Supporting Safer Communities Through Trust and Dialogue
In frontline communities, safety depends on trust between residents and those responsible for protecting them. Without that trust, even well-designed decisions and services may fail to meet people’s real needs.
Ukraine’s international partners, through the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU), support initiatives that help strengthen safety and community engagement in frontline hromadas.
On 24–25 March 2026, PFRU delivered a 1.5-day training at Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs in Kropyvnytskyi on two-way engagement between Territorial Community Police Officers (TCPOs) and local residents. The training brought together 22 police officers from frontline hromadas to explore how stronger communication with communities can support participatory security and more responsive service delivery.
The training highlighted that effective two-way engagement is essential for participatory governance, emergency response, and building trust.
Key points included:
- communication should start early and accompany all stages of decision-making, not follow decisions already made;
- resident feedback is as important as information sharing;
- messages must be clear, audience-specific, and linked to concrete actions and outcomes.
The session covered practical online and offline engagement tools, from social media and surveys to public meetings and community dialogue, with a focus on reaching vulnerable and less visible groups. Participants also worked on preparing for difficult conversations, practising de-escalation, active listening, asking open questions, and keeping dialogue focused on shared goals.
Through group work and a simulated public hearing, future TCPOs practised inclusive and risk-informed decision-making, presenting community-identified security priorities. The discussion also stressed that effective communication should be measured not only by the number of meetings or messages, but by reduced tensions, stronger engagement, and growing trust over time.
The training reaffirmed that safety and resilience in frontline hromadas depend on trust, listening, and meaningful engagement. Strengthening this capacity is an important part of helping communities feel heard, protected, and involved.
