Putting Barrier-Free concept into action: MoD experts learned new approaches to supporting service members

The Ministry of Defence is taking active steps to build a barrier-free environment for service members. As part of this endeavor, Ministry of Defence representatives took part in the training course ‘Inclusivity in the Security and Defence Sector: Barrier-Free and Trauma-Informed Communication with Service Members and Veterans with Disabilities.’ 

The primary objective of the training is to implement appropriate standards to ensure dignified support and conditions for our defenders undergoing treatment and rehabilitation. Such training courses help systematically update approaches to supporting service members, ensuring they receive respect and high-quality assistance at every stage of service, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration into civilian life.

The training was attended by specialists from the Civil-Military Support Services of the Command of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, psychologists, and officials within the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine tasked with establishing a barrier-free environment.

The curriculum focused on practical skills: the fundamentals of an inclusive approach and effective communication with people with disabilities; principles of trauma-informed communication and psychological first aid; best practices for interacting with individuals who have experienced loss; and self-regulation techniques to prevent professional burnout.

Taras Shmyh, a representative of the Ministry of Defence’s Humanitarian Support Department, emphasized that building a barrier-free environment is a systemic endeavor. It is being implemented through the 2025–2026 Action Plan, as well as through the Ministry of Defence’s flagship projects: the ‘Wounded Warrior Package,’ the ‘Recovery and Health Centers for Service Members,’ and the initiative to provide women service members with uniforms and protective equipment tailored to female anthropometric standards.

The training was held under the Council of Europe project ‘Rights of Veterans and Personnel of Armed Forces in Ukraine,’ which forms part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine ‘Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction’ 2023–2026. The training also constitutes a component of the Ministry of Defence’s 2025–2026 Action Plan aimed at implementing the National Strategy for Creating a Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine through 2030.