From December 4 to 6, 2024, Vice-Rector for Educational-Scientific and Social Work Melnyk Olha and Associate Professor of the Department of Social Work Zakharina Maryna took part in the NETWORK MEETING OF PARTNERS “RECOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF PARTNER COMMUNITIES: A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH THROUGH PRACTICAL STEPS”.

Participants, including representatives of public safety and recovery working groups from 12 regions of Ukraine, representatives of local governments, public organizations, representatives of recovery offices, as well as experts in recovery and community development, discussed the potential of using tools to strengthen active citizenship participation, developed strategies for transitioning to a more systematic programmatic approach that will contribute to long-term development and recovery at the community level.

In general, the focus of the working groups’ work is on inclusive processes of community recovery and development, covering a wide range of issues of public safety, social cohesion, community resilience, reintegration of veterans and their family members, durable solutions for IDPs, empowerment of the most vulnerable groups, gender equality, youth involvement in recovery and development processes, etc.

The program was rich in interactive trainings, workshops and discussion panels to develop concrete solutions for the development of local development policies and practical recovery tools. The exchange of experience and horizontal connections contributed to the establishment of strong contacts between participants to support and implement joint initiatives in the future.

It is important to note that Chernihiv Polytechnic National University is an active, reliable partner of UNDP in the recovery and reconstruction processes of the Chernihiv region.

The networking meeting was organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine with the financial support of the European Union provided within the framework of the project “EU4 Recovery – Empowering Communities in Ukraine” (EU4 Recovery), and with the financial support of the Governments of Denmark and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.