The mentoring programme "Citizen energy for resilient Ukraine" is part of a two-year project implemented by the wechange eG cooperative and the Synergy Sustainable Development Agency with the financial support of the German Foreign Office. 

The mentoring programme for Energy communities will run from August to October 2023. It will enable community energy groups and public figures interested in green energy projects in Ukraine to benefit from free expert support on the way to establishing energy communities. This includes issues of financing, working in the legal and regulatory environment, cooperation with local authorities and local stakeholders, writing business plans, managing RES projects, etc.

The mentoring programme is aimed at providing expert support to the teams participating in the RE-ENERGIZE UKRAINE Case Study Challenge, which aims to help three Ukrainian communities develop renewable energy projects. Both newly formed and existing community energy groups will participate in the Case Study Challenge and mentoring programme, which will help establish links between different representatives of the public and energy sectors, share experiences and gain professional knowledge in the field of renewable energy.

Each of the six teams will be assigned two experienced mentors from Ukraine and Germany, who will offer individual sessions and support in solving the cases. Mentoring will focus on the most important issues for the team, which will be identified during the team selection process.

Who are the mentors?

Ukrainian and German renewable energy experts and leaders of energy cooperatives, selected on the basis of their experience and knowledge of Ukrainian realities.

Why participate in a mentoring programme?

Establishing an energy community and then managing the energy business in the community can be challenging. Mentoring helps because:

• it inspires and motivates mentors and mentees to develop their potential;
• it develops interpersonal and communication skills;
• it allows you to share your successes and failures in an open, safe and supportive environment;
• you benefit from the practical experience of experts without having to reinvent the wheel;
• you develop your ability to learn, share knowledge and ask the right questions to achieve your goal;
• you will be able to reassess your activities and find innovative solutions.

Both mentors and mentees will learn new things through structured exchange. Mentors share their experience and support the creation of new energy communities, project planning and implementation. Their time is rewarded. The mentees benefit from the expertise of the experts and successfully promote their own local projects, and thus Ukraine's energy independence and decarbonisation.

After each mentoring session, the teams create a short protocol in which they record questions and results. The most important results of the mentoring and the developed business plans will be included in a handbook on energy communities in Ukraine, which will be published within the project in early 2024. 

Registration for the RE-ENERGIZE UKRAINE Case Study Challenfe will open on 22 June 2023.