On 25 November, the Office for Employment and Education of Veterans opened in Mykolaiv. It is a municipal space created as a support centre for people returning from the front and their families. Its creation was the result of cooperation between the Mykolaiv Development Agency, local and international organisations, and the city authorities, with financial support from the German Government and UNDP.
During the opening ceremony, Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych welcomed the guests and emphasised that the community is committed to long-term solutions in the field of veteran policy. According to him, this office should become a place where military personnel can not only receive services, but also feel supported and empowered to move forward.
The need for such spaces has long been apparent. In the last six months alone, as part of the project ‘Reintegration of war veterans through the creation of educational opportunities: “Ours for Ourselves”’, implemented by the NGO “Adult Training and Education Center “Pivden” and the Mykolaiv Development Agency in cooperation with the DVV International Representative Office in Ukraine and Children’s Villages International, more than 220 veterans, female veterans and their family members have already received support, and specialists have provided more than 250 hours of psychological, legal, business and rehabilitation consultations. Legal consultations are in high demand, with 96 hours provided, as well as 60 hours of business navigation and 55 hours of psychological support.
International partners played an important role in launching the office. Maximilian Rausch, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to Ukraine, noted that the development of local veteran hubs is part of broader support for a democratic and European Ukraine. Monica Rizal, Deputy Permanent Representative of UNDP in Ukraine, emphasised that this is not just about renovating premises, but about creating a new infrastructure to support people returning to civilian life. Iryna Tyrel, coordinator of DVV International in Ukraine, stressed that the opening of such spaces is only possible thanks to the synergy between the German government, international
organisations and public initiatives.
The new office is equipped so that veterans can not only receive counselling, but also study, work in groups, attend therapy sessions or simply socialise with each other. There are offices for a psychologist and a lawyer, a room for individual consultations, a space for group work, a children’s room, a cooking area and a toilet. There are plans to open a large training hall.
The total budget for setting up the office was $102,600. This made it possible not only to renovate the premises but also to equip them with everything necessary for specialists to work and conduct classes.
Viktor Sykalenko, Director of the Mykolaiv Development Agency, emphasised:
“We are opening the office so that veterans and their families can receive the support they really need: legal, psychological, educational, and professional. For many organisations, this is also an opportunity to hold their events here, as not all of them have their own premises or equipment. We are already building cooperation with partners who will work in this space on a daily basis. It will be a lively hub, and it will work for the community every day.”
After the grand opening, a networking meeting and workshop entitled “Education and employment of veterans and their families: challenges and solutions” took place. Representatives of the city authorities, UNDP, DVV International, civil society organisations and veterans themselves discussed the barriers faced by military personnel upon their return, labour market demand and the lack of educational opportunities in Mykolaiv. Participants worked in groups, analysed case studies and developed proposals for future programmes of the office — from retraining to self-employment and social entrepreneurship.
Office information telephone number: 075 614 9928.
The office was established as part of initiatives implemented with the financial support of the German Government. These include the projects “Creation of support centres for veterans and residents of the Mykolaiv region”, implemented by the NGO “Economic Development Agency” with the assistance of UNDP in Ukraine, and “Ours for Ours”, which is being implemented by the NGO “Adult Training and Education Center “Pivden” and the Mykolaiv Development Agency in cooperation with the DVV International Representative Office in Ukraine and the SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine Charitable Foundation.
Photo: Mykolaiv Development Agency