IREX’s Veteran Reintegration Program aims to improve the quality of and access to services available to Ukraine’s veterans, including the most vulnerable veteran populations, as they transition to civilian life. Its activities focus on expanding veterans’ access to employment and vocational training opportunities, as well as enhancing their access to capable and responsive psychosocial and physical rehabilitation services. 

The Veteran Reintegration Program was originally focused on Anti-terrorist Operation/Joint Forces Operation veterans from the fighting in the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast of Ukraine, but has significantly expanded its scope following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

• Increase the knowledge and understanding of veterans’ needs among key stakeholders and available resources to assist with reintegration  

• Ensure that Ukraine’s veteran support structures are more capable and responsive by working with governmental institutions and supporting local veteran-focused organizations across Ukraine   

• Expand veterans’ access to capable and responsive psychosocial and physical rehabilitation services  

• Expand veteran employment and vocational training opportunities  

• Fill critical gaps in research and data: IREX works through a series of focus groups and a nationwide survey to assess veterans’ needs, available resources, and the current capabilities of communities and service providers. 
• Expand employment opportunities: The program supports veteran employment and vocational training opportunities by providing training on employment skills, advocating for private- and public-sector employees to hire veterans, and facilitating the hiring of veterans.
• Increase access to mental health services: IREX provides training for mental health professionals and volunteers who work with veterans and their families, supplying mobile support services for veterans and organizing campaigns to raise awareness of mental health support.
• Support the Ministry of Veterans Affairs: The program supports the ministry’s development of a veteran e-registry, strengthens cooperation and information sharing between the ministry and NGO partners, and organizes campaigns to inform veterans about available resources.

• The Veteran Reintegration Program developed an e-registry for veterans that allows the Ministry of Veteran Affairs to provide digital services and interact with veterans using mobile technology. One month after the e-registry’s launch, over 10,000 veterans have enrolled in the program and over 100,000 people visited the site.  

• The Veteran Reintegration Program has issued 18 subgrants to local organizations that support veterans’ employment, veterans’ mental health, or marginalized groups of veterans. Through these subgrants, the project has reached more than 20,000 participants with lectures, hard and soft skills training, therapy sessions, and other activities.  

• Through the Hard Skills scholarship program, IREX issues individual scholarships of up to $500 for veterans to take classes that will teach them skills to improve their job prospects or help them acquire new skills to gain employment. So far, 91 veterans have been provided with scholarships to attend courses in IT, project management, psychology, massage, design, etc.  

• The Veteran Reintegration Program developed and released a manual for Ukrainian social workers titled “Strengthening the Capacity of Social Workers to Provide Psychosocial Support to Veterans and their Families on Mental Health Issues.” The manual has been viewed over 60,000 times online and has been requested by over 650 social workers, psychologists, and professors. 

• The Veteran Reintegration Program has strengthened the capacity of 299 Ukrainian social workers to address the psychological needs of veterans, especially those in vulnerable groups.  

• Through its local partners, the Veteran Reintegration team has translated and distributed 13 international protocols and guidelines on treating common mental and physical health issues faced by veterans. Training events based on these guidelines have helped 100 family doctors learn about the nuances of working with veterans.  

• The Veteran Reintegration Program together with its local partner Veteran Hub developed the “Praktyka” guidebook for HR professionals to learn tactics for working with veterans in a professional environment. Additionally, Veteran Hub engaged 13 local companies who want to hire more veterans to work for them.  

• Through its local partners, the Veteran Reintegration Program developed an online course “How the State Employment Centers should Work with Veterans and Consider their Military Experiences” for the State Employment Centers in Ukraine to help improve career counseling services for veterans.