Intensification of Entrepreneurial Initiative as a Way to Ensure Employment of ATO / JFO Veterans: Ukrainian Practice and Global Experience

Abstract

The article is aimed at studying the domestic and global experience of intensifying the entrepreneurial initiative of military conflicts veterans and using it as a basis to create a pattern for activating the entrepreneurial initiative of ATO / JFO veterans. The article proves the presupposition that employment of combat veterans around the world is a difficult task. The experience of integrating combatants into civilian life by intensifying their entrepreneurial initiative in countries involved in various military conflicts, including the United States, Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Croatia, has been studied. The study shows that Ukraine has regional, international and governmental programs aimed at adapting veterans to peaceful life. Most of these programs have complex tasks, namely: to organize physical rehabilitation and intensify the entrepreneurial activities of veterans. However, the state of implementation of these programs varies among the regions. The “Norway-Ukraine. Professional adaptation. Integration into the state system” (NUPASS) project is among the international projects that have successful experience in intensifying the entrepreneurial initiative of ATO / JFO veterans. Summarizing the results of sociological research on employing ATO / JFO veterans and their entrepreneurial activity, we have come to conclusion that ATO participants are facing typical problems, just as other entrepreneurs are, in starting and running their own business, making mistakes and failing. The veterans’ business is in the same unfavorable conditions as the standard one is. The article notes that, despite a number of problems that exist in this area, institutional and legal preconditions have been created to accelerate entrepreneurial activity among veterans. Ukrainian society as a whole is positive-minded as for the integration of anti-terrorist operation participants, and most employers are socially responsible. The authors suggest a general pattern of intensifying entrepreneurial activity of ATO / JFO veterans, which is based on the interaction of ATO / JFS veterans and their families, state authorities, international organizations, public organizations and veterans’ associations. Specific factors that contribute to activating the entrepreneurial initiative of ATO / JFO veterans are identified, and the favourable result obtained due to such activation is stated. The main favourable result is a comprehensive approach to promoting veterans’ business, which is revealed in a well-thought-out holistic long-term policy. The approach includes such elements as entrepreneurship training, various sources of financial support, and mentoring during the implementation of the entire business project of ATO / JFO veterans.