"My son recharged like a battery," says Olena Hordieieva. Because of the war, she and her teenage son Serhii were forced to leave their hometown of Kurakhove in Donetsk region and move to Burshtyn in western Ukraine. In October, they took part in an event supporting displaced people with disabilities, which has had this transformative effect.
This is just one of many initiatives the Council of Europe is carrying out for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine. The focus is on local programmes to support IDPs. Host communities develop and provide support measures for displaced people, and it goes beyond housing, work and education:
People also need to feel that they are part of their new community.
A space for solidarity
In October, the Forum for recovery and opportunities was held in Ivano-Frankivsk. It was organised by the civil-society organisation Tvory Dobropillia and the local authorities, with grant support from the Council of Europe. The forum created a space for dialogue on support, accessibility and new solutions for displaced people with disabilities.
"We had the opportunity to meet people we knew and address some issues related to integration. We felt a great deal of support, both as IDPs and as a family with a child with a disability. It is so important to communicate and express ourselves," says Olena Hordieieva.
Alongside the information sessions, where displaced people with disabilities, civil-society organisations and local authorities discussed current challenges and worked on solutions, there was also an informal programme. Forum participants worked on dance routines and performed for an audience.
"We prepared a dance. I was very nervous, but I realised that I wasn't alone in facing my problem. That really inspires you to keep moving forward and never give up," says Serhii, who is now a student at a local secondary school.
"Such spaces give people who have lost their homes and their familiar way of life the opportunity to feel like a part of something special," says forum participant Oleksii Domaretskyi. Before the full-scale invasion, his life was connected with Kramatorsk. Oleksii is a civil-society activist who leads by example, encouraging people with disabilities to stand up for their rights. He now lives in Kyiv. As the city faces power cuts and constant missile and drone attacks, Oleksii is planning to relocate to western Ukraine.
"For me, the forum was a welcome respite. I was able to take a short break from the air raid alerts and explosions, and I also received a lot of valuable information. I know where I can get help with housing, benefits, rehabilitation and other opportunities."
Joint action and participation for better solutions
"It is important to us that the people whose problems are being discussed are involved," says Maryna Kucherenko, co-founder of Tvory Dobropillia. "There are problems. Sometimes decisions are made to assist internally displaced people, but end-beneficiaries of assistance do not understand what the service is and how to implement it. That is why involving the people we work for is my top priority."
Tvory Dobropillia has itself been forced to relocate. In 2025, it moved from Dobropillia in Donetsk region, where fierce fighting is now taking place. In cooperation with the Council of Europe, the organisation established a network of relocated civil-society organisations from the Donetsk region in 2025. The network brought together 46 organisations. Later, together with the Donetsk Regional State Administration, they outlined the challenges they faced because of the war and drew up a joint response plan.
Real support for people fleeing war
Through its dedicated project, the Council of Europe in Ukraine takes a comprehensive approach to working at the local level: it analyses and highlights the best practices for supporting IDPs and helps national authorities develop structured approaches at the local level.
A people-centred approach and a deep understanding of the obstacles facing displaced people in Ukraine make the civil-society sector a key partner of the Council of Europe in protecting internally displaced people's rights, alongside public authorities. At least 833 IDPs and residents of host communities have taken part in activities run by the organisation's grant recipients.
The Council of Europe's Office in Ukraine, the Organisation's largest field presence, will continue helping the civil-society sector develop local initiatives and support displaced people and host communities.
