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Back Coming of age during war

How can we support the well-being of young people coming of age in war conditions, displaced within their own country or temporarily living abroad? This was the key question of a five-day seminar that took place from 30 September to 4 October 2024 at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, with a focus of young people from Ukraine.

The seminar brought together 30 youth work and youth policy experts from Ukraine, Armenia, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Romania, Portugal, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. They shared and discussed their experiences in addressing the needs of young people impacted by the Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through four dimensions: participation, empowerment, social inclusion, mental wellbeing.

The Council of Europe project Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III contributed its expertise to this activities and presented the results of its work in Ukraine since 2020 and resources on trauma informed youth work, participatory youth policy, non-formal education, youth centres needs assessments.

The seminar highlighted the resilience of youth and the critical role they play in shaping a better future. “Young people are not just victims of war - they are key actors in the recovery and rebuilding of their societies. We, as youth workers, policymakers, and citizens, have a responsibility to ensure that young people are equipped with the resources and support they need to thrive despite the odds”, noted one participant.

“The work we do in youth spaces - whether it is supporting mental wellbeing, promoting human rights, or encouraging active participation - gives young people the tools they need to take control of their lives. This is not just about survival; it is about giving them a voice, a space, and the confidence to shape their own tomorrow”, said another.

On 2 October 2024 the seminar featured a public discussion “Youth, Ukraine, Europe: Coming of age during war. How can European youth policy adapt?”, aimed at shedding light on the role of youth policies and youth work in Europe to support young people experiencing war and its consequences. Andrii Chesnokov, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, presented the priorities of Ukrainian youth policy for 2024-2025, focusing on the reconstruction and development of youth centers, the involvement of young people in the reconstruction of the country and the integration of Ukrainian youth into the European space.

The seminar and related activities were organised within the Framework Programme for co-operation in the field of Youth Policy between the Council of Europe Youth Department and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for 2021-2025.

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. The third phase is based on results and experience in 2020-2022. The project expands the systematic impact by strengthening participatory youth policy and strengthening youth work during the war and in the post-war context, taking into account the needs of young people.

The project is implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine in three components: 1) participatory youth policy; 2) recognition of youth work in wartime (including trauma-informed youth work); 3) support for youth centres and youth organisations as platforms for civic engagement and democratic participation.

The project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" highlights the importance of the Council of Europe's Youth Sector Strategy 2030 and reflects the National Strategy of State Youth Policy until 2030, the State Target Social Programme "Youth of Ukraine" 2021-2025.

The project encourages youth policy stakeholders in Ukraine to implement and disseminate the Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers to Member States: on access of youth from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to social rights, CM/Rec(2015)3; on young people's access to rights, CM/Rec(2016)7; on youth work, CM/Rec(2017)4; on the participation of Roma youth, CM/Rec(2023)4; on the protection of youth civil society and youth and support for their participation in democratic processes, CM/Rec(2022)6.