Ukraine is facing a major societal challenge: how to address the needs of its veterans. To better support their recovery and reintegration into society, the organization Restart initiated the ADAPT project. It combined spatial research with practical design measures. The pilot project in Ivano-Frankivsk developed solutions that can be scaled to other regions. The project operated on three levels:
- Regional: Examination of existing rehabilitation and support structures across all 62 territorial communities of the region. The aim was to identify disparities in service availability and develop recommendations to improve accessibility, coordination, and sustainability.
- Urban: Analysis of Ivano-Frankivsk's main systems – from medical and social services to transport, sports, education, and culture.
- Local: Development of an inclusive recovery space in the courtyard of the Regional Clinical Hospital. Many veterans spend months there in rehabilitation, but suitable outdoor areas for physical activity and recreation are still lacking. A concept has been designed in close collaboration with veterans, rehabilitation specialists, and universal design experts. This pilot project is intended to serve as a model for other institutions in the future.
Methodologically, ADAPT applied a combination of spatial analysis, stakeholder mapping, sociological surveys, interviews, and participatory workshops. A key principle was the active involvement of veterans: their experiences and needs were directly integrated into planning and implementation. In doing so, ADAPT layed the foundation for a better coordinated veterans’ policy, for inclusive infrastructures, and for scalable solutions that can be applied in other regions of Ukraine as well.
