war veterans, combatants, social adaptation, reintegration into society, veteran business
Abstract
The war in Ukraine, which has significantly escalated since February 2022, has led to a significant increase in the number of war veterans at the expense of combatants (including those with disabilities) who have participated in repelling and containing the armed aggression of the russian federation since 2014. Therefore, their social adaptation and return to a peaceful life are relevant today. As international experience shows, state assistance in employment and self-employment of veterans is one of the strategic directions of social support for veterans in general, as it allows for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, partially reducing the burden on financing the social sphere. Therefore, the support of veteran businesses is currently considered by the authorities as one of the tools for the implementation of the Strategy for the formation of the transition system from military service to civilian life.The analysis of the best practices in the application of veteran policies in the world shows how to effectively use the potential of combatants who return home from the front. Moreover, one of these areas is precisely the creation of conditions for starting and developing a veteran business. In the USA, Great Britain, Canada, and Croatia, there are their own tools and strategies to support veteran businesses, which are effective and exemplary to follow. For example, in international practice, professional adaptation programs for veterans that stimulate opening one’s own business and providing franchising benefits are relevant. However, it is impossible to blindly implement someone else’s success because there are significant differences in the population’s mentality and the economic development of different countries. It would be expedient for Ukraine to combine various instruments of veteran policies of various developed countries. So, the first steps already taken in this direction are worth noting. In particular, financial assistance for starting one’s own business can be obtained by using the state grant program for supporting veterans «eRobota», or competitive programs of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund. At the same time, a new section, «Veteran Business», has appeared on the «Diia.Business» portal to provide informational support to veterans regarding the development and running of their own businesses.
Author Biographies
Natalia Samoliuk, National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, Rivne
Candidate of Economics (Ph.D.), Associate Professor
Halyna Yurchyk, National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, Rivne
Candidate of Economics (Ph.D.), Associate Professor
Viktoriia Mishchuk, National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, Rivne