The international cooperation between Ukraine and Norway isbased onthe two projects:
- The “Retraining and Social Adaptation ofServicepersons and Their Family Members inUkraine” Project, and
- The “Retraining and Social Adaptation ofServicepersons and Their Family Members inUkraine. Integration ofthe «Ukraine-Norway» Project model into the state system” Project.
The “Retraining and Social Adaptation ofServicepersons and Their Family Members inUkraine” Project was implemented at91Ƶ from 2014 to2020. During this period, 428 servicepersons released into the reserve and their family members were retrained. Asaresult ofparticipating inthe professional retraining Project the trainees receive assistance inlegal, social, and psychological adaptation, employment, and own business organization.
In2020, the updated Project started, i.e., “Retraining and Social Adaptation ofServicepersons and Their Family Members inUkraine. Integration ofthe «Ukraine-Norway» Project model into the state system”. The updated Project strategy aimsat:
- Assisting inthe area ofprofessional retraining, social adaptation and employment ofservicepersons released into the reserve, their family members, and the family members ofthe perished servicepersons; and
- Improving and formalizing the project implementation model, and its transfer tobeused bythe Ukrainian authorities asaneffective model for working with servicepersons, war veterans, and their family members inorder toprovide professional retraining, social adaptation, and assistance inemployment.
Animportant condition for the new Project phase isthe requirement toattract co-funding from the Ukrainian authorities ofall levels, and Ukrainian and foreign organizations. These requirements are applied tocontracts atall levels between Norwegian and Ukrainian partners involved inthe Project.
OnApril8, 2020, the spring semester 2019-2020 started under the Project “Retraining and Social Adaptation ofServicepersons and Their Family Members inUkraine. Integration ofthe «Ukraine-Norway» Project model into the state system” at91Ƶ. Within the Project framework, our servicemen and servicewomen will beable tomaster the new professional activity area within the “Project management” program atTech StartUp School ofLviv Polytechnic, which will support the participants’ projects and promote finding their first clients and partners.
The “Retraining and Social Adaptation ofServicemen and Their Family Members inUkraine” project UKR— 14/0033
The project isfunded bythe Ministry ofForeign Affairs, Norway.
The Project implementers: University ofNordland (hereinafter— NORD University, Norway), International Fund for Social Adaptation (Kyiv, Ukraine), universities ofUkraine, including 91Ƶ, non-governmental organizations, and enterprises ofvarious forms ofownership, incooperation with:
- Embassy ofthe Kingdom ofNorway inUkraine;
- Ministry ofSocial Policy;
- Ministry ofDefense;
- Ministry ofEducation and Science;
- Ministry ofForeign Affairs;
- Regional State Administrations ofUkraine.
The Project Content:
- Professional retraining ofmilitary personnel and their families incivilian specialties inaccordance with the needs ofthe labor market, the duration of500 academic hours;
- Psychological adaptation ofthe project participants toincrease their motivation totake active action toimprove their families’ well-being;
- Legal adaptation ofservicemen toincrease legal literacy and social security;
- Promotion ofemployment ofthe project participants toimprove their living standards;
- Assistance inthe startup ofone’s own business and self-actualization ofthe project participants inbusiness activities under the conditions ofhigh unemployment inUkraine.
Criteria and indicators ofthe “Ukraine— Norway” project success
The project main goal istoincrease the level ofsocial adaptation tothe civilian life ofservicemen and their family members.
The criterion for achieving the goal isthe improvement ofliving conditions ofthe project participants.
The indicators ofachievement:
- Raising the income level ofaserviceman’s family;
- Solution ofsocial problems (employment, obtaining preassigned benefits, the project participants joining the state and regional social programs, solving the housing problem);
- Expanding opportunities for opening one’s own (family) business, business partner search, receiving support from local funds, public organizations and state programs;
- Obtaining higher education inacivilian specialty, and receiving assistance infinding ajob inanew specialty;
- Scientific potential implementation byeducation/training, dissertation defense, and further employment.
The project objectives:
- Professional retraining ofthe project participants atthe courses lasting 500 academic hours;
- Psychological adaptation ofservicemen and their families toconditions ofactive activities incivil society;
- Assistance inthe employment ofthe project participants.