Медіа: Hromadske radio

Supporting Parents of Children with Disabilities: The Podcast Series

Context

For many families, the moment when a child is diagnosed with a disability or special educational needs becomes a profound crisis due to a lack of clear information, complex bureaucratic procedures, and emotional exhaustion. In the Ukrainian media landscape, these issues are often covered only fragmentarily and rarely provide practical answers to parents’ everyday questions.

In this context, the podcast format creates a safe space for explaining complex issues and supporting families who are only beginning the process of acceptance and adaptation.

What has been done

Hromadske Radio launched the podcast series “Fighters Who Conquer the World”, aimed at parents of children with disabilities or special educational needs who are encountering a diagnosis for the first time.

The project’s author, journalist Tetiana Kurmanova, discusses:

  • practical aspects of caring for a child;
  • rehabilitation and early intervention;
  • psychological support for parents and maintaining personal resilience;
  • overcoming bureaucratic barriers and social stigma.

The series also addresses the broader issue of promoting tolerant and non-discriminatory attitudes toward children with disabilities and their families.

How it was implemented

  • The editorial team chose the podcast format, combining expert commentary, parents’ lived experience, and practical guidance.
  • Episodes cover topics such as accepting a diagnosis, obtaining disability status, accessing benefits, finding doctors and specialists, rehabilitation pathways, and early intervention services.
  • The project is designed to provide immediate practical value for families while also increasing public awareness of inclusion and disability-related issues.

Impact

The podcast achieved more than one million social media impressions and received strong audience support. The project was shortlisted among the best podcasts of 2025 by MEGOGO.

Hundreds of positive responses from parents, as well as support from disability and family organizations, demonstrated both the demand for such content and its practical value for society.

What other media can learn

  • Use audio formats to provide both practical information and emotional support to target audiences.
  • Combine expert knowledge with the experiences of real people to build trust and a sense of community.
  • Discuss inclusion and non-discrimination in clear, accessible language so that complex topics become understandable to a broad audience.

Public Education and Visibility of the LGBTIQ+ Community Through a Multimedia Format

Context

Despite gradual changes in public attitudes, LGBTIQ+ people in Ukraine continue to face discrimination, hate speech, and a lack of reliable information in the media. Issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity are often covered either fragmentarily or through the lens of scandal, without sufficient context or authentic human stories.

In this context, educational media projects become a key tool for challenging stereotypes, fostering empathy, and normalizing diversity as an integral part of Ukrainian society.

What has been done

Hromadske Radio launched the multimedia educational project “Someone Loves Someone” (Khtos Kogos Lyubyt) in 2024–2025, dedicated to LGBTIQ+ people in Ukraine. Journalist Ana More, the project’s author, created two seasons of video podcasts, audio podcasts, and written materials that:

  • debunk common myths about the LGBTIQ+ community;
  • discuss discrimination, social challenges, and security risks faced by LGBTIQ+ people;
  • introduce audiences to the personal experiences of the project’s participants, giving them space for self-expression.

The project’s goal was not only public education but also contributing to real social change that improves the situation of LGBTIQ+ people in Ukraine.

“Hromadske Radio considers it our responsibility to give voice to those whose voices are often unheard, especially during wartime. We deliberately chose a multimedia and serial approach so that LGBTIQ+ people would be represented not occasionally, but as a full-fledged part of Ukrainian society. Visibility and knowledge are the first steps toward reducing discrimination,” says Viktoriia Yermolaieva, editor-in-chief of Hromadske Radio.

How it was implemented

  • Season one: a series of videos and podcasts published on YouTube and Hromadske Radio platforms.
  • Season two: continuation of the format with new episodes and an expanded thematic focus.
  • Integrated approach: combining personal stories with factual explanations of myths, discriminatory practices, and legal issues.

The multimedia format made it possible to reach different audience segments — radio listeners, podcast audiences, YouTube viewers, and readers of written articles.

Impact

The first season became the most popular project on Hromadske Radio’s YouTube channel in 2024, while the second season became one of the channel’s most popular projects in 2025.

The project accumulated hundreds of thousands of YouTube views and millions of social media impressions. Audiences left hundreds of comments emphasizing the courage of the format, the importance of open conversation, and the accessibility of information about LGBTIQ+ people.

What other media can learn

  • Combine personal stories with factual explanation in order to work simultaneously with emotion and knowledge.
  • Provide platforms for socially marginalized groups and allow them to speak in the first person.
  • Use multimedia formats — video, podcasts, and written articles — to broaden reach and maintain long-term audience engagement.

Hromadske Radio: Implementing Equality, Inclusion, and Accessibility Policies in Editorial Work

What Has Been Done

Hromadske Radio has adopted a Policy on Accessibility, Equality and the Rights of People with Disabilities.

The document sets out principles of non-discrimination, inclusive coverage of disability-related issues, and accessibility of media content. The Policy provides recommendations on respectful and appropriate language, the representation of people with disabilities, digital and information accessibility, moderation, as well as creating inclusive working conditions and editorial processes.

It also includes specific tools such as alternative text for images, subtitles, transcripts, accessible meeting formats, reasonable workplace accommodations, and regular monitoring of the representation of people with disabilities in media content. The editorial approach is based on human rights principles and applies to all content formats, in line with UNESCO recommendations set out in the Practical Manual on Disability Equality in the Media.

At the same time, the editorial team is finalizing an Editorial Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence, which will include provisions aimed at preventing technology-facilitated gender-based violence against women.

How It Was Implemented

The editorial team combines regulatory changes with practical steps. Among other things, they are implementing technical solutions to make the website of Hromadske Radio more accessible to people with disabilities.

Blind journalist Volodymyr Pyrih has been working on the newsfeed for over a year now. He writes news publications, selects illustrations, publishes materials, works with internal editorial software, audios, videos, and documents, and maintains communication with the other team members. His work demonstrates that inclusion is possible not by creating “special conditions” but by organizing work processes properly.

Impact 

The practice of engaging a journalist with a disability on equal terms reinforced the idea of equal opportunities in the media outlet, challenging stereotypes regarding professional limitations of people with disabilities.

Editorial policies and practices contribute to the formation of a more inclusive culture within the team, which also affects the quality and sensitivity of the content.

Challenges and Further Plans

Hromadske Radio strives to make content on all its platforms, including the website and social media pages, fully accessible to people with disabilities. This requires additional financial resources for developers, contemporary software, training, and payment for specialized services.

How Other Media Can Follow:

  • Enshrine the principles of equality and inclusion in internal policies and codes.
  • Combine regulatory documents with real changes in the organization of editorial workflow.
  • View accessibility as an issue of processes rather than “special conditions.”
  • Invest in the technical and organizational accessibility of the media content.