The war in Ukraine: impact on the civilian population
Since February 2022, the situation for children in Ukraine is staying unsafe, with a high need of humanitarian aid and protection.
The impact is compounded by the fact that many of the children in the east have already lived through years of conflict since 2014.
SHIFT
Sustainable Humanitarian Innovation For Transformation
Launched in March 2022, the funding raised by the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal was unprecedented and offered a unique opportunity to implement a two-level humanitarian response. Formerly known as Engine 2, SHIFT programme focuses on capacity strengthening and embraces a whole-society approach - delivering learning on how to share power and exploring relationships between all actors helps to achieve system-wide impact.
Watch the recording of the Humanitarian Xchange 2024 session 'Progressive localisation: responding to a response (Engine 2)' to hear about adopting the Engine 2 approach in Ukraine Response.
"Ukraine will accelerate necessary change in aid. Everyone's saying the old ways don't work anymore. We're going to create a different way of being: it's about accelerating change." - Gareth Owen
SHIFT - Ukraine response
The HLA’s Eastern Europe Regional Centre based in Poland started operating in March 2022 to strengthen local leadership and civil society organisations, and support technical expertise.
The Regional Centre is driving the shift of the power of handling crises to those most affected and best placed to respond.
Together with our partners in the region, we've delivered 126 live trainings for 2,728 humanitarians and NGO staff since the start of the response.
By September 2024, the HLA Eastern Europe Regional Centre became the Sphere Standards focal point in Poland. We delivered 12 Sphere trainings, including a 3-day workshop and a Sphere Training of Trainers (ToT), with 198 participants in total. We plan to continue spreading knowledge about humanitarian standards in more countries of the region with the support of Fraternity – International Humanitarian Missions.
Technical Expertise
We provide contextualised and translated face-to-face and online technical capacity strengthening training to individuals and organisations working to respond to the crisis. This includes training in the areas of Child Protection in Emergencies, Education in Emergencies, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, and more. We provide support to local leaders through training, coaching and mentoring.
Education in Emergencies (EiE)
The delivery of the EiE Programme in Ukraine started with the Reflection and Learning workshop: Education in Emergencies in Ukraine in August 2023. Participants who attended the have now completed the Module 1 online learning and have participated in online learning sessions facilitated by the local EiE consultant. In December 2023, they joined the four-day in-person Training of Trainers. In 2024, we delivered in-person Education in Emergencies trainings in Lviv, Dnipro and Odesa.
We contextualised and translated in Ukrainian 'Foundational Concepts & Frameworks of EiE' online module (4 courses) and Conflict Sensitive Education in Emergencies online course.
Child Protection in Emergencies (CPiE):
The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (CPHA) Kaya portal was launched, providing online courses in Ukrainian and Polish. Together with the Alliance, we prepared and delivered Child Protection training in Kyiv . We are planning CPiE trainings in Ukraine and Poland and CPiE Training of Trainers (ToT) in Ukraine in November 2024.
"The training was revealing for us, introducing new concepts and approaches. Your training showed us the weak spots, the moments of risk and allowed us to increase our attention. We realised how important it is to pay attention to details that seem unimportant." - Safeguarding training participant from a Ukrainian school in Poland.
In February 2023, we ran a three-day training workshop on Sphere Standards in Warsaw, drawing Polish and Ukrainian participants from Save the Children International and representatives from humanitarian NGOs.
HLA and Plan International supported the development of a Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub for the Ukraine Response, to support aid sector organisations to strengthen their safeguarding policy and practice against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment.
Public Health in Emergencies (PHiE) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
- We started 'Programme Management for WASH Providers' course.
- Management of Paediatric Blast Injuries – webinar series page and first self-directed module to launch by end of 2024.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
We supported the development of MHPSS Collaborative course on Kaya in Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Romanian, and Hungarian.
Local leadership
We're working to create a pool of local trainers and mentors and coaches to deliver capacity strengthening programmes in the region, in local languages. We delivered the Humanitarian Operations Programme Training of Trainers, preparing 6 local coaches, who now continue to facilitate delivery of these trainings in Polish for local humanitarians.
Read about one of our Humanitarian Operations Programme (HOP) training sessions delivered in Krakow, Poland which was delivered by facilitators trained by the HLA earlier this year through the HOP Training of Trainers (ToT) programme.
In 2023, we started a collaboration with the Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA) in Poland. Students and graduates attended our Humanitarian Operations Programme (HOP) training in Krakow and the Sphere Standards workshop at Warsaw University.
By joining forces, our institutions bring together respective strengths in education, training and real-time application, fostering a dynamic environment for the development of innovative solutions to complex humanitarian challenges.
We partnered with Ashoka and Save the Children to start Youth Leadership for Emerging future programme in April 2024. This initiative brings together 40 young leaders (19 – 35 y.o.) from Ukraine, Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia with the aim to empower and encourage them to share their knowledge and experience, and to build an international network of young changemakers.
In 2024, we are working on FIELD face-to-face programme in Ukraine. The trainings are scheduled for November 2024, January 2025, and February 2025.
The Across Organisational Mentoring Programme (AOMP) harnesses the expertise of the team at Coach Mentoring Ltd together with Save the Children UK and the HLA. The AOMP is connecting individuals across participating humanitarian and development organisations in the region, drawing on experience across the sector to support professional development through mentoring.
With our support and funding the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership (CHL) delivered three Crisis Leadership Programme courses in Poland by local trainers. This resulted in 59 graduates from the region.
"In mid-December 2022, I completed the 3-month Crisis Leadership Program (CLP ). I met amazing people working on a daily basis in Poland, but above all in Ukraine, leaders, modest, hardworking and determined to help children, adults, victims of the war in Ukraine. It is a great privilege to meet seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others." - Magdalena Joanna Sielska
We're implementing a radical new leadership approach: Eco Mutualism
We're working in partnership with the Eco-Leadership Institute to support and pilot the delivery of a high impact leadership development process for leaders that includes co-creating ecosystems of development, connecting and sharing best practices, knowledge, and lessons learnt in communities of practice.
In October 2022, the HLA team travelled to Poland with Dr Simon Western from the Eco-Leadership Institute for a scoping exercise to inform the design of a leadership ecosystem, which will provide developmental opportunities and on-demand support to leaders on the ground in Ukraine and across the region.
The team shared insightful discussions with local NGOs and organisations in Krakow and Warsaw and had the opportunity to visit a Save the Children International-funded project - a Krakow school set up by the Unbreakable Ukraine Foundation which provides uninterrupted schooling for Ukrainian children who had to leave their homes due to the war.
In November 2023, together with The Eco-Leadership Institute and Save the Children, the Humanitarian Leadership Academy organised an experiential learning event ‘The Leadership Game’. We gathered 60 humanitarian sector and civil society leaders from Eastern Europe to develop personal leadership mastery, and team effectiveness with the help of experienced consultants, expert analysis, feedback and coaching.
Strengthening Civil Society
We've established relationships with 81 NGOs, governmental entities, and volunteer groups to build a strong network responding to the crisis.
SOLVE: Strengthening Organisations for Lasting Voice and Effect project
This project is implemented by ISAR Ednannia, one of the biggest and most experienced CSOs in Ukraine, in partnership with the HLA and Save the Children. The project aims to empower local CSOs by strengthening their capacity, resilience and impact to achieve a lasting impact in their communities. As part of the project, 20 CSOs are getting training in project and financial management, fundraising basics, and communicating with key audiences and within teams.
Listen to our podcast episode 'Civil Society Strengthening in Eastern Europe' with Olga Nikolska, the Program Director of Culture of Philanthropy Development at Civil Society Organisation Ednannia, and Pawel Mania, the Deputy Director for Transformational Response at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy.
In 2024, we started a partnership with Kuchnia Konfliktu / Conflict Kitchen. As our LGBTQI+ Advisor, Conflict Kitchen and Queer Without Borders join forces with us to strengthen the capacity of local civil society organisations advocating for and supporting LGBTQI+ migrants and refugees in Poland.
In LGBTQ+ sensitivity in the refugee crisis response in Poland podacst episode, we are talking about the Ukraine crisis response in Poland with a focus on strengthening the capacity of local organisations and advocacy for LGBTQ+ migrants and refugees.
We co-chair the Capacity Strengthening Task Force in partnership with RedR, International Medical Corps, and Plan International. This Task Force aims to map and share learning opportunities, monitor learning needs, and provide learning and development support to individuals and organisations in Poland.
We're also setting up a Capacity Strengthening Fund in Ukraine to provide grants to local actors to enable them to improve their effectiveness, efficiency and/or resilience and sustainability.
Response Learning Hub
We've developed the Response Learning Hub, which is an online catalogue linking to virtual and face-to-face capacity strengthening resources in multiple languages.
Since the start of the escalation of the crisis we've translated almost 150 courses. Resources cover a range of topics including Humanitarian Essentials, Cash and Voucher Assistance, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
We're continuously adding new resources and translating content into Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian, French and Spanish.
Ukraine remains the second in top-10 countries engaging with the Hub with 5,204 users (11,164 views). The Ukraine Response page was viewed 9,104 times by 4,734 users.
"When I was working at the International Rescue Committee, I took various trainings on the Kaya platform. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a LinkedIn notification that the courses I was going to take are now available in Ukrainian. I think this supports the Ukrainian humanitarian response sector, which is so important nowadays. I plan to take the MEAL and Education in Emergency courses, as it is related to my next project." - Olga Vaskovets
Since the start of the onset of the crisis, 15,644 learners from the region have successfully completed courses on our digital learning platform Kaya (kayaconnect.org): Ukraine ( 4799), Poland (2011), Romania (1383), Moldova (1606), Lithuania (1121), Hungary (1189), Czechia (1225), Slovakia (1199), Slovenia (1111).
The Innovation Hive is working to strengthen the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ukraine
Save the Children's Innovation Hive (formerly the Innovation Bubble), in partnership with CIVIC Ltd, aims to assist small businesses and organisations in making a sustainable social impact in the region. By serving vulnerable communities and supporting their businesses, we expect to foster the wellbeing and prospects of children in these communities, so that every child can survive, learn, and be protected.
The project, entitled “The Possible”, has convened 18 organisations around “The Alliance”, a highly localised group of Ukrainian organisations committed to strengthening the impact ecosystem. It has also directly supported 51 social businesses in their mission to renew the Ukrainian economy through financial and non-financial means. As an ecosystem builder and convener, “The Alliance” is also strengthening its relationships with the national government to map existing social enterprises and provide interested individuals with resources to accelerate their social entrepreneurship journey.
The initiative has been testing different types of financial mechanisms to support local entrepreneurs in creating a sustainable investment model in partnership with the private sector. The first round of investments ended in June 2024 and its impact is currently being evaluated, with several companies reporting increased revenues after receiving support from the programme. A second phase of blended loans has been disbursed in June 2024 with final results and impact analysis expected by early 2025.
"The resilience of Ukrainian entrepreneurs has been inspirational. The project is looking to strengthen local organisations and find innovative ways to support the economic recovery in the country through a social investment lens. By combining financial instruments, technical support and network building, we expect to play a meaningful role in securing a safer future for children in the country." - Mauricio Preciado Awad Director of Innovative Finance & Ventures at The Innovation Hive
Through the Enterprise Studio, the Innovation Hive is providing cash grants and business support.
Save the Children’s Enterprise Studio work re-imagines humanitarian response by providing grants, financial investments and other bespoke non-financial support, including professional advice and services, to impact-driven entrepreneurs.
The HLA is delivering evidence in the area of capacity strengthening and localisation
The HLA is identifying the evidence gaps and key research questions on the transformational aspects of the response to the Ukraine crisis.
The HLA funded a report by the Klon/Jawor Association titled When working in crisis becomes daily life. Local organisations supporting refugees in Poland. This research explores the key activities of local organisations supporting refugees in Poland, as well as their resources, needs, and challenges, with a particular focus on the issue of burnout among teams and funding issues. The report also formulates recommendations.
We hold a webinar to talk about the research findings and discuss insights into the current state, needs, and challenges of the local organisations supporting refugees in Poland and the recommendations to support these organisations.
We have launched a new research project on the role of women in humanitarian action in Ukraine and Poland. In collaboration with Open Space Works Ukraine and Fundacja Ukraiński Dom (Poland), we are looking at how women-led organisations took a leading role in coordinating humanitarian aid in Ukraine and Poland. Investigating broader changes in the humanitarian sector, this research focuses on women-led community-based NGOs and informal initiatives supporting war-affected people. We are putting the spotlight on the initiatives implemented by IDPs and non-displaced women in communities close to the frontline and by Ukrainian migrants and refugees in Poland.
The HLA will continue to build and strengthen our networks in the region to deliver evidence on how to include and meaningfully support local organisations in Eastern Europe responding to the Ukraine crisis.
Together with Save the Children, we commissioned the report by the LSE Department of International Development 'Transformational Humanitarian Response: The Example of Poland'. It is now available in Polish and English.
Read the Expert Opinion article, discussing the key findings of the report:
Alameda is producing locally-led research to influence and contribute to international policy
Alameda, hosted by Save the Children UK, is a new strategic research institute. It will analyse the role of popular mobilisations in the transformation of civil society in post-Soviet republics, exploring the implications for humanitarian action in the country today. It will also address challenges for humanitarian reform and localisation in the context of the war in Ukraine.
Alameda’s core activity consists of the selection, supervision, and promotion of research projects aligned with its proposition. This provides the basis for the efforts to influence the strategy of activists and organisers, as well as policy-makers.
Alameda connects individuals and organisations within its network, promoting collaboration that can contribute to a collective understanding of large-scale social transformations and their implications for political strategy.
Alameda published a dossier ‘The War in Ukraine and the Question of Internationalism’
"In a time of transition, confirmed by the war in Ukraine, Alameda will contribute to a deeper understanding of the circumstances conditioning aid. As such, it will complement the other Engine 2 activities aimed at improving humanitarian practice today and in the future." - Juliano Fiori
ACAPS is providing independent and locally sourced analysis to improve decision-making in the humanitarian response
ACAPS is producing regular datasets and thematic reports to increase an understanding of the severity of the crisis, scale of humanitarian needs, access situation, displacement, and coordination between international and local response to ensure humanitarian responders and organisations can access and utilise the published data and thematic products in support of the planning and implementation of their humanitarian response.
ACAPS provides technical support and capacity strengthening to local and international organisations in data and analysis related topics.
Further information
For enquiries related to SHIFT programme, please get in touch with the HLA Programme Management team:
Deputy Director - Impact & Influence
Pawel Mania
P.Mania@savethechildren.org.uk
Programme Team Lead (Impact & Influence)
Amr Kamel
Amr.kamel@savethechildren.org
Programme Advisor
Chiman Amin
c.amin@savethechildren.org.uk
Research & Evaluation Specialist
Elisa Sandri
E.Sandri@savethechildren.org.uk
Communications Officer
Oksana Dobrovolska
O.Dobrovolska@savethechildren.org.uk
This story pack was produced by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy in March 2023. Last updated: 1 October 2024