Presentation of the Young Veterans Ukraine communication platform at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Young Veterans Ukraine is a communication platform aimed at supporting young Ukrainian veterans, their families and IDPs. It was founded by four non-governmental organizations: “Chas Diyi, SOS Ukraine, Smart Media, and Ukrainian Veterans.
“After the war is over, according to various sources, from 1 to 5 million veterans are expected to return home and integrate into civilian life. The platform was founded as a response to this challenge. In strategic terms, support for veteran businesses should become a priority of state policy. There is no other way,” says Oleksandra Shchukina, head of Smart Media NGO.
The platform will become a platform where information that will be useful to all stakeholders is collected.
“The services the platform will provide are primarily information on training, grants and funding, and international support. This is an opportunity to find a job, because we will collect proposals from companies and have partners. For businesses, it is an opportunity to emphasize their socially oriented component and work with vulnerable groups. Businesses will receive information about opportunities and benefits from the state, banks, etc.”, Artem Kasparyan, head of the NGO ‘Ukrainian Veterans’. Dovydas Vitkauskas, an international expert, is convinced that there are actions that should be taken now, rather than waiting for the war to end. The Young Veterans Ukraine platform can become a platform that engages different institutions and brings together different people, including international organizations, who are ready to help Ukraine's economic development.
“We study the experience of different countries, but the situation in Ukraine is unique and requires new approaches. By launching the platform, we want to make it clear that veteran policies and the integration of people into civilian life should be addressed today,” said Dovydas Vitkauskas.
In order to be effective for veterans, it is necessary to know their needs well and be in constant contact.
“Our organization CHAS DIY has extensive experience working with the military and veterans, we know their needs and problems. We work closely with the military and can clearly articulate what they need, and thus be more effective,” said Oksana Alekseeva, head of the NGO ‘CHAS DIY’.