More than 30,000 unemployed people are engaged in community service as part of the Army of Recovery project. They have already earned UAH 200 million. This was reported by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko.

“The Army of Recovery project is already operating in 18 regions, and Vinnytsia region has recently joined it. In total, more than 30,000 unemployed people have been engaged in community service under the project and have earned UAH 200 million by participating in the reconstruction work. Poltava region remains the leader among the regions in this project, with more than 5,000 unemployed people engaged. Through this project, we support people who are temporarily unemployed, as they receive at least UAH 6,700 from the state for performing public works, which is more than the average unemployment benefit for those registered at employment centres,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko.

Most active regions participating in the project:

• Poltava region – 5,434 people involved;
• Kharkiv region – 5,151 people;
• Donetsk region – 3,563 people;
• Kyiv region – 3,333 people;
• Chernihiv region – 3,234 people.

The types of public works depend on the needs of a particular region. Regional authorities determine what kind of work is needed in the region and inform the Employment Centre, which offers unemployed people registered with the centre to perform such work. These people sign fixed-term employment contracts for the period of work. They are paid according to the time worked, at a minimum of UAH 6,700 if they work for a full month.

Most often, the unemployed are engaged in:

• clearing rubble, restoring residential buildings damaged as a result of fighting;
• unloading, packing and delivering humanitarian aid;
• working in reception centres for internally displaced persons, providing social services at the Points of Invincibility;
• constructing civil defence facilities and reinforcing dams;
• eliminating the consequences of the flood and providing services to the affected civilian population;
• arranging and reinforcing checkpoints and basements to serve as shelters;
• weaving camouflage nets and preserving food for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The Army of Recovery project was launched by the Government in autumn 2022 to engage people who have temporarily lost their jobs in rebuilding the country through community service.