On 25 October 2023 the results of the All-Ukrainian Competition of Creative Works among Young People about Civil Service (https://vseukrainskyi-konkurs2020.mozello.com/) were announced. The Competition took place on the initiative of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and the Centre for Adaptation of Civil Service to EU Standards.

• The purpose of the Competition is to support young people, improve public perception of the work of civil servants and to interest the younger generation in working in public institutions.

The Competition started on 23 June 2023 in six nominations: “Equal rights and opportunities for women and men”, “Political education and political culture”; “Youth in the system of public administration: the latest approaches and perspectives”; “Reformation of education under martial law”; “My experience of participation in the formation and implementation of youth policy”; “Reforming public administration in the context of European integration of Ukraine”.

The Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III” had an honour of considering applications on the topic “My experience of participation in the formation and implementation of youth policy” (https://www.coe.int/en/web/kyiv/-/the-council-of-europe-invites-young-people-to-share-their-experience-of-participation). The organising committee of the Competition received 13 competition works on the specified topic, of which 9 were text works and 4 were video works. The participants in their works shared their experience of participation in the formation and implementation of youth policy, the obstacles they face and ideas on how to overcome these obstacles and increase youth participation in the formation and implementation of youth policy in Ukraine. Five competition works became the winners and will be awarded with gifts, including a printed version of the Collection of Experience of Youth Work, based on the Approaches and Standards of the Council of Europe, in the Context of the Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (https://rm.coe.int/collection-of-experience-of-youth-work/1680abad35).

The first place:

• Anton Naumyk – Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs;
• Mykyta Horbatenko – Kreminska Public Library.

Second place:

• Ivan Karpynskyi – Voyniv Lyceum of the Pryiutiv Town Council, Oleksandriyskyy District, Kirovohrad Region;
• Maria Karakutsia – Poltava Secondary School No. 28;
• Alina Gutnyk, Oleg Kindratskyi – Youth Council at Kalush City Council.

You can familiarize yourself with the competition works on the website of the Competition (https://vseukrainskyi-konkurs2020.mozello.com/).

Mykyta Horbatenko, one of the Competition participants, noted in his work, “In today’s rapidly developing world, the active participation of young people in the formation and implementation of youth policy has become extremely important. Taking into account modern trends in changing the general narrative “Youth is our future” to a new one: “Youth is our present”, which, unfortunately, had to be accepted due to additional difficult circumstances, such as the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, the role of youth in formation and implementation of youth policy has become even more critical and significant. Active participation in policy formation not only gives young people the opportunity to defend their rights and aspirations, but also develops a sense of responsibility and involvement in the implementation of the further development trajectory of Ukraine and communities”.

We remind you that the Council of Europe Project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine” (https://www.coe.int/en/web/kyiv/youth-for-democracy-in-ukraine) is aimed at strengthening youth participation policies and strengthening youth work during the war and in the post-war context, taking into account the specific needs of young people.

News, resources of the Council of Europe in the field of youth and open announcements for participation in the project’s activities can be found here (https://www.coe.int/en/web/kyiv/youth-for-democracy-in-ukraine).