At the heart of the “Our Here” project is an interactive map that brings together locations across different regions of Ukraine where veterans and active service members can focus on recovery. The map features sports sections, veteran spaces, hubs, and other facilities offering rehabilitation and consultation services.

How We Work with Locations

The veteran department team of CBA Initiatives Center visits sports sections, veteran spaces, and community organizations where veterans can engage in adaptive sports and recovery programs.

A key objective of the project is to research each location and identify its challenges and needs. This helps describe the recovery environment through sports and lays the foundation for future initiatives in this area. After each visit, a detailed description of the location is added to the interactive map on the “Our Here” website.

On-Site Visits to Each Region

The team personally visits every region featured on the map. Meetings are held with coaches, representatives of state institutions and NGOs, proactive veterans, and other local community members to assess conditions, opportunities, and existing barriers.

Building Community

Another important goal is fostering a veteran community. The project connects representatives from different sectors, organizations, and initiatives to support and strengthen one another, improve local conditions, and develop collaborations.

Which Locations Are Included on the Map

The focus is on organizations and spaces that develop adaptive sports within their communities.

Key Selection Criteria:

• Presence of a veteran community among program participants.
• Proactivity and openness to collaboration with other organizations.
• Qualified coaches or assistants with relevant education or experience working with veterans.
• Availability of facilities for year-round training and necessary equipment.

Additional considerations include sustainability (funding, coaching staff, schedule), professional ethics, willingness to develop, and communication capabilities.

Next Steps

The collected data helps the team better understand community needs and opportunities, allowing them to create solutions that are truly useful. Based on this information, the project launches educational initiatives for professionals, organizes open training sessions for hospital and rehabilitation center patients, and provides sports equipment to NGOs for training and competitions.