CHECKPOINT | UKRAINE

Project “Rehabilitation Space for Veterans of the Ukrainian Army “Checkpoint” (CHECKPOINT) aims to support the socialization and reintegration of Ukrainian army veterans and their families. The project is implemented together with Laboratory of Military and Political Research in Zaporizhzhia (LAB), a partner located in Ukraine’s region of Zaporizhzhia, and jointly supported by the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. Lithuania’s Central Project Management Agency is the project contracting authority.

CHECKPOINT’s objective is to establish a well-coordinated and cooperating system of institutions, qualified personnel and resources to facilitate a sustainable re-socialization of veterans and members of their families. A project-created spaces at the Rehabilitation Centre will provide a range of social services to their visitors including psychological, legal and job-related consultations, physical rehabilitation, social initiatives, and various activities for family veterans’ members, including children and teenagers. In addition, the project will train volunteers to work with the veteran community outside the CHECKPOINT project.

The project is targeting young Ukrainian war veterans between 18 and 35 years old focusing on their social re-integration, democratic participation and inclusion into the labour market.

Each day of the Russian war against Ukraine increases the number of war veterans. Many of them find the transition from military to civilian life difficult, and sometimes even traumatic. The need for emotional, psychological, physical and other types of support to help ease their reintegration is only rising. Rehabilitation of war veterans will remain one of the key  areas  of social interventions in Ukraine.

The Checkpoint project implemented in Zaporizhia will provide a range of social support services and activities to help Ukrainian military servants return to civilian life, and to support for their families during complicated periods of life. Checkpoint’s activities and initiatives will not just help war veterans improve their physical and psychological health, but will also build trust and understanding between different community groups.

“Checkpoint” will serve as a pilot initiative testing the viability of a proposed model and laying ground for potential expansion to establish a network of similar facilities throughout the region and, eventually, across Ukraine.