20.05.2016

To help people to get back on their feet, to develop their potential and to contribute to the development of Mariupol are the main values of Mariupol social policy for the next five years, which were presented yesterday in the Mariupol Development Fund within the strategic Program of social support "Disclose the potential".

Mayor of Mariupol Vadim Boychenko, representatives of the city administration, social services, deputies and public took part in discussing social projects. Key experts of the session are the Project Manager "Orphanhood-no! Rinat Akhmetov's Foundation "Development of Ukraine" Daria Kasyanov and UNICEF Project Coordinator Sofia Popovich.

According to Vadim Boychenko, social policy is a priority question in the development strategy of the city for the next five years. First of all, it is necessary to increase the social responsibility both citizens and officials to the community.

"We are on the threshold of great changes. Today, it is important to rely on people to feel our support, care, attention, "- the Mayor said.

One of the reformative decisions reducing social tensions may be monetization of reduced fare; creation of social cards for Mariupol citizens allows to low-income citizens receive necessary targeted support and services.

"Social card can be filled, our foreign partners are willing to help in this matter. Territorial centers should take on a key role in it – to provide new services, such as social laundry, hairdresser, etc.", - Vadim Boychenko emphasized.

Mariupol City Council also intends to introduce the best European practice to provide social water for citizens and free supply quality water to hospitals, kindergartens, schools and low-income citizens. In the near future, the new project will start working.

The authors of the new social policy have paid a special attention to the issues of employment, affordable housing, ensuring the rights of children and internally displaced persons. The city is ready to rebuild five objects for a social housing. It will solve the housing issue for 1,500 families of internally displaced persons.

A separate issue is ensuring the rights of children. The new social policy is built on the principle that every child should have a family. Program developers emphasize attention into promotion of national adoption. However, experts suggest developing and supporting biological families.

"1$ investment for preservation of a biological family generates income in 4$ after 27 years. Eventually, both society and the country will win", - Daria Kasyanova gave the data of international surveys.

Experts also note there are enough specialists that conduct trainings on how to reveal problems in family forms of education. For its part, UNICEF is ready to share the experience of Canadian experts.

"It is necessary to develop the relationship between municipality and public, to understand clearly the needs of people, to link social assistance with social services. The estimate of requirements will allow to develop forms of social order and provide people services and support that they really need ", - the Chairman of the Committee for Social Policy, Medicine and Environment of the Mariupol Development Fund, Ulyana Tokareva, summed up.