The Council of Europe Project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" in co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine is implementing a long-term programme "Access to Youth Work" for newly established NGOs working with young people. On 21 February 2024, participants of the Programme explored the possibilities and conditions of grant support for open youth work projects.
In his welcoming remarks to the representatives of the newly established NGOs, Maciej Janczak, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, stressed that effective trilateral co-operation between the Council of Europe, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and non-governmental organisations of Ukraine within the framework of the long-term programme "Access to Youth Work" contributes to the realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of young people. The Head of the Office noted that in 2024 the Council of Europe celebrates its 75th anniversary, which provides an opportunity to look into the future and highlight the work carried out by the Council of Europe member states to promote and implement common values and standards. He noted the great ongoing interest of civil society organisations in the activities of the Council of Europe, in particular in the project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine".
The "Access to Youth Work" programme is being implemented in 2023-2024 and provides training for teams of ten NGOs, mentoring and expert support for the development of project proposals, and the implementation of open youth work projects with the financial support of the Council of Europe. On 6-10 November 2023, teams of NGOs took part in a five-day training seminar "Ensuring young people's access to open youth work: strengthening the capacities of partner NGOs", which took place in Lviv. During November and December 2023, the organisation's teams improved project ideas with the expert support of the Council of Europe. In February 2024, grant agreements were signed to support 10 grants from newly established NGOs with a total amount of 70,000 euros.
Ten NGOs from 9 regions and Kyiv participate in the Programme:
- Centre for Social Transformations TENET, Sumy region, Okhtyrka
- Space of Public Initiatives, Dnipropetrovsk region, Pershotravensk
- Go Byond, Chernihiv
- The Youth of Olexandria, Kirovohrad region, Olexandria
- NACHYNNYA, Kyiv region, Fastiv district, Tarasivka
- TOLKOVI, Zhytomyr region, Zvyagel district, Dovbysh
- COME OUT TO PLAY, Kyiv
- YOUCHANGE, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Ivano-Frankivsk district, Kluziv
- Youth Sails, Volyn region, Novovolynsk
- Creative space "Kredents", Zakarpattia region Rakhiv district, Yasinya
The Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" was launched within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2023-2026. The project builds on the results and experience of the Council of Europe project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine" in 2020-2022 and will expand the systematic impact by strengthening youth policies based on participatory approaches and strengthening youth work during the war and in the post-war context, taking into account the specific needs of young people.
News, Council of Europe resources in the field of youth and open announcements for participation in project activities can be found here.
