On May 14–15, a strategic session for the Council on Internally Displaced Persons under the Kalush City Council took place in Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region. During the event, participants identified the council’s key areas of activity, developed strategic goals, and drafted an operational work plan for 2026–2027. The event was organized by the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” as part of a project aimed at strengthening the social protection system, implemented with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.
During the strategic session, participants analyzed the current challenges and needs of internally displaced persons, defined the role of the IDP Council in addressing issues important to displaced people, and developed further steps for the council’s development. The program included a SWOT analysis, group work, and the identification of priority areas of activity.
“The strategic session became an important step in strengthening our IDP Council. In an open dialogue format, we discussed current challenges and jointly identified key directions for our future work. Among our priorities are housing, employment, support for relocated businesses, strengthening social cohesion within the community, and addressing the urgent needs of internally displaced people. I am convinced that all the outcomes of this session will help make the work of the IDP Council more systematic, effective, and focused on people’s real needs,” said Olena Kyba, a member of the IDP Council under the Kalush City Council.
Svitlana Demianchuk, Regional Coordinator of the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” in Ivano-Frankivska Oblast, emphasized that the foundation has been cooperating with the Kalush community since 2023. The organization collaborates with the local social protection department and social service providers, provides consultations to IDP councils, supports the social protection sector, and delivers material and technical assistance.
The event was held in the format of open dialogue and teamwork, which made it possible to take different perspectives into account and jointly develop solutions for community development and support for internally displaced persons.
“Participation in the strategic session helped us develop a clear understanding of the IDP Council’s work. In my opinion, the detailed discussion of the council’s vision and the factors influencing its work will improve our cooperation with local authorities. Creating practical plans and discussing opportunities and ways to implement them helped synchronize our actions. Most importantly, we identified weak points and found tools to address them. Now we have a clear plan for engaging resources and partners, which will make our work much more sustainable,” shared Kateryna Kozemchuk, a member of the IDP Council under the Kalush City Council.
This publication was made with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine. The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the Charitable Organization “Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” and does not reflect the views of UNHCR.