About the Programme 

Youth Connect for Ukraine aims to support young Ukrainians in living full and meaningful lives here and now – no matter where they currently are. The programme seeks to help young people, including girls, women, and members of vulnerable groups affected by the war in Ukraine, gain the skills and motivation to build connections within their communities and to shape their own future and the future of their communities.

We design trainings and activities that build the leadership qualities needed in times of instability and that support social development.

The programme’s ambition is to meet the needs of young leaders from Ukraine and Europe (aged 16–30) and to equip them with the skills, resources, and networks of contacts needed for leadership in their communities today and in a rebuilt Ukraine as part of a European network.

Project Duration

In 2023, the programme launched in Ukraine, Romania, and Poland, introducing POP-UP youth centres in various locations that offered skills development and learning opportunities, access to information, expert support, and opportunities for networking and experience sharing. 

The programme is open to young leaders from Ukraine, including internally displaced persons or those currently living in Romania or Poland, as well as to young participants from local communities who are interested in leadership and in building positive relationships within their environment. 

In 2026, the programme will continue in an updated format.

Project Track Record

Over 2023–2025, the Youth Connect for Ukraine project delivered:

641

leadership training participants

5,097

youth event participants

37

social initiatives supported

13

POP-UP events

Programme Goal

The goal of the Youth Connect for Ukraine programme is to:

  • give young people practical skills in leadership, communication, and conflict management that help them act under conditions of constant stress and uncertainty;
  • support young people in launching their own initiatives in their communities and build a network of connections among participants, partner organisations, and the programme that continues between cycles.

Period Event / Milestone
2023 Launch of the Youth Connect for Ukraine programme
2023-2025 Programme delivery in Ukraine, Romania, Poland, and Czechia: 13 POP-UP events, 385 leadership training participants
2025  
September POP-UP event in Lviv
October POP-UP event in Haivoron
Novermber POP-UP events in Berezan, Poltava, Ivano-Frankivsk
November Study visit to Lviv
December POP-UP event in Kyiv
December Facilitator training in Kamianets-Podilskyi
2026  
February POP-UP events in Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Chyhyryn, Mukachevo
March POP-UP events in Ternopil, Chernivtsi, Bucha
March Study visit to Czechia
March Ideathon
July 2026 Continuation of the programme in an updated format – Youth Connect for Ukraine: Artificial Intelligence for Professional Development and Leadership.

Under One Umbrella (Chernivtsi) 

6 sessions · ages 15–20 · 4 partners

A programme for young people from children’s homes and those already living independently after leaving residential care institutions. Six sessions – from an icebreaker to an outdoor art workshop – helped participants understand their rights and university opportunities, and build real connections with trainers, psychologists, and local government representatives.

Re:Stage (Haivoron, Kirovohrad Region) 

3 events · 175 participants and spectators · ages 14–30

The team created three formats – the theatrical-miniatures festival “Theatre Without Rules,” the open mic “No Limits,” and the social performance “The Day Will Come,” staged in Kropyvnytskyi. For many participants, this was their first time on any kind of stage.

Business Without Filters (Mukachevo) 

ages 18–25 · weekly sessions

A series of candid conversations about entrepreneurship for young people in Zakarpattia – without the Instagram gloss. Participants worked with their own “Entrepreneur’s Notebook,” explored the difference between paid employment and running a business, and found an answer to the question of “whether they are ready to build something of their own,” rather than just “whether they have a good idea.”

CE*Arabesques (Nova Kakhovka / Zaporizhzhia)

ages 14–30 · 5 online lectures + 2-day workshop + public exhibition

A programme about Ukrainian monumental art and the tradition of “stone vyshyvankas” – featuring lectures, hands-on creation of decorative cement panels, and a public exhibition at the Zaporizhzhia City Gallery. For many participants, this was their first experience showing their own work in a gallery.

REYKA: Tracks to Impressions (Vinnytsia) 

84 participants · 23 IDPs · 7 partners · ages 14+

A team of young people from Vinnytsia turned an ordinary tram into a moving cultural exhibition: historical posters, an audio guide, QR codes, and an interactive city map. Among the first passengers were 23 internally displaced persons, for whom getting to know a new city holds special meaning.

"Youth Connect for Ukraine is more than a programme. It is a complete ecosystem of experience that supports young people in Ukraine and helps them become drivers of change in their communities."

Alina Poznanska, facilitator, the “Active Citizens’ City” NGO

“It turns out that besides YouthConnect, there is no other tool that could help this much.”

Natalia, Kirovohrad Region

“We manage to build a community where it’s a pleasure to be, and a pleasure to respond even at night.” 

a participant from an NGO in Bucha / Kyiv Region

“Participants say: we want this to be 100% ours next year.”

Tiana (on Irpin), Bucha

“For 2026–2027, we’re planning to work in small communities – even taking on mountain regions, because young people there really, really need activities like this.”

Anton, “Dobrobut Ukrainy” (Welfare of Ukraine), Ivano-Frankivsk

"I never imagined this could become such a huge push for me, because with almost no real expertise, my friend and I managed to build a project literally from scratch."

Yelyzaveta Skryma, participant, Chernihiv

"We are actively working to develop a network of young leaders from different regions of Ukraine. They can join various global initiatives organised for Youth Connect for Ukraine alumni in different countries around the world, as well as local initiatives. For example, this year we ran Study Visits and an Ideathon." 

Arsen Kelichavyi, British Council

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