Veterans Supporting Veterans in the Labor Market
From 2 to 5 July, LI supported a three-day training program in Vinnytsia, bringing together 25 war veterans who work as career consultants within UNIT 6.0, an initiative by the Reskilling Ukraine project, supported by the Swedish non-profit Beredskapslyftet.
Unit 6.0 aimed to help veterans reintegrate into civilian life by providing opportunities to acquire new professional skills, improve existing qualifications, career counseling “veteran to veteran,” and access decent employment.
As part of the program, LI lawyers Inna Kudinska, Alina Antonenko, Kateryna Shvets, and George Sandul delivered four interactive training sessions covering key aspects of labor law and labor market protection.
The sessions provided participants with:
- an overview of Ukrainian labor legislation, current labor market regulations during martial law, and veterans’ and PWDs’ employment rights;
- an introduction to the history, role, and importance of the trade union movement in Ukraine;
- practical approaches to identifying and addressing the most common labor rights issues faced by demobilized workers after returning to civil life from the military;
- useful legal tools and practical tips that veterans can apply in their daily work while advising other veterans seeking employment.
The training equipped participants not only with legal knowledge but also with practical skills that will strengthen their capacity to support fellow veterans in navigating the labor market and protecting their workplace rights.
An important part of the event was devoted to community building and solidarity. During an interactive discussion, war veteran and former member of the Youth Committee of the Rail Workers’ Union, Yevhen Stempkovskiy, together with practical psychologist Tetiana Yatsenko, explored how strong veteran communities can foster successful reintegration into civilian life. They discussed the importance of mutual aid, solidarity, and community engagement in helping veterans overcome social and professional challenges, build sustainable support networks, and secure decent employment.
The discussions highlighted that access to quality jobs and respect for labor rights are closely linked to the development of resilient communities where veterans can rely on one another and actively contribute to rebuilding Ukrainian society.
