Support of servicemen of the reserve of Ukraine: socio-economic and psychological aspects
Authors: Kobylianskyi Oleksandr , Zayukov Ivan , Pinaeva Olga 
Published: October 2023

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that retired servicemen are the category of the population that needs special treatment, in particular for active combatants who were and performed their military duty in the area of the anti-terrorist operation. Therefore, the task of the state is to provide them with the necessary amount of socio-psychological and professional support, in particular in the field of employment.

The purpose of the article is to study the problem of supporting Ukrainian servicemen in the socio-economic and psychological aspects.

The problem of social and psychological support of servicemen discharged to the reserve is actualized. The main directions of their social and psychological support by the state are investigated. The provision of services of the State Employment Service of Ukraine (SESU) to citizens from among servicemen who took part in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) and the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) (ATO / JFO) is analyzed; acquisition of the status of the unemployed among the servicemen who took part in anti-terrorist operation / environmental protection; the number of servicemen who participated in the anti-terrorist operation / environmental protection and received work with the assistance of the SESU; the number of servicemen who participated in the anti-terrorist operation / environmental protection and underwent professional training with the assistance of the SESU; the number of persons, among servicemen, who took part in the anti-terrorist operation / environmental protection and took part in public works and temporary works with the assistance of the SESU; the number of servicemen who participated in the anti-terrorist operation / environmental protection and were covered by career guidance services with the assistance of the SESU. Recommendations for increasing the level of their employment at the macro level are proposed.

It was found that the process of transition of servicemen from military service to «civilian» life is accompanied by many crisis moments, in particular, the problem of their employment in the modern labor market is deteriorating, which is associated with low competitiveness; the need for job search and new professional activities; increasing fear of change, etc. Negative socio-psychological consequences have been identified, including suicide attempts, antisocial behavior, alcoholism as a departure from reality and, as a result, conflict with society, friends, relatives, family members, unjustified risk-taking, and so on. These negative aspects require the support of servicemen (ATO / JFO) released to reserve, in particular through their socio-psychological and professional rehabilitation.

Measures for socio-psychological and professional rehabilitation of servicemen, which are proposed in the article, are relevant today, in particular: monitoring of such persons, control and analysis of the provision of social services to them; introduction of distance learning and online learning through the Prometheus educational project; providing free English language training; introduction of a crowdfunding platform project, which allows future entrepreneurs to undergo training and receive funds to start their own business, etc.