PUBLIC ASSOCIATIONS AS ACTORS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE POLICY ON PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article substantiates the role of public associations as independent actors in the implementation of state policy on physical education in Ukraine. The relevance of the study is associated with the transition from a predominantly administrative model of governance to collaborative governance, in which civil society institutions are involved not only in organising individual events but also in identifying needs, designing programmes, delivering services, monitoring outcomes and adjusting policy. Under martial law, adaptive and veteran sport, physical and sports rehabilitation, restoration of regular physical activity among children and young people, and barrier-free access to activities have become particularly important. The purpose of the article is to clarify the meaning of the agency of public associations and to determine the organisational foundations of their effective interaction with central and local public authorities. The methodological framework combines systemic, institutional and structural-functional approaches, legal analysis, content analysis of strategic documents, comparison and logical generalisation. It is established that Ukrainian legislation recognises a broad range of civic institutions in physical culture and sport; however, legal status alone does not guarantee genuine participation in the policy cycle. The agency of a public association is defined as its legally recognised and organisationally secured capacity to participate in problem identification, co-design of solutions, programme implementation and evaluation of results while remaining accountable for resources used and public outcomes achieved. Representative and analytical, project-design, implementation, self-regulatory and monitoring roles of civil society are systematised. The article proposes a model of interaction that combines the regulatory and strategic level, intersectoral coordination, competitive selection of implementing organisations, contractual specification of expected results and open monitoring. The model requires proportional reporting, safety and inclusion standards, conflict-of-interest safeguards and feedback from participants. The practical value of the findings lies in their applicability to state, regional and local programmes in physical education, sport for all, student sport, adaptive sport and veteran sport.