A research report on the needs and state of activities of youth workers, as well as prospects for the development of youth work in Ukraine during the war and in the post-war period for 2024 has been published.
The research was conducted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Youth Centre, the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III” in co-operation with the Association of Youth Workers of Ukraine during September – October 2024.
According to the document, during the war, the priority areas and areas for the development of youth work in Ukraine should be:
- financial support;
- support for professional development and qualification confirmation of youth workers;
- support from the state / authorities;
- psychological support;
- communication and information support;
- ensuring personal safety and security of the workplace;
- creation and development of youth centres and spaces;
- attention to young people;
- methodological support;
- mentoring;
- taking into account the needs of youth workers.
The target group of the research was youth workers, in particular graduates of the state programme “Youth Worker”; specialists working in the position of “Youth Specialist (youth worker)”; representatives of authorities responsible for youth policy, youth civil society organisations, youth centres and spaces, youth advisory bodies; persons who work with young people.
As part of the research a desk review, online surveys and focus group discussions were conducted. The research methodology was based on methods of participatory research, which involve the participation of representatives of target groups in the research, the inclusion of common ideas and practices in the content of the research, the focus on empowering the participants of the research, the lack of hierarchy to take into account the interests and opinions of those who have less power or representation, value attitudes to different opinions and views.
The research report compares with the results of a 2022 research conducted by the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase II” in co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the United Nations Development Programme to identify the needs and challenges of youth workers in Ukraine.
The report of the research of the needs and state of activities of youth workers and prospects for the development of youth work in Ukraine during the war and in the post-war period (2024) can be found at the link (in the Ukrainian language)
The public presentation of the key research results took place at the All-Ukrainian Forum of Youth Work “United by Light” in Kyiv on 29 November 2024 and at the reporting conference of civil society organisation “Association of Youth Workers of Ukraine” in Kyiv on 31 January 2025.
More details about the presentation of the research results can be found at the link (in the Ukrainian language)
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 “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026. News, resources of the Council of Europe in the field of youth, and open announcements for participation in Project events can be found here.
