Since February 24, 2022, Ukraine has been experiencing not only physical, but also deep social impacts of the war: division within communities, psychological strain, polarization, and the spread of conflicting narratives are becoming increasingly noticeable. In such challenging conditions, the need for support and the restoration of connections between people is growing, especially among internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local residents in communities.
The project "Restorative dialogue approach for building social fabrics and cohesion of Ukrainian society" was initiated and is coordinated by the participants of UCoDP: Oleksandr Mitkov, Alyona Gorova, and Pavlo Kozeletskyi. The goal of the project is to identify narratives, analyze them, and develop future steps to create shared value foundations and strengthen social ties that have the potential to overcome polarization in society.
The project's aim is to identify key narratives that unite internally displaced persons (IDPs) and representatives of local government bodies (LGBs) in the Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The work with them will subsequently focus on developing effective models for strengthening quality relationships and interactions in communities across the country.
To achieve this goal, a methodology for focus group research was developed, within which information regarding divisive and unifying narratives was collected and analyzed, and summarized in an analytical report. A total of 86 participants were surveyed, including 70 women and 16 men (42 IDPs, 44 LGBs).
The project results were presented at a workshop of UCoDP with the aim of generating ideas and strategies for community cohesion and strengthening social unity. The research initiative within the project was aimed at internally displaced persons and representatives of local government bodies who seek to support and develop cohesion within their communities while overcoming the difficulties and challenges they face.
"This project is of great significance because it helps to shed light on the complex context of war and its impact on internally displaced persons and host communities. It allows us to understand how the adaptation and integration of IDPs, through the lens of their experiences, can help build more cohesive communities. By highlighting narratives and social relations in communities, the project represents the key aspects of interaction and tensions that arise between communities and their new members," says Oleksandr Mitkov, the initiator and trainer of the project.
This project creates opportunities for forming processes of social cohesion in society and requires the involvement of all those who care, despite the challenges of the war.
The project was supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung with the participation of the Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners.
Comments