In Service of Those Who Served: Towards a More Connected Veteran Support Ecosystem in Ukraine

Kyiv, 8 December 2025

A Validation Workshop titled “In Service of Those Who Served: Understanding the Veteran Support Ecosystem in Ukraine” was held in Kyiv to collectively review and refine the preliminary findings of a nationwide study conducted by Open Space Works Ukraine in partnership with Pro Peace Ukraine and the Ukrainian Defenders Leadership Center (NaUKMA).

The event brought together service providers, veteran-led organisations, peer-support networks, local authorities, government representatives, and civil-society actors. The purpose was to strengthen the accuracy, contextual relevance, and shared ownership of the study’s results through participatory analysis and dialogue.

The research explores how Ukraine’s evolving ecosystem of veteran support functions in practice — from psychosocial assistance and reintegration services to education, employment, and local initiatives.

The Validation Workshop aimed to:

1. Verify and contextualise the study’s initial findings.
2. Strengthen collaboration and shared responsibility among stakeholders.
3. Co-develop practical, actionable recommendations to enhance coordination and accessibility of veteran and family support services.

Facilitation and presentation of results were led by Sasha Tselishcheva, Oleh Ovcharenko, Nataliia Harasivka, and Maryana Zaviyska (online) — representing the Open Space Works Ukraine team.

Photo by Vitalii Pavlenko

Key Insights from the discussions:

1. Veteran community as the cornerstone of support. Participants emphasised that peer-to-peer veteran communities remain among the most effective mechanisms for psychological and social reintegration. Physical spaces and educational events provide a sense of belonging and shared identity.

2. Trust and stigma remain systemic barriers. Lack of trust — towards civilian professionals, state services, and digital systems — remains a major challenge. Stigmatisation of veterans was described as “the root of the problem,” creating invisible walls of misunderstanding and limiting access to jobs, education, and services.

3. Education as a bridge between military and civilian life. Educational and professional programmes serve not only as tools for reskilling but also as forms of psychological recovery and social reintegration. However, for younger veterans who joined the army straight after school, long academic pathways are unrealistic. There is a growing need for short, practical, skill-oriented programmes that recognise existing military competencies such as teamwork, leadership, and crisis management.

4. Information gaps and fragmentation. Participants identified lack of information as a central barrier. Despite the existence of multiple online platforms, there is no single, trusted source. The group called for creating an integrated “single point of truth” — a unified platform consolidating all veteran-related opportunities, services, and programmes.

5. Coordination and the human factor. Systemic gaps in coordination persist between military, governmental, and civil-society actors.Participants proposed developing a standard referral mechanism between military units and support specialists, and building an interactive national map of veteran services and opportunities.

Photo by Vitalii Pavlenko

Recommendations developed during the workshop

For national authorities

• Translate successful civil-society practices into state policy.
• Establish a single entry point for veterans and families seeking support.
• Institutionalise data transfer from Territorial Recruitment Centres to communities upon demobilisation.
• Develop and maintain a national coordination platform for veteran-related initiatives.

For local communities

• Promote adaptive sports clubs and local competitions to foster inclusion.
• Share success stories and build cross-community collaboration.
• Involve veterans and their families in local decision-making and social policy design.

For case managers and support specialists

• Ensure ongoing training, supervision, and adequate remuneration.
• Introduce clear performance and effectiveness criteria for support work.

For military units and Recruitment Centres (TRC)

• Guarantee continuous support for veterans throughout the transition from service to civilian life.
• Include employment and entrepreneurship counselling in the demobilisation process.

Next Steps. The validated insights and recommendations will be incorporated into the final report of the study, providing evidence-based guidance for government institutions, veteran organisations, and international partners seeking to strengthen Ukraine’s veteran support ecosystem.

Media and stakeholders contact: Open Space Works Ukraine, contact@openspace.works, openspace.works, +380 93 665 5097

Photo by Vitalii Pavlenko

Photo by Vitalii Pavlenko

Photo by Vitalii Pavlenko

Photo by Vitalii Pavlenko