Before the start of the advocacy campaigns, the Network’s team organized an open call for ideas. The open call demonstrated high levels of interest and confidence in the program: a total of 32 applications were submitted to DOCU ACTS 5.0, both from experienced moderators and from newcomers of the film club community. The teams proposed projects aimed at increasing cohesion within communities, promoting reforms, enhancing residents’ democratic participation in local self-government, supporting internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups, mitigating the consequences of war, and achieving systemic positive change within communities. All of these projects implied the use of documentary films as tools for dialogue and impact.

During the process of the winners’ selection, the judging panel paid particular attention to the relevance of the identified issue for the specific community, the feasibility and coherence of the advocacy strategy, and the project’s potential to generate sustainable change. After all, the final outcome of the advocacy efforts should extend beyond a formal appeal to authorities, producing a lasting impact on community life.

The judging panel selected 10 winners of the competition, who received financial, methodological, and organizational support from the Network team to implement their projects over the next six months. 

Photo from the DOCU/CLUB Network archive

We are presenting the campaigns launched within the framework of DOCU ACTS 5.0 and the teams that are already transforming documentary films into tools for action.

Several moderators have focused their advocacy efforts on schoolchildren. In the context of war, children and adolescents increasingly find themselves in situations where adults’ decisions directly affect their lives, while their own voices remain unheard. These initiatives aim to engage youths into discussions on the most relevant issues of their communities, foster skills of participation in decision-making processes, and cultivate a sense of responsibility for a shared future.

Ella Nemish, moderator of the “Gart” film club at the Unified Center for Social and Rehabilitation Services in Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, advocates for her city’s council to register at the “Participatory Budget” platform for electronic democracy. This step will enable educational institutions within the community to submit proposals to the city’s School Participatory Budget and to transparently implement schoolchildren’s initiatives while teaching the youths responsibility, planning, and presentation of their ideas for the general public. The campaign titled “YOU ACT: Youth Participation in Decision-Making” aims to bridge the gap between self-governance of schoolchildren, local authorities, and community resources.

Lyubov Novak, moderator of the Docudays UA film club at the Voznesenske village council of Zolotonosha district in the Cherkasy region, will work with local youth to equip them with tools for direct action, including participation in the Participatory Budget and the establishment of a Youth Advisory Council at the village council. As a result of the campaign “Energy for Change: A Leadership Laboratory for Grades 9-10,” youths will develop leadership skills and obtain a mechanism for influencing the future of their community.

Photo from the DOCU/CLUB Network archive

The campaign by Khrystyna Hataliak, moderator of the Docudays UA film club at the NGO “Patronus” in Lviv, addresses the highly sensitive issue of preservation and support of children’s mental health in the context of war. Khrystyna will work toward establishing a comprehensive system of child support within educational institutions of the Lviv community by equipping teachers, parents, and social workers with basic knowledge of children’s psycho-emotional needs in wartime and appropriate responses to these needs. The project team will develop a plan for implementation of systematic training programs for education professionals and submit it for approval by the Lviv City Council.

The advocacy campaign “I See. I Know. I Act” by Maria Tyshchuk, moderator of the “KinoPuzzle” film club in Zhytomyr, is aimed at supporting families with little children in the context of war, when high levels of stress and limited access to medical services complicate the timely identification of developmental disorders. As a result, early signs of developmental delays and manifestations of the autism spectrum remain unnoticed, and children gain access to specialists at an advanced stage, when opportunities for early intervention are significantly reduced. The initiative seeks to raise awareness among parents and professionals in the Zhytomyr region, provide families with emotional support, and contribute to the development and approval by the Health Department of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration of a clear action algorithm for pediatricians, so that children receive assistance in a timely manner, and families feel support and confidence.

Photo from the DOCU/CLUB Network archive

The Uzhhorod, Mukachevo, Perechyn, and Svalyava communities of Zakarpattya region will focus their efforts on implementation of the social service of supported living for persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons. As a consequence of the war, many of them are placed in institutional care facilities or are forced to live in isolation without community support. To change this situation, Larysa Shuvalova, moderator of the Docudays UA film club at the NGO “Center for Cultural Initiatives ‘Fortress Ung’” in Uzhhorod, has initiated the advocacy campaign “Support Life in Your Community.” Its objective is to develop public support, facilitate the introduction of the social service of supported living in pilot communities, and include it into local social protection programs.

Among this year’s winners of the advocacy project competition, there is another moderator with successful experience in advocacy — Yuliyia Davydiuk, moderator of the “OVRUCHdim” film club at Pokaliv Lyceum of the Ovruch city council in the Zhytomyr region. This year’s campaign, “Voices of Memory,” aims to introduce systematic work with oral history in the community, including the collection of testimonies from the militaries, veterans, and the families of fallen heroes. The initiative group plans to submit recommendations on the preservation of oral history to the city council, secure the approval of a municipal program for preservation of oral history, and advocate for the implementation of similar programs across all communities of the Korosten district.

Photo from the DOCU/CLUB Network archive

Two advocacy campaigns within the DOCU ACTS 5.0 program specifically focus on media and digital literacy among older adults. During wartime, this group is particularly subject to informational vulnerability, which may lead to the spread of disinformation, financial losses due to fraudulent schemes, distorted perceptions of social processes, increased anxiety and social isolation, and a reduced resilience to information threats within communities.

Oksana Musiyuk, moderator of the Docudays UA film club at the Center for Social Services of the Berezdiv village council in the Khmelnytskyi region, initiated the campaign “Feeling Confident in the Digital World.” Its goal is to introduce a media literacy program for older adults within the community and to secure the approval of the relevant draft decision by the village council.

Maryna Humenyuk, moderator of the “Territory of Cinema” film club at the Ivan Bazhanskyi Comprehensive Secondary School in the Vyzhnytsia district of Bukovyna, launched the campaign “Digital Independence: Navigating Everyday Challenges.” Her initiative focuses on building resilience to wartime challenges among older community members through learning of digital tools. To this end, the community will organize a “Digital Interaction Hub,” where trained volunteer groups will teach older adults essential digital skills, ensuring their continuous access to services and enhancing social interaction. In addition, the campaign will result in development of proposals for a community-wide digital education program and their implementation.

Photo from the DOCU/CLUB Network archive

Among the winners of the advocacy project competition, there are also initiatives by film clubs that work within the Probation Center and correctional institutions.

, moderator of the Docudays UA film club at the Berestyn District Sector No. 2 of the State Institution “Probation Center” branch in the Kharkiv region, initiated the campaign “Point of Trust: Supporting Veterans in Probation.” She emphasizes that the reintegration and resocialization of veterans who have committed offenses require specific approaches. Accordingly, probation units should develop a specialized, trauma-informed psycho-emotional program tailored to this group. The advocacy effort will result in piloting the program at the local probation unit. The program will be implemented nationwide, following the approval of the Probation Center’s Guideline on the creation of safe spaces within probation units for the effective rehabilitation and resocialization of war veterans who are subjects of probation.

Viktoriya Symchak, moderator of the “Light Through the Bars” film club at the Chortkiv Correctional Facility No. 26 in the Ternopil region, will develop and implement the “Platform of Changes” — a psycho-cultural and legal program aimed at the reintegration of convicted persons into society. The pilot phase of the program, launched during the campaign, will be submitted for approval to the Department for the Execution of Criminal Sentences of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, with a view to replicating the experience at other correctional facilities throughout the country.

The DOCU/CLUB Network team congratulates all winners of the advocacy project competition and wishes them success in implementing their initiatives. Six months of intense work lies ahead of them, including film screenings and discussions, engagement of experts and partners, dialogue with public authorities, and consistent advocacy steps aimed at restoring and strengthening communities.

This year’s advocacy campaigns bring together advocacy and care, expertise and humanity, short-term action and long-term impact. This is the secret of strength of the DOCU ACTS 5.0 program: it supports initiatives that help communities become more resilient and make people feel that their voices matter.

The development of the DOCU/CLUB Network is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and Fondation de France.

The opinions, conclusions or recommendations are those of the authors and compilers of this publication and do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments or charitable organizations of these countries. The authors and compilers are solely responsible for the content of this publication.