The "Manifesto of the Strong" premiere united Ukrainian business representatives in support of veterans with amputations

On March 21, the long-awaited social video "Manifesto of the Strong" premiere with Oleksandr Chaika in the main role took place at the Planeta Kino cinema in the Blockbuster mall. Sasha was one of the first Ukrainian defenders to receive a high-tech prosthesis in the US under our prosthetics and rehabilitation program for Ukrainian veterans. 

The idea and implementation of the social video project belong to the Luminance Production studio. The full video shooting processes and production were conducted at the benefactors’ cost. 

The premiere screening gathered more than 150 guests. Also, it became a platform for a panel discussion on the topic of helping veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war in adapting to civilian life, as well as about challenges Ukrainian companies face in employing veterans with disabilities. 

Representatives of Ukrzaliznytsia, Work.ua, Prom.ua, Veteran Hub, TMS Hub, All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine, athletes and workers of spheres, and Kyiv Academy of Media Arts (KAMA) participated in the discussion. The event focused on the problems that veterans with disabilities face when seeking jobs, the solutions, and where to ask for help. After all, the majority of people in the Ukrainian army are from the rural area. The employment situation there is much worse than in big cities. 

"We want to hear the experience of the business representatives and find the point from which new type of help in the social integration of veterans with disabilities will be born," said Olena Nikolaienko, President of the FFU in the United States and volunteer curator of strategy and development for the FFU International, during her introductory speech.

From left to right: Oleksii Dernov, Olena Nikolaienko, Dmytro Bondarenko, Serhii Pohosian

 

Challenges the Ukrainian veterans faced on

The participant in the FFU prosthetics program, Oleksii Dernov in civil life worked as a train driver for Ukrzaliznytsia. When the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine started, he entered the service of the 37th separate marine infantry brigade. Oleksii said that after the amputation of his hand, he could no longer perform his regular duties. "Simply, even standing the whole working day is a big burden for me now," adds Oleksii.

Oleksii Dernov after giving his speech

According to Dmytro Bondarenko from The All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Ukraine's Defenders, Athletes, and Industry Workers, veteran life is divided into "before" and "after" the injury. In addition, there is a long period of rehabilitation approaching the veteran after the amputation. Using his case as an example, Dmytro told how paper bureaucracy and the lack of assistance mechanisms for self-employed veterans complicate everything.

The main discussion points: 

• The main task that our society and Ukrainian companies face is to return veterans the lost professional opportunities due to the war;
• Adaptation is needed not only by veterans but also by society, in particular, companies in the labor market in Ukraine;
• A person often loses many of his physical abilities after an injury. Therefore, veterans with amputations cannot apply for most vacancies that are suitable for a healthy person;
• Before entering the service in the army many soldiers held high working positions, had a constant income, and certain obligations, for example, to keep the family. On the emotional level, it is tough to realize that you’re no longer able to reach the same income with a disability. Therefore, the goal is not just to provide a job to a veteran, but also to return him to lost opportunities. Educational courses for retraining will come in handy.
• For all ex-servicemen without exception, it is crucial to have a job not as a formality, such as quotas for disabled people provided for by law. They want to be really helpful! 
• The majority of the people in the army came from different regions of Ukraine. Therefore, it is extremely important to bring inclusive policies to regional companies and enterprises.
• Many Ukrainian companies want to return their mobilized coworkers. Their interest will sustainably grow when they have more positive experiences.

 

Projects in Ukraine that support veterans:

• Ukrzaliznytsia is one of the largest employers in Ukraine. Today, 10,260 railway workers are undergoing military service. 880 of them have already returned to work, and 20-30% of the railway workers have disabilities. Injured railway workers are supported by the Ukrzaliznytsia special center until their return to work. According to Oleksandra Adainik, manager of the Social Policy Department of JSC “Ukrainian Railway”, if the railway worker's health does not allow them to return to the previous job position, a new one will be sought for him, taking into account the request of the injured worker. Additional training may also be offered, or a new position may be introduced without breaking the law. The main thing is the desire to work for the veteran concerned.
   
• In March 2023, one of the biggest job seek platforms Work.ua launched the volunteer project "Nazustrich", which helps veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war with employment. According to Anastasiia Rozlutska, the Head of the Project, there are more than 7,000 vacancies on the Work.ua platform today, which clearly indicates the company’s willingness to hire veterans. That means they have proper inclusive conditions, and their team is trained to communicate with people who have been through combat operations and have been injured. It is mostly big business.
   
• The largest Ukrainian marketplace platform team, Prom.ua, is also convinced that much more important to prepare the company and its staff for hiring a veteran, than the veteran himself. "There are still a lot of prejudices and stigmas about people returning from the front," says Anna Kivliuk, Head of the Veterans' Reintegration Project.
   
• The project “Praktyka” at the Veteran Hub has been operating on the issue of veteran integration since 2018. During this time, over 27,000 legal, psychological, and job search consultations were conducted. The project helps companies become veteran-friendly, overcome stigmas related to the employment of disabled people, and act as an intermediary between veterans and businesses. Anastasiia Pigarieva, the Project Manager, mentioned that now there is a high demand for personal training for staff from Ukrainian companies. The Hub received applications from more than 130 companies that are eager to create the most friendly environment possible for veterans with amputations, and people in wheelchairs.
   
• Serhii Pohosian, Director of TMS Hub and TMS Rehabilitation, said that the vector of work has generally changed with time. Initially, it was planned to work only with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) in the military, but now there is a request from companies to conduct seminars specifically with civilians on the topic of how to communicate with military personnel. Another focus at TMS Hub is rehabilitation through sports, particularly through the Brazilian martial art of jiu-jitsu.

Considering Serhii’s words, PTSD occurs not only in the military but also in the majority of Ukrainian civilians who have been living in a full-scale war for more than 2 years. An employer who hires a person with post-traumatic stress disorder must set aside certain hours for her or him to rest during the working day.

According to a survey by Work.ua, among 2,000 interviewee companies in Ukraine, 57% expressed readiness to hire veterans for work, 48% of companies stated that their workplaces have barrier-free access for people with disabilities, and 33% are partially equipped. Only 8% of companies have psychological rehabilitation programs for military personnel. 

Based on this, we can say that Ukrainian businesses are ready to move forward in developing an inclusive environment and hiring people with disabilities. It is significant to advocate for this issue, develop models of interaction, and also convey this information to the veterans.

 

For reference:

To watch the short film "Manifesto of the Strong" and donate to the prosthetics of severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers, please follow the link.