EU4PFM concluded two-day Workshop on Risk Self-Assessment for Legal Aid System

The workshop, held as part of the second phase of the internal control pilot initiative, bridged the gap between strategic and operational levels within the Legal Aid pilot entity. While the opening day focused on institutional strategic goals, the second day shifted focus to the operational level, bringing together leadership from the Coordination Centre and Regional Free Legal Aid Centres representing Ukraine’s Western, Northern, Southern, Eastern, and South-Eastern regions.

Supported by EU4PFM experts, participants worked to identify specific operational risks that could hinder the delivery of quality legal services and analysed their root causes.

Manfred van Kesteren, EU4PFM International Expert on Public Internal Financial Control, noted: “Bringing strategic and operational leadership into one room proved incredibly effective. We had intense, high-value discussions where dialogue was the driving force. The ultimate success of today was hearing regional representatives commit to duplicating these risk-assessment practices within their own local teams. This is how a true culture of internal control is built.”

Participants emphasized the value of having external facilitators from EU4PFM. The presence of experts from outside the system provided an objective lens, fostered an environment for open knowledge exchange and offered fresh perspectives.

The outcomes of these two days will serve as the foundation for the next steps of the pilot phase. The focus will be on prioritising key risks, developing mitigation measures and applying the methodology tested at the Coordination Centre to other public institutions.