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From Announcement to Action in 19 Days: How Communities Sustained Social Services During the Energy Crisis
This is exactly how long it took for communities to ensure the continuity of social services during the energy crisis.
As power outages began to disrupt everyday processes, the most critical element came under threat — support for children and families.
January and February became a real test for everyone, especially for vulnerable families. They turned to the places where they were used to receiving support — service providers under the Small Grants Programme.
In response to these challenges, the call for proposals “Emergency Assistance to Support Vulnerable Groups — Families with Children and Children with Disabilities” was launched. Its aim was to provide rapid and targeted support to organizations working with vulnerable groups in communities.
We are now reporting on the winter and early spring months, when service providers became the first point of contact for vulnerable groups — children, families, and persons with disabilities. Blackouts and power disruptions threatened the operations of these organizations, which is why targeted emergency support was launched promptly, already in February. It proved to be fast and effective, and only now has there been an opportunity to take stock and share the stories and achievements.
The call was implemented within the framework of the existing project “Small Grants for Social Services for Families with Children and Children and/or Early Intervention Services.” This format became an additional rapid response tool, enabling support to organizations already working with families and delivering social services locally.
The support covered Kyiv city, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv regions. It took only 19 days from the announcement of the call to the first disbursements. This pace ensured that services continued uninterrupted even during power outages, preserving critical support for families.
A total of 23 organizations received support (including 4 municipal institutions).
This made it possible to:
continue the work of social workers, psychologists, and rehabilitation specialists;
equip organizations with the necessary equipment and materials;
adapt service spaces to function during outages and prevent forced closures;
provide beneficiaries with essential resources based on identified needs.
Already in February–March, under the emergency response component, this support translated into tangible results for people:
1,354 individuals received psychosocial support, more than half of them children;
221 individuals received humanitarian assistance;
571 people accessed safe spaces, including nearly 200 children;
46 individuals received services related to the prevention of gender-based violence;
an additional 28 individuals were referred to longer-term support within the Small Grants Programme.
Among those who received assistance were 765 internally displaced persons and 238 persons with disabilities.
During periods of increased pressure, it is precisely this kind of rapid and targeted support that enables communities to maintain continuity of assistance for those who need it most.
The project is funded by the UK Government under the SPIRIT project, implemented in collaboration with UNICEF Ukraine, with administration by ISAR Ednannia.
ISAR Ednannia is the national partner of the U-RESTORE
ISAR Ednannia is the national partner of the U-RESTORE (Ukraine Recovery Support for Transparency, Outreach, Resilience and Empowerment) project, funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and implemented by Cowater International in partnership with the Ukrainian Women’s Fund.
We are responsible for working with civil society in communities: supporting CSO development, facilitating their engagement in recovery processes, strengthening dialogue between communities and local authorities, and building institutional capacity through training and mentorship programs.
Over the past months, the ISAR Ednannia team has been working on the preparatory phase of the project: conducting outreach and consultations with communities, carrying out field visits to Zhytomyr and Dnipropetrovsk regions, assessing community needs, and participating in the application evaluation process.
📅 On March 23, the selection committee — including representatives of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, the Embassy of Canada in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund, and ISAR Ednannia — approved 12 territorial communities out of 49 applications:
📍 Andrushivska
📍 Brusylivska
📍 Korostyshivska
📍 Luhynska
📍 Romanivska
📍 Ruzhynska
📍 Chopovytska
📍 Yarunska
📍 Zhovtovodska
📍 Krynychanska
📍 Magdalynivska
📍 Pereshchepynska
Ahead lies long-term cooperation through 2030. We are now entering the active implementation phase, working directly with communities and CSOs to strengthen their capacity, support inclusive decision-making, and contribute to transparent and sustainable recovery.
💛 We are looking forward to working together towards the recovery and development of communities!
Launching the second wave of the training program “Recovery and Development Consultants”
Ukraine’s recovery is not only about rebuilding infrastructure. First and foremost, it is about people, trust, and the ability of communities to shape the future together.
That is why ISAR Ednannia is launching the second cohort of the training program “Recovery and Development Consultants” – for those who work with communities or aspire to engage in recovery processes at the local level.
The first cycle has already brought together participants from different regions of Ukraine – representatives of civil society organizations, local self-government bodies, and the expert community.
Now we are expanding this community.
💡 The first module starts on April 24-26
The program includes:
📍 an in-person basic module in Kyiv
💻 a series of online modules
🚀 an advanced in-person module focused on developing project proposals
Participants will be able to:
• gain a deeper understanding of community recovery processes
• master tools for project management and facilitation
• learn how to build partnerships between government, civil society, and business
• apply European approaches and innovative solutions in local development
After completing the program, participants will have the opportunity to:
✨ take part in a grant competition for program alumni
✨ publish their profile in the Recovery and Development Marketplace on the Civil Society Home platform
✨ join a community of consultants working with communities across Ukraine
📝 Applications are open until 12:00 PM on March 30
We invite active professionals from civil society, local self-government, education, culture, business, and the expert community to apply.
🔗 Application form:
https://ednn.link/t4ZXKx
Detailed information about participation conditions, format, and program content is available via the link.
The program was developed within the framework of the “EU Unity for Community (EU U4C) Project,” implemented by ISAR Ednannia with the support of the European Union in Ukraine.
1.34 Million Young Women Outside Education and the Labour Market
On 4 March 2026, the Civil Society Home of ISAR Ednannia in Kyiv hosted the public presentation of the first comprehensive study conducted during the full-scale invasion:
“Girls and Young Women Outside Education, Employment and Training in Ukraine: Barriers, Needs and Pathways to Labour Market Integration.”
The event brought together representatives of government institutions, international organisations, civil society, and young women whose voices shaped the research.
Numbers That Change the Perspective
In Ukraine, 1.34 million girls and young women aged 15–34 remain outside education and the labour market.
The study challenges the common stereotype about “inactive women without education.” The real picture looks very different.
35% of young women aged 15–34 fall into the NEET category (not in education, employment or training), while the share among men stands at 11.8%. The gap is threefold.
The highest rate appears among women aged 25–29: 48.7% of women in this age group remain outside education and the labour market. This stage often comes after women complete their education but before they manage to secure stable employment.
At the same time, 70% of surveyed women in NEET status hold higher or vocational education. The challenge does not lie in qualifications but in systemic barriers.
75.2% of young women aged 15–34 in NEET status provide unpaid care for children or relatives, without access to viable alternatives.
26.6% of respondents are internally displaced persons, and 20.3% experienced discrimination while searching for a job.
“This research answers two simple yet crucial questions: what prevents young women from working, studying and realising their potential, and what can help change the situation.
This large-scale work maps the real needs, fears and expectations of young women who remain invisible to the labour market,”
said Matvii Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
Not a Choice but a Consequence
Researchers identified three interconnected groups of barriers.
Structural barriers include the lack of childcare infrastructure, transport isolation and digital inequality.
Institutional barriers involve the mismatch between education programmes and labour market needs, gender discrimination from employers, and an inflexible labour market.
Individual barriers stem from psychological trauma, chronic anxiety and the loss of life direction caused by the war.
One particularly striking finding shows that 39% of women in NEET status know nothing about support programmes, while 51% possess only limited information.
In other words, nine out of ten women who need support do not know where to find it.
“Girls and young women outside education and employment do not represent a homogeneous or passive group. They hold significant potential and show readiness to act when they gain access to opportunities that recognise their circumstances.
Our research clearly shows that the challenge lies not in the lack of motivation but in the lack of information about available opportunities,”
emphasised Nataliia Tilikina, PhD in Economics, Head of the NGO Institute of Youth and the lead researcher of the study.
From Research to Solutions
During the panel discussion, speakers included:
• Uliana Tokarieva, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine
• Yuliia Zhovtiak, Director of the State Employment Service
• Clara Bastardes, Gender Programme Manager at UNICEF
• Anastasiia Matviienko, participant of the POWER4Girls initiative from Chernivtsi, whose personal experience of leaving NEET status became one of the most powerful moments of the event.
Government representatives confirmed that the research findings will directly inform the development of the National Youth Guarantee Plan and gender-responsive youth policy.
The discussion outlined five key directions for practical action:
• human-centred support and psychological assistance
• expansion of childcare infrastructure
• short practical training programmes and development of soft skills
• support for women’s entrepreneurship
• communication through social media, chatbots and real success stories
About the Study
The Institute of Youth NGO conducted the research in October–November 2025 at the request of ISAR Ednannia.
The methodology included:
• 512 structured interviews
• 8 focus groups involving 61 participants
• 23 in-depth interviews with representatives of hard-to-reach groups (IDPs, women with disabilities, and Roma community representatives)
• 30 expert interviews across all regions of Ukraine, except temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities.
The full report and executive summaries in Ukrainian and English are available in the Analytical Library of ISAR Ednannia.
The event took place under the global UNICEF POWER4Girls initiative and the project Unlock Youth: Systemic Strengthening of Youth Services in Preparation for the EU Youth Guarantee in Ukraine Project.
