Youth. Strategy. Leadership: Youth Connect for Ukraine in Ternopil
Ternopil welcomed Youth Connect for Ukraine in the first days of spring, hosting a training programme from 26 February to 1 March. Over several days, participants worked through a practical programme built around learning modules, hands-on tasks and team collaboration, developing the skills needed to take an active role in community life.
The programme is grounded in a methodology that moves quickly from learning to application. Young people worked with real-life cases, practised communication and critical thinking, developed a project-based approach and learned how to make decisions together. Local context was central throughout: participants examined challenges facing their communities, considered possible responses, discussed resources and partnerships, and prepared their ideas for the final event.
Youth POP-UP Forum “Youth. Strategy. Leadership.”
On 1 March, the Youth POP-UP Forum “Youth. Strategy. Leadership.” brought the programme to a close. The event gathered active young people, opinion leaders and experts for a conversation about modern leadership and the conditions that help youth initiatives grow in communities.
Arsen Kelichavyi, representing the British Council in Ukraine, spoke about the projects and opportunities available through Youth Connect for Ukraine, encouraging participants to use them for their own development and for change in their communities. Mykhailo Syrotiuk, Youth Connect for Ukraine Programme Manager in Ternopil region, welcomed the group and underlined the role of active young people in shaping local initiatives and strengthening community life.
The forum offered space to reflect on the training stage and to connect participants’ ideas with the experience of people who have already turned their own initiatives into practical action.
TED-style talks: practical experience and personal perspective
A separate part of the forum featured TED-style talks: concise, focused contributions built around lived experience and practical advice.
- Ruslan Savchyshyn spoke about leadership at a time of technological change and artificial intelligence, focusing on responsibility and the importance of values in periods of rapid transformation.
- Viktoriia Karchevska discussed social media as a tool for building a personal brand and opening up new opportunities through digital platforms.
- Ihor Kusiak focused on communication as a foundation for influence, exploring how to speak clearly, persuasively and in a way that is heard.
The speakers brought openness, professional experience and clear examples that gave participants practical reference points for acting with greater confidence.
Next stage
The forum left participants with a clear message: youth initiatives gain strength when ideas are supported by strategy, partnerships and the skills to put them into practice. Work now continues on developing ideas, strengthening teams and preparing projects for implementation in communities.
Youth Connect for Ukraine is delivered by the British Council in Ukraine. The regional partner in the Ternopil region is the NGO Ternopil Science Centre.