From individual consultations to training sessions for dozens of participants, our teams continued to work in communities in July to support social protection institutions and those affected by the war. Additionally, we now provide methodological and advisory support upon request to specialists of pension funds who have been authorized by the Ministry of Social Policy to grant subsistence assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Read a few stories about the work of our regional teams.
Rivnenska Oblast: We helped an internally displaced person from Donetsk restore her living allowance payments after she briefly returned to her hometown. Specifically, we provided a step-by-step guide on how to restore the payments and advised her on where to submit the relevant application.
Chernihivska Oblast: We advised an internally displaced person on how to apply for compensation for damaged housing when the property is co-owned by several individuals. We explained that since the property is jointly owned, agreement and coordination among the co-owners are mandatory for applying for compensation.
Sumska Oblast: We helped an internally displaced person from the village of Yunakivka begin the process of obtaining a housing certificate for her home that was destroyed by a missile home. We explained the procedure for registering an application for the certificate, including how to conduct a remote inspection of the destroyed property, as the village of Yunakivka is located in an active combat zone.
Chernivetska Oblast: With our support, the Mamaivska, Khotynska, and Novoselytska communities updated their social passports — a document that helps communities identify residents’ needs for social services and assess their own capacity to provide them. In short, a social passport is about finding donors and investors, planning expenditures, and efficiently allocating resources. This year, we are helping 35 communities create these passports.
Mykolaivska Oblast: We presented on the legal regulation of personal data protection at a seminar for representatives of social protection departments, social service centers of the Pivdennoukrainska, Arbuzynska, and Oleksandrivska communities, and the Pension Fund of the city of Pivdennoukrainsk. The deputy chief of the Pivdennoukrainsk police department, Vitalii Kravtsov, joined the event. He shared recommendations and practical case studies, which helped strengthen inter-agency cooperation.
Ivano-Frankivska Oblast: We organized a workshop titled “Upholding the Right to Information While Performing Official Duties” for representatives of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Employment Center. Participants learned how to respond to information requests and citizen appeals while avoiding systemic errors. After the event, we received an additional request to conduct a similar workshop for district employment centers.
Kirovohradska and Donetska Oblasts: We conducted training sessions on digital literacy and cyber hygiene for social sector employees in these oblasts. We focused on their real-world needs, from working with Google Docs to the secure use of electronic signatures and two-factor authentication. Following the training and an assessment, the average digital competency score of participants increased by 21% and 13%, respectively.
Kyivska, Zhytomyrska, Mykolaivska, Odeska, Ternopilska, Kharkivska, Khersonska, Khmelnytska, Cherkaska, and Chernihivska Oblasts: We conducted training for specialists from social protection institutions in these oblasts on counseling and providing services to people seeking social assistance in a state of crisis. Thanks to the skills they acquired, these specialists in the regions will be able to build dialogue more effectively with recipients of social services in conditions of crisis and war.
In future posts, we will tell you about the technical assistance that communities have received from our Foundation.
We help improve the work of the social protection system in target communities thanks to the Support to the Capacity of Government Institutions and Local Communities to Strengthen Social Protection Systems in Ukraine project, implemented with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.