Voices of Donetsk Region: Partnership for Community Support
Thousands of residents of Donetsk region were forced to leave their homes due to the security situation. In other regions of Ukraine, they need not only basic assistance but also opportunities to preserve their identity, participate in cultural and educational life, and access services for children and families. To meet these needs, a Network of Civil Society Organizations of Donetsk region is being established, aimed at uniting the efforts of communities, authorities, and civic initiatives.
The Partnership and Cooperation Forum “Voices of Donetsk Region” has become an important platform for discussing these challenges, presenting the Network’s Roadmap, and developing joint solutions.
Oksana Ivatina, regional coordinator of NGO “Responsible Citizens” in Donetsk region, joined the forum, sharing the organization’s practical experience in supporting families with children during relocation:
“Child-friendly spaces that operated in Donetsk region have proven their effectiveness and remain in high demand. Despite the evacuation of psychosocial support centers, we continue supporting families through mobile teams, ensuring continuity of services.”
The importance of synergy between civil society organizations and local authorities was particularly emphasized. The cooperation between “Responsible Citizens” and Myrnohrad community demonstrated how coordinated actions help maintain the sustainability of assistance:
“After the security situation worsened, we supported the evacuation of families with children and provided their accompaniment to Tsarychanska community in Dnipropetrovsk region, where a mobile team was relocated together with the necessary resources. Considering the challenges, we are ready to apply this approach in the future and transfer Child-Friendly Spaces to safer regions,” added Oksana Ivatina.
The forum became another step in strengthening partnerships that help Donetsk communities remain united even in forced relocation and jointly build the region’s future.




Більше новин
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How support helps Yulia and her children start a new lifeYulia and her four children were evacuated from the occupied city of Dniprorudne. The forced relocation changed everything— a new city, no job, and an uncertain future. "I mostly try to manage on my own," Yulia shares. She cannot leave her youngest child unattended, and kindergartens are not operating, making it impossible to return to work for now.
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Completion of the training cycle by “Responsible Citizens” and UNICEFSpecial attention was given to supporting children's affairs services. The training helped specialists better understand the behavioral patterns of children in crisis and establish effective communication with parents who welcome children into their families.
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Skills for the future: supporting educators in KharkivThe NGO “Responsible Citizens,” in collaboration with the Kharkiv Humanitarian and Pedagogical Academy, conducted a training session titled “Skills for Success in Life and Career” for educators from Kharkiv’s educational institutions.
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Support for Families and Children Displaced in Kharkiv RegionIn the Kharkiv region, our team supports people daily who have been forced to leave their homes due to the war. Most of them are families with children arriving from Vovchansk, Druzhkivka, Derhachi community, and other affected areas.
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Support for Adolescents in Kharkiv Region: New Skills for PsychologistsNGO Responsible Citizens, together with UNICEF Ukraine, continues to expand its support for specialists working in frontline communities. Our focus is on developing skills that enable professionals to effectively support young people in challenging conditions.
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Law, psychology, employment: how we respond to people’s real needsIn a world where uncertainty has become the new normal, knowledge is confidence.Together with our partner Mercy Corps and with financial support from the UK governm...
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Child-Centered career guidance: new approaches by “Responsible Citizens”The NGO "Responsible Citizens" participated in the annual scientific and educational event "Science Unites," held at the Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University on the initiative of the Municipal Institution "Center for Professional Development of Pedagogical Workers" of the Kryvyi Rih City Council.