With the EU support, Rehabilitation Space for Veterans of the Ukrainian Army ‘Checkpoint’ has launched the first three areas of free assistance

In early May, a rehabilitation space for veterans, which were affected because of the full-scale war caused by the Russian aggressor, opened its doors in Zaporizhzhia. The team’s goal is to help female and male defenders and their families reintegrate into civilian life. The launch of the project by the public organization ‘Laboratory of Military and Political Research and Reconstruction’ in partnership with the Open Lithuania Foundation was made possible with funding from the European Union and support from the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Psychology, ‘Business School’, and legal support were the first programs to be launched in the Space. And they were immediately in demand among the Ukrainian military.

Two psychologists, Iryna Talko and Liudmyla Svyrydova, work in the ‘Checkpoint’ team. They have extensive experience working with different age categories and psychological groups of clients. In the Rehabilitation Space, the specialists help female and male veterans and their families to “reboot” to a peaceful life, stabilize their emotional state, and harmonize family relationships. Young parents, spouses and female defenders who are planning to become parents can also seek psychological support. Currently, female and male veterans are turning to psychologists due to the instability of the emotional sphere, in particular, accentuated reactions to even minor everyday events, and a sense of guilt towards their comrades-in-arms that they are not at the front.

Another service that, judging by the number of requests, is extremely necessary for Ukrainian defenders is legal assistance. And although the range of issues is quite wide – dismissal or termination of the contract with the Armed Forces, obtaining the status and certificate of ‘combatant’, social guarantees for veterans and their families, benefits and compensation, salaries, bonuses and others – the defenders who have turned to the ‘Checkpoint’ lawyer Eduard Ivanyukovich in a couple of weeks are now mainly concerned about material issues.

Concern for their future and their families leads the defenders to Anastasiia Dovbnia, head of the ‘Business School’, who helps them find a new job, opportunities for retraining or learning another profession, and starting and running their own business project.

The team of the Rehabilitation Space for Veterans of the Ukrainian Army ‘Checkpoint’ in Zaporizhzhia has taken care of inclusiveness for vulnerable groups of veterans and their families, and the team also has a sign language interpreter.

Background

The rehabilitation space for veterans of the Ukrainian army ‘Checkpoint’ provides free services for female and male veterans and their families. Former military personnel and their relatives can receive psychological, legal, recruiting counseling and support from a sports rehabilitation specialist. The ‘Checkpoint’ has also a child and a teenage spaces.

Media enquiries

Yuliia Korobets, RS ‘Checkpoint’ communication specialist juliakorobetc@gmail.com

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