From 17 to 20 February 2025 civil servants and local self-government officials developed competencies in participatory youth policy at the Sumy Regional Centre for Advanced Training.
In 2023 the Council of Europe together with partners – the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, the Ukrainian Youth Councils Association – developed and launched the first in the country training programme on participatory youth policy. Within the framework of the Programme, the Council of Europe improved the competencies of 22 teachers from 11 regions of Ukraine to implement the training programme at the regional and local levels in Ukraine
In February 2025 Vladyslav Dibrova, programme trainer, chairman of the board of the Sumy Youth Organisation “Lyceum”, conducted training on the Model general short-term programme “Participatory Youth Policy” for 33 civil servants and local self-government officials of the Sumy region: from Sumska, Boromlyanska, Khmelivska, Stepanivska, Hlukhivska, Richkivska, Vilshanska, Romenska, Khotinska, Lebedynska, Okhtyrska, Velykopysarivska, Novoslobidska, Dubovyazivska, Bilopilska communities and Konotopska, Shostynska, Okhtyrska district state administrations and apparatus and departments of the Sumy Regional State Administration.
“The training also provided an opportunity to compare examples of youth work in the member states of the Council of Europe and in particular Ukraine with examples implemented in the Sumy region, to discuss the possibilities of their implementation in our region. Also, the strength of the training was the presentation of those experiences that are already available in the region, and the desire to multiply them between communities (panna-football, board games, simulation games, educational events, etc.)”, said Vladyslav Dibrova after the training.
As a reminder, in 2024 trainers trained by the Council of Europe implemented 21 programmes in Ukraine for 611 civil servants and local self-government officials.
The National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service recommends that subjects providing educational services in the field of professional development training (providers) develop general professional development programmes for civil servants and local self-government officials on participatory youth policy based on the Model Programme.
***
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 built on results and experiences in 2020-2022 and expands systemic impact by strengthening youth participation policies and youth work in war and post-war contexts, 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 (in particular, trauma-informed youth work); 3) support of youth centres and youth organisations as platforms for civic activity 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 the 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 Roma youth participation CM/Rec(2023)4; on protecting youth civil society and young people, and supporting their participation in democratic processes CM/Rec(2022)6.
News, Council of Europe resources in the field of youth and open announcements for participation in project activities can be found here.
