Sports ambassadors
PROJECT GOALS
Providing opportunities for veterans who sustained injuries, traumas or illnesses to become leaders and sports ambassadors in their veteran community, help them gain knowledge to support their brothers-in-arms, and coordinate sports rehabilitation projects. As a result, each sports ambassador will be taught leadership, mentoring, public speaking, adaptive sports training and psychological support.
Uniting 20 active and motivated leaders of the veteran community with visible and invisible injuries and wounds, who already have sports experience, are willing to try new adaptive sports, and to spread information about them in their community.
Creating opportunities for Sports Ambassadors to engage with their communities through educational and hands-on sports activities or practical sports events, community service, and sports.
Who They Are
Sports Ambassador is a motivated person who wants to develop adaptive sports centers in their community.
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Power
Despite their personal circumstances, they strive for their own development and strengthening of the veteran community.
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Sports
Engages in various sports, in particular, adaptive sports and and encourages others to engage in sports.
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Rehabilitation
A person who has undergone sports rehabilitation and has a desire to participate in various sports activities, not just veteran ones.
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Visibility
Encourages veterans to rehabilitate through sports. Sport Ambassador shares their experience and knowledge about adaptive sports in various ways. Engages in public activities in their community.
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Development
Ready for various new trainings that would help improve the lives of veterans in the community.
TEAM
Vladyslav Bordanov
Smila, Cherkasy Region
Policeman. Master of sports,medalist of kickboxing World Cup stage. Since 2014, as part of a law enforcement special unit, he has participated in anti-terrorist operations in the East of Ukraine, and in 2022 — in battles in Kyiv region, Mykolaiv region, Kherson region, and Donetsk region. Was wounded in the shoulder near Bakhmut.
Volodymyr Halashchuk
Hlevakha, Kyiv Region
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. In 2014-2015 he fought in The 128 Mountain Assault Brigade under Popasna, Debaltseve. Retired from the army after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Mastered the profession of psychologist, and started his own private practice. In 2022, he joined the 112 Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces as a volunteer.
Mykola Hutskal
Chernivtsi
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. In 2014, he was injured during the storming of the Luhansk airport. Served in the 80 Separate Galician Air Assault Brigade. He is a co-founder of the Bukovynska Sich football club of ATO and JFO veterans.
Dmytro Hrechanichenko
Sumy
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Fought in the AFU artillery. Took part in military action in Eastern Ukraine in 2015–2018, and later in 2022-2023. Master of sports in boxing.
Vasyl Zdyrko
Stryi, Lviv Region
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Fought in the Special Purpose Battalion "Sich" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in 2014-2016.
Andrii Kucher
Kyiv
Veteran of Russo-Ukrainian War. A political technologist in civilian life. He joined the army as a volunteer last year. Served in The 79th Separate Tavrian Air Assault Brigade of Mykolaiv. Founded the NGO "Union of Wounded Military of Ukraine "Strong 300".
Spartak Lozinkskyi
Ivano-Frankivsk Region
Serviceman of the National Guard of Ukraine, originally from Donetsk. Sustained his first injury and contusion near Ilovaisk in 2014 when he served in the volunteer unit “Donbas Battalion”.
Yatoslava Mazur
Berdychiv, Zhytomyr Region
Servicewoman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. From 2014 to 2021 she took part in the military action in the East of the country as part of the 24th Separate Assault Battalion "Aidar" and of the units of the Special Operations Forces. She returned to the army in February 2022. Same year, she won third place in powerlifting at the international competition of veterans and servicemen of the Warrior Games.
Masi Mustafa Nayyem
Kyiv
Serviceman. Lawyer, founder of the human rights center for servicemen and veterans “Pryncyp”. In 2015–2016, fought as part of the 81st separate airmobile brigade in Donbas. After February 24, 2022, he returned to the army. In June of the same year, he stepped on a mine and he received serious injuries.
Viktor Orlovskyi
Kyiv
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Served in The 101st Brigade for the Protection of the General Staff named after Colonel-General Henadii Vorobiov since February 2022, took part in the defense of Kyiv Region and Donetsk Region.
Ihor Ryzhkov
Rozumivka, Zaporizhzhia Region
Serviceman of AFU. Volunteered to join the 110th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces. He was a gunner of a mortar unit. Received a mine-explosive injury, concussion in the military action in Dnipropetrovsk Region. After being wounded, he continued his service as an assistant chaplain.
Ruslan Serhiychuk
Dnipro
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Served in the police battalion of the patrol service "Azov" and battalion "Myrotrovets".
Mykola Syplyvyi
Lviv
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Took part in the military action in 2014-2021 as part of volunteer units. In 2022 he served in The 103rd Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of AFU and The 111th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of AFU.
Serhii Slichenko
Mashivka, Poltava Region
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Endoscopist. From 20125-2016, he he fought in Eastern Ukraine in The 72nd Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians.
Anton Sosinskyi
Ternopil
Serviceman of AFU. Until February 2022, he had lived in Poland where he had had his own business. He returned to Ukraine and joined 2nd separate rifle battalion. In Lyman in Donetsk Regions received a mine-explosive leg injury.
Ihor Stadnytskyi
Lviv
Veteran of Russo-Ukrainian War. Served in Donbas in 2014-2015 in The 24th Mechanized Brigade.
Hlib Stryzhko
Kyiv
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Founder of The Forge of the Ukrainian Intelligentsia Youth Center, worked as a mentor at the Ukrainian Academy of Leadership. In 2021 joined The 1st Separate Feodosia Battalion of Marines. During the defense of Mariupol, he received serious injuries to his hip joints, jaws, and eyes. Currently works in Veteran Hub.
Andrii Fedorchuk
Khmelnytsk Region
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2005-2019. Founded the veteran brand Alex Tumanov Group. Joined the army again in 2022. Retired for health reasons.
Mykola Chabanchuk
Lutsk
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. Master of sports in skiing and sports tourism, teacher and entrepreneur. Joined the army as a volunteer in February 2022. He took part in the Battle for Kyiv as part of the Territorial Defense Forces. Sustained a serious injury near Borodianka.
Serhii Shymchak
Lviv
Veteran of Russian-Ukrainian War. In 2014-2015 he fought in Lviv territorial defense battalion "Volia", which later joined the 24th Mechanized Brigade. In 2022 served in 206 battalion of the 241st Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces. Co-founder of the Warriors' Cup competition for veterans and military personnel.
Timeline
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Етап 1
The first stage of training the participants of the "Sports Ambassadors" project is the "Group work with a psychologist" training. Sports Ambassadors studied and discussed the following topics:● Signs of combat stress, how to notice and correctly identify them. Post-traumatic growth.● How to understand the problem and its origins, and the methods to effectively explain it to the interlocutor. ● Reducing tension in communication. How to observe and understand emotions, sensations, and impulses. ● Psychological recovery resources based on the model “BASIC Ph”. ● Dynamic body exercises aimed at psychological recovery. ● Reorientation of personal, social and professional life.
Ukraine
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Етап 2
Veterans listened to the first part of the course on leadership and mentoring, then they got the psychological first aid training. The participants also learned about adaptive sports. The sports ambassadors tried the hand bike, standing and sitting shot put, rowing and wheelchair for racing.
Ukraine
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Етап 3
The participants took part in two trainings: the second part of leadership and mentoring and public speaking. They studied the rules of preparing public speeches and public speaking. They also had the opportunity to try their hand at wheelchair basketball and practice archery. The participants tried classical shooting and adaptive shooting - veterans with hand injuries tried shooting with their teeth.
Ukraine
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Етап 4
From 29 August to 1 September, the participants attended a course on strategic communications. On September 3-6, they attended a training for trainers,where they studied basic coaching skills and features of working with people who have been injured or traumatized, learned to develop and implement sports training programs. They also had sitting volleyball lessons, training in athletics and rowing, performed body coordination exercises, and tried Nordic walking. On September 5th they played adaptive football with veterans and servicemen with amputations.
Ukraine
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Етап 5
Throughout September-October 12 participants of the “Sport Ambassadors” project together with the NGO “Come Back Alive!” team visited 10 rehabilitation centers and hospitals in 7 regions of Ukraine. During meetings with veterans and military personnel, Sports Ambassadors told them about the project and adaptive sports. Patients under the guidance of Sports Ambassadors had the opportunity to try their hand at wheelchair basketball and handbike. They also took archery lessons. Thus, it was possible to tell about adaptive sports to about 400 veterans and servicemen.
Ukraine
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Етап 6
The III Warrios’ Cup was held at the NCDSU rehabilitation and sports center in Sianky, Lviv Region. Over 60 veterans and servicemen from various regions took part in it. One of the founders in 2021 was veteran Serhiy Shymchak, a participant in the "Sports Ambassadors" project. NGO “Come Back Alive!” was a co-organizer of the competition.
Ukraine
Photo Report
Sports ambassadors
