience gained during the study visit will support the continued efforts of Kherson region communities to develop local support systems for veterans and their families.
This includes improving cooperation among local authorities, social and healthcare institutions, veteran hubs, civil society organizations, and the veteran community itself.
One potential practical outcome is the development of new project proposals by the participating communities for a UNDP grant competition to support the reintegration of veterans and their family members.
“The study visit allowed us to see practical solutions that are already working in other communities and assess how they could be adapted to our own circumstances. The next step is to discuss these practices at working group meetings, identify priorities together with the veteran community, and prepare realistic project proposals. The UNDP grant competition supporting the reintegration of veterans and their families offers an opportunity to put these plans into action,” Yurii Antoshchuk added.
The study visit also helped establish direct contacts between representatives of communities from different regions. This creates opportunities for continued experience sharing, consultations, and joint efforts to develop solutions that can be implemented even with limited financial and human resources.
The event was organized as part of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine’s Regional Recovery Project Portfolio, with support from the Government of Switzerland.
