“We have a common goal to move towards”: Representatives of 24 Ukrainian communities visited Lviv to learn from the experience of the city's recovery and development

With the support of the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the NGO “Mariupol Reborn,” the Community Recovery Academy project was launched. Its goal is to train municipal teams for the phase of recovery of the war-affected communities. The program is based on best cases of post-war territorial development and international best practices, which are helping communities to form a vision of the future, protect their interests and implement initiatives at various levels.

One of the key stages of this project was the third module, “Preserving Community, Returning People and Overcoming Social Conflicts.” Participants had the opportunity to explore approaches to fostering social cohesion, strategies for bringing people back to their hometowns, and methods for dealing with the consequences of traumatic experiences.

Lviv as an example of a cohesive community

The two-day workshop in Lviv became an important stage of the training program. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the city has become a humanitarian hub that has received more than 150,000 IDPs from the temporarily occupied territories and regions where active hostilities are ongoing. Lviv has not only organized effective assistance, but has also become an example of a cohesive community capable of adapting to new challenges.

The first day of the workshop was held on the “Mariupol.Reborn” platform, where participants worked on the topic of human capital audit and HR policy. Olha Doronina, Doctor of Economics, Professor and expert in management psychology, spoke about creating an effective HR policy, particularly in the context of working with veterans.

Max Stukalo, a veteran and volunteer, also shared his experience, emphasizing the importance of adapting the military to civilian life. He highlighted significant differences between the military and civilian spheres: in procedures, communications and approaches to performing tasks. Max underlined that effective socialization of veterans requires support from the community so that they can integrate smoothly into civilian society and find their place in it.

Rehabilitation and social integration

The second day of the workshop was devoted to studying practical experience of Lviv in working with veterans and war-affected people. Participants visited the “Unbroken” Prosthetics Centre, which manufactures prostheses for the military and civilians. They also learned about the activities of the "Unbroken" Rehabilitation Centre, where veterans undergo treatment and rehabilitation.

Oleh Bilyansky, Head of the “Unbroken” National Rehabilitation Centre, noted that a large team of specialists works daily at the Centre and uses a team approach to treating patients. Currently, each patient at the Centre receives comprehensive care from 5 to 15 specialists. An individual rehabilitation program is developed for each patient, taking into account all needs and capabilities. The comprehensive approach involves a team of specialists working together at the same level to ensure the best results for each patient.

“Would you like to have a specialist like this working with your mother?” – this is the question that Oleh Bilyansky asks everyone he personally hires to work with veterans.

Oleksandr Kobzarev, Executive Director of the “Unbroken” Foundation, also spoke about the importance of uniting efforts in working with victims and restoring infrastructure. He emphasized that the rehabilitation program in Lviv is a unique example of effective approach to working with veterans and people in need of assistance after the war.

Veterans in communities: opportunities, not problems

The Lviv City Council is actively implementing strategies to help veterans through its own programs covering various areas of life, from medical services and rehabilitation to employment. Andrii Zholob, Head of the Centre for Assistance to Defenders in Lviv, noted that cooperation between the community, NGOs and businesses plays a crucial role in supporting veterans.

Space for reflection and preservation of cultural heritage

Apart from working on municipal recovery strategies, participants also had the opportunity to devote time to reflection and understanding of the cultural dimension of recovery. An important part of this was a meeting with representatives of the “City of Mary” team, who promote the cultural heritage of Mariupol and talk about the city that is currently under occupation. Mariya Slyota, the Project Manager, shared the team's achievements and highlighted the importance of preserving cultural identity even in the most difficult times. It is cultural initiatives such as exhibitions, public events and commemorative events that help not only draw attention to the city's tragedy, but also keep Mariupol residents connected to their heritage. This exchange provided a space for reflection and interaction between the communities. The workshop’s participants both reflected on the importance of cultural memory in the recovery process and developed ideas for future exhibition projects, which will help preserve the voices of those who were forced to leave their homes and remind them of the cities that need to be returned.

The Community Recovery Academy program helps municipal teams gain the practical knowledge necessary to effectively rebuild their cities. The main outcome of such initiatives is not only recovery of physical infrastructure, but also social cohesion, which forms the basis for resilience of each community. An important point in this process is to understand that each participant must become the voice of their community, defending its interests and contributing to restoration of the cultural and social fabric that forms foundation for the future.

“We don't need pity, because our motivation to restore and develop is much stronger than any difficulties,” said one of the workshop’s participants.

The common goal of restoring and strengthening communities unites Ukrainians, helping them to create their sustainable and resilient future.

The Community Recovery Academy, founded by the Association of Ukrainian Cities and the NGO “Mariupol.Reborn”, aims at training municipal managers for the recovery period. The project is implemented with the support of the British Embassy Kyiv under the UK International Development program and the International Republican Institute (IRI Ukraine) in partnership with Metinvest and SCM. The academic partners of the project are Metinvest Polytechnic and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.