Launch of «RISE Platform» in Turka Community: Synergy of European Integration Reforms and Social Resilience

May 22, 2026, marked a milestone for the development of municipal innovations in Ukraine. The Turka City Council (Lviv Region), in collaboration with leading analytical, charitable, and expert organizations, officially launched the pilot Innovative Platform for Sustainable Development, Recovery, and European Integration — «RISE Platform» (Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, and Enterprise Platform).

The creation of this intersectoral ecosystem is formalized in the Memorandum of Cooperation and Partnership, to which the Turka City Council, as the Lead Implementation Partner, joined through the signing of targeted accession sheets for specific project areas.

“The ‘RISE Platform’ is unfolding as an integrated model where science-based green solutions, circular economy, and European integration requirements combine with practical measures for safety, accessibility, inclusion, and psychosocial support for our people,” the platform’s initiators note.

The consortium of partners has united unique competencies:

  • Charity Foundation “Heart of Ukraine” (organizational, financial, and expert-consulting support, business relocation management, and psychosocial support);

  • Charity Foundation “Help on Bee Wings” (veteran and agro-innovation vector);

  • Public Organization “Club of Economists” (analytical and scientific support);

  • All-Ukrainian Public Organization of Persons with Disabilities “Investment Chamber of Ukraine” (investment-inclusive direction);

  • Enterprise of Citizens’ Association “BIZNESINTERINVEST” (digital content management).

Today, the platform’s activities are unfolding along two parallel strategic priorities, each adapted to the requirements of leading international donors.

Priority 1 (Project K1):
Economic Transformation, SME Development, and EU Acquis Requirements

This direction was initiated within the framework of the “Resilience through Partnership” grant program from the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting. Its goal is to translate the fulfillment of European integration requirements into drivers of the local economy.

  • Adaptation to Chapter 20 of the EU acquis: Joint work focuses on transforming the community’s business environment in accordance with European standards of entrepreneurial activity and industrial policy.

  • Eliminating business barriers: Partners are developing applied roadmaps for the green transition, supporting business relocation processes, and creating investment passports aimed at removing administrative obstacles for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) when receiving direct EU funding.

  • Circular economy and engineering: Thanks to the involvement of the scientific potential of open innovation laboratories, life cycle assessment (LCC) models for innovative projects are being created in the community, and the launch of local cyclical and resource-efficient production is being stimulated.

Administration of digital hubs and content support for current documentation in this direction is assigned to the platform’s technical partner.

Priority 2 (Project K2):
Social Resilience, IDP Adaptation, and Veteran Smart Beekeeping

The socio-humanitarian wing of the platform is being implemented within the framework of the “Towards Life: Communities in Action” grant competition from ISAR Ednannia. This priority is dedicated to restoring human potential, protecting vulnerable groups, and preserving human capital.

  • Inclusion and accessibility: Based on international ESG criteria, social infrastructure objects in the community are being adapted to the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs), people with disabilities, and defenders returning from the front.

  • Psychosocial rehabilitation and HR consulting: Comprehensive support is provided for the integration of IDPs into new local communities, crisis management of personnel at enterprises, and the implementation of psychosocial intervention programs to overcome professional and personal burnout in crisis conditions.

  • Rehabilitation through smart-agro: A unique element of the project is training veterans in a new high-tech profession in the field of modern smart beekeeping. This is not just psychological recovery, but the provision of material and technical support for starting one’s own business and integrating digital solutions into traditional crafts.

  • Institutional sustainability: The “Help on Bee Wings” Charity Foundation, led by Tetiana Vasylkivska, ensures the development and registration of copyrights for specialized methodological manuals on adapting beekeeping for veterans, which will allow this experience to be scaled to other regions of Ukraine.

Municipal Focus:
Integration into the Community Strategy

The Turka City Council acts as a reliable guarantor of the implementation of all developed solutions. Official targeted accession sheets, signed by Mayor Yaroslav Parashchych, secure the community’s commitment to integrate the created investment passports, crisis response plans, and security models directly into the official Development Strategy of the Turka Urban Territorial Community.

The “RISE Platform” is built on the principles of openness. It is a framework platform open for the accession of new academic institutions, business associations, and international donors who strive to transform Ukrainian communities into self-sufficient, resilient, and integrated ecosystems within the European space.

Follow the updates and implementation progress of projects K1 and K2 on our website and the official pages of the consortium partners!