In October, the team of our project supporting the capacity of the social protection system continued working in target communities across 23 oblasts. During the month, we held 75 events for social sphere institutions, IDP Councils, and war-affected individuals — from strategic sessions to inter-oblast forums. Here are the key results of the project’s work.
Support for Communities and Social Protection Institutions:
- 6 seminars on social services and social entrepreneurship in Ukraine, providing social services to IDPs under the “money follows the person” principle, personal data (collection, processing, storage, ensuring protection, confidentiality, and integrity while performing official duties), and specifics of communication with vulnerable population groups within the social protection system;
- 2 workshops on drafting local targeted programs;
- Monitoring of 16 relocated social protection institutions of Dnipropetrovska and Donetska Oblasts;
- 3 working group meetings on determining population needs for social services and developing social passports in communities, during which medium-term plans for the development of the social protection system at the local level were finalized;
- 5 roundtables based on the results of work in communities within the project: social passports of communities and draft medium-term plans for the development of the social protection system at the local level were presented (relevant resolutions to city/settlement/village councils were adopted based on public discussion results).
“The Social Sphere During Wartime” Forums
In October, we held 2 forums titled “The Social Sphere During Wartime: Regional Experience, Challenges, and Prospects”: on October 3 in Dnipro (for communities of Dnipropetrovska and Zaporizka Oblasts), and on October 29 in Poltava (for communities of Poltavska, Kharkivska, and Kirovohradska Oblasts).
Representatives from central and local state authorities, local self-government bodies, civil society organizations, and social services participated in the dialogue. Tetiana Kiriienko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, spoke at the Poltava forum. In her speech, Tetiana Kiriienko emphasized the need to develop innovative solutions to help overcome current challenges in social policy.
The events enabled the professional community to exchange experiences, enhance cross-sectoral communication, and develop initiatives to prepare for the challenges of internal displacement.
Support for IDP Councils:
- 7 strategic sessions;
- 13 events for coordinating the work of IDP Councils, mentoring support (including participation in IDP Council meetings);
- 8 capacity-building trainings for IDP Councils on effective interaction between IDP Councils and authorities (access to public information and citizens’ appeals), the impact of IDP Councils on improving support for displaced persons, and the analysis and evaluation of local targeted programs regarding the inclusion and addressing of IDP needs.
Forums for IDP Councils
As part of our activities in October, we organized 2 interregional forums involving leaders of IDP Councils, representatives of authorities, and the civil society sector. The Western Ukrainian Forum of IDP Councils took place on October 9–10 in Lviv, uniting Council members from eight oblasts: Volynska, Zakarpatska, Ivano-Frankivska, Lvivska, Rivnenska, Ternopilska, Khmelnytska, and Chernivetska.
On October 22–23, the Southern Ukrainian Forum of IDP Councils took place in Odesa, joined by representatives of IDP Councils from Mykolaivska, Odeska, and Khersonska Oblasts.
Success stories from various regions and accounts of shared challenges overcome by IDP Councils across the country were heard at the forums. All these events served as platforms for strengthening ties, exchanging experiences, and forming a shared vision for the development of IDP Councils over the coming years.
Support for IDPs
We conducted 3 educational and information meetings for IDPs (use of housing certificates for destroyed housing, the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U), and opportunities for IDPs and the affected population).
Additionally, on October 23, our team in Vinnytska Oblast took part in the “Forum of Opportunities for IDPs.” During the panel discussion “Challenges and Opportunities for IDPs in Vinnytska Oblast,” our regional social specialist covered the topic “Housing Stocks and Their Filling.” During the educational session, the regional lawyer explained how to correctly process documents for compensation or housing restoration. The event was hosted by the Department of Social and Youth Policy of the Vinnytska Oblast Military Administration with the assistance of the Charity Organization “Charity Foundation ‘Stabilization Support Services’.” It was co-funded by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.
Legal Consultations
During October, our legal team provided 2,103 consultations. IDPs, social service providers, and representatives of communities and IDP Councils received legal support. 250 people received legal aid during field consultations in remote communities.
We will continue to support the improvement of the social protection system in target communities. We implement these initiatives through the Support to the Capacity of Government Institutions and Local Communities to Strengthen Social Protection Systems in Ukraine project, which is supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.