ALDA Representative in Ukraine
Yuriy Stepanets is an experienced expert in civil society development, local democracy, and community engagement. Since 2007, he has led the Association of Ukrainian Civic Initiatives (AUCI), a national network of over 30 organizations that promotes active citizenship and local participation across Ukraine.
He cooperates with municipalities throughout the country, supporting decentralization reform and developing tools for citizen participation. Yuriy has coordinated numerous national and international projects in partnership with the Education for Democracy Foundation (Poland), GIZ, USAID, and NED, focusing on inclusive governance, dialogue facilitation, and community capacity-building.
In 2020, he founded Vereta, a social enterprise that upcycles textile waste into handmade woven products while preserving traditional Ukrainian crafts and supporting rural communities.
Since 2022, Yuriy has coordinated initiatives helping internally displaced persons and local governments adapt to wartime challenges and rebuild stronger, more resilient communities.
Since 2023, he has also been a member of the Enlargement Candidate Members Group at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).