Ukrainian Shield
Defending the Foundations of Democracy
Our mission is to protect citizens’ right to accesspublic information, raise political culture, develop an active and responsible civil society, and enable capable local self-government
We are a team of experts and like-minded people
who want to live in a strong democratic state built by responsible citizens.
Areas of activity
How can Ukrainian Shield be useful to you?
Communication Strategies for Local Governments
In today's context, transparent, effective, and targeted communication is the foundation of trust between residents of Ukrainian communities and regions and local self-government bodies. Therefore, one of the key areas of activity for the NGO "Ukrainian Shield" is supporting local self-government bodies in developing and implementing communication strategies.
We collaborate with communities in the following areas:
- Conducting communication audits
- Analyzing the Development Strategy of local self-government bodies with a focus on communication
- Holding strategic sessions with local government teams
- Drafting communication strategies up to 2030 with a step-by-step plan for the first year
- Developing templates and guides for daily communication tasks
- Supporting local self-government bodies at the initial stages of strategy implementation
Raising Awareness of Effective Communications for State and Local Authorities
Despite the growing importance of information and transparency in governance, communication efforts in many state and local authorities are still not prioritized, and relevant specialists often lack sufficient training or resources.
As a result, residents of Ukrainian communities are sometimes inadequately or entirely uninformed about the work of local self-government bodies, whose representatives they have elected.
Moreover, even though mandatory communication and interaction between citizens and public authorities are legislatively defined, the forms of such communication are often complex and bureaucratic, which does not contribute to increasing trust in public authorities.
The NGO "Ukrainian Shield" aims to change this by conducting training programs in communications, including online courses covering basic and advanced communication skills, individual consultations for communication specialists, and practical workshops on specific tools (social media, crisis communication, media relations).
During the training, participants:
- Learn to develop comprehensive communication strategies
- Acquire tools for crisis communication and handling negative feedback
- Study effective practices for managing social media tailored to target audiences
- Learn to write engaging and structured texts in PR formats and journalistic genres
- Analyze key legislative norms related to public information
Supporting Local and Regional Media and Aspiring Journalists
Local media are not just news outlets; they are the voice of communities and regions. Especially in frontline and de-occupied territories, journalism requires support, solidarity, and continuous development.
The NGO "Ukrainian Shield" is launching an initiative to support regional and local journalists and media across Ukraine—from Zakarpattia to Donetsk.
Focus areas:
- Internships and mentorship support for aspiring journalists in regional newsrooms
- Online meetings for experience exchange among journalists from eastern, southern, and western Ukraine
- Intensive training on media tools: social media, storytelling, multimedia, fact-checking
Countering Disinformation and Information Threats
In the context of full-scale war, disinformation has become one of the most dangerous threats to society. It divides communities, sows distrust, and weakens state institutions. The NGO "Ukrainian Shield" works to enhance society's resilience to information attacks.
Focus areas:
- Educational fact-checking trainings for civil servants, journalists, educators, and youth
- Analytical reviews of fakes and manipulations in media and social networks (weekly/monthly)
- Development of guides and checklists for rapid information verification
- Interactive campaigns promoting media literacy (quizzes, comics, videos)
- Collaboration with regional media to produce materials debunking fakes
Engaging Youth in Local Development and Democracy
Youth are the driving force of the future, capable of transforming communities today. The NGO "Press Association of Ukraine" creates spaces for developing skills, critical thinking, and active youth engagement in community life through modern media tools. We help young people not just consume information but influence narratives in their communities, identify local issues, and address them loudly, creatively, and responsibly.
Focus areas:
- Youth media laboratories in communities: training, practice, creating local content
- Summer schools on media literacy and storytelling for teenagers and students
- Online marathons and contests for videos, stories, blogs on local development topics
- Mentorship programs for young journalists and communicators
- Accountability and transparent governance: from communication to trust
- Understanding local self-government bodies and their functions
- Comprehending state authorities and their responsibilities
- How and why to run for or be elected to local self-government bodies
- Civil society institutions: uniting like-minded individuals to protect and represent intere
Accountability and Transparent Governance
Trust in local self-government bodies is key to sustainable development. We believe that openness and constant interaction with residents should become the norm for every community. We work to ensure that citizens understand how local authorities operate, can influence decisions, and see the results of their initiatives.
Focus areas:
- Information campaigns about budget processes and decision-making transparency
- Training for local self-government bodies and communal institutions on open communication tools
- Visualizing community budgets in a simple and understandable format
- Promoting public dialogue formats: debates, online Q&A sessions, sociological surveys
Local and Regional Development
Planning for the future is not a luxury but a necessity. We support communities in creating effective development strategies that consider local resources, needs, and potential. As part of this sub-area, we provide expert support in preparing general and sectoral programs and train community teams to work with strategic documents.
Focus areas:
- Consultations on preparing development strategies for territorial communities or regions
- Support in creating sectoral programs (education, culture, economy, ecology)
- Educational modules on strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and impact assessment
Collaboration Between Local Self-Government Bodies and Donor Organizations and Investors
Local development is impossible without external resources, expertise, and partnerships. The NGO "Ukrainian Shield" helps local self-government bodies better navigate the international donor support system and prepare for successful participation in competitions, projects, and programs. We also provide consultations on building the community's image as an investment-attractive partner.
Focus areas:
- Analyzing potential areas of cooperation with international and national donor organizations
- Preparing local self-government bodies for participation in grant competitions
- Consultations on writing effective applications and presentations for potential partners
- Developing profiles of investment attractiveness for communities, districts, or regions
- Conducting training for local self-government bodies on attracting investments and donor funds
Get acquainted
Alina O’Leary
Andriy Paliy
Yaroslava Katolyk
