As part of the national project “Side by Side: United Communities,” an online meeting was held between representatives of the social protection sector from the Bakhmut and Hostomel communities on the topic “Together Toward Victory: Supporting Defenders and Their Families.”
Participants exchanged experiences in the field of social and veteran policy, discussed issues related to providing assistance to defenders, war veterans, and their families, as well as the organization of social services and support, and identified areas for further cooperation.
Inna Spodina, Head of the Department of Social Protection of the Population of the Bakhmut City Council, presented the solutions developed under the Program for the Social Protection and Support of War Veterans, Their Family Members, and the Family Members of Fallen (Deceased) War Veterans, as well as the Family Members of Fallen (deceased) Defenders of Ukraine from among the residents of the Bakhmut City Territorial Community for 2023–2026.
Special attention was paid to organizing assistance in the context of community displacement, ensuring the availability of necessary services, and addressing the needs of veterans and the families of defenders.
Larysa Kushnirenko, head of the veteran policy sector at the Gostomel Settlement Military Administration, shared the Gostomel community’s experience. During her presentation, “A Community for Veterans: A Space for Support and Digital Opportunities,” she spoke about creating an accessible environment for veterans, organizing work with them, and utilizing modern digital tools.
During the professional dialogue, representatives of the two communities addressed issues of social support, the provision of material and targeted assistance, cooperation among relevant institutions, and responding to the current needs of defenders and their families. Using specific case studies, they discussed the challenges faced by specialists and possible ways to overcome them.
Based on the meeting’s outcomes, they outlined areas for further inter-community cooperation.
For the Bakhmut community, which continues to provide social support to its residents in the context of displacement, it is particularly important to maintain access to social services and strengthen veteran policies. The experience of Gostomel, which has also endured extremely difficult trials during the war, is a valuable source of practical solutions and approaches that can be useful for the further development of the support system.
Based on materials from the Bakhmut City Council