Lviv Polytechnic National University with the help of SoftServe’s charity fund “Open Eyes” officially opened “Veteran service”, a center for veterans in Lviv. It is the first inclusive space based in the university. Here veterans and retired military personnel from Joint Forces Operation or other war areas can socialize, reintegrate in the educational process and receive psychological assistance.
The center staff will help veterans enter the university, organize consultations with psychologists, rehabilitation processes, and meetings with other specialists.
“We were inspired by Frederick Community College project (Maryland, USA), which is the first educational institution that has created a veteran center. After it, all American universities pledged to do such projects. We had a chance to talk to American professors and center students and realized that we want to do such a thing in Ukraine”, says Project Coordinator, Assistant Professor at Lviv Polytechnic National University Olesia Bik.
In addition, the center offers many free services for veterans, such as: administering educational entitlements for veterans, lawyer assistance and consultation, academic support and study schedule, personal consultations and contacting the lead departments, activities aimed to solve problems that influence veterans socialization and integration to civic life. The idea of the center belongs to Lviv Polytechnic National University, and SoftServe has joined the project and co-funded it.
“World practice in post-war societies brings business and state together and teaches us to pay attention to veterans’ conditions after they go back to living in peace. The matter of resocialization and assistance with the adaptation of veterans is a very relevant topic for Ukraine. The center we’ve helped to open can serve as a great example for other universities and companies because this is a pressing issue and during war years it has only exacerbated. It is the role of socially responsible businesses to make the move. This is the least how we can do for our defenders”, says Co-Founder and Board Member of SoftServe Taras Vervega.
The veteran center is located on the first floor of Polytechnic’s academic building. It has rooms for studying, rest, and therapy. Education is a key CSR direction at SoftServe, and the company systematically works to create new opportunities for studying at the national, local, and corporate levels.