A report from a municipality where young people stepped into the spotlight to have their voices heard.

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In 2024, the youth policy of Horodnytsia municipality, Zhytomyr Oblast, underwent drastic changes. For the long time the small municipality with a population of about 6,000 there has not been any active youth initiatives. A youth council did exist on paper, but due to inaction and the lack of initiatives, its efforts were barely noticeable.

 

U-LEAD support programme as a spur to action

 

Still, bringing youth together and increasing their visibility remained among the key priorities of the municipality. That is why, last year, Horodnytsia team applied for U-LEAD’s Establishment of Youth Councils in Municipalities Support Programme and was shortlisted.

"Top ten motivated teams including Horodnytsia municipality had been working with U-LEAD experts for four months to create a youth advisory body in the municipality. To bolster cohesion and teamwork even more, we hosted a summer camp for them," said Liudmyla Hurba, Head of the Working Group on Communication and Public Participation, Policy Advisor on Decentralisation and Local Self-Government at the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Vinnytsia Oblast and coordinator of this training programme.

According to her, the combination of online and offline formats, sincere guidance from trainers and high-quality document packages were all aimed at helping municipalities succeed in the process of creating a Youth Council, from a concept to the institutionalisation of the body.

"Horodnytsia municipality is a curious case, not only because they created a Youth Council, but also because one of its members experienced significant career changes: Diana Popadiuk, who had been a speech therapist in a kindergarten in Zviahel municipality, received an offer for the position of a youth inspector at the Department of Education, Youth and Sports of the Horodnytsia Village Council," Liudmyla Hurba said.

 

From idea to concrete action

 

Diana Popadiuk said that participating in the support programme had spurred her to change, and not just in her career. Training and contacts with participants from other municipalities broadened the young woman’s horizons and encouraged her to search for new ideas, projects and initiatives, as well as professional growth.

"When our team participated in the training programme, I was proactive, helping to organise events, participating in civic activism and thinking about the development of the youth movement in the municipality. U-LEAD trainers Oksana and Demian presented information so well and effectively that I immediately knew the next step was to set up a Youth Council."

According to Diana, the participants learned a step-by-step procedure and received a comprehensive package of documents for creating an advisory body as well as guidance on the first actions of the Youth Council.

"Everything was explained in great detail and clearly. We learned both about the regulatory framework and initiative groups. At the Summer Camp, we got to know each other and now we keep in touch, exchange information, share documents, etc. It’s so valuable, as it supports and inspires," she said.

In the autumn, Horodnytsia municipality started establishing the Youth Council, which Diana coordinated as a youth inspector.

"We followed the procedures we’d learned during the U-LEAD training. We put out a call for people to join the Youth Council, developed questionnaires and rules and officially registered everything. As a result, 14 members joined the council, almost from all villages of our municipality. That is, our Youth Council has a representative office in almost every settlement. And this is important," the young woman said.

Young people got involved right away – they conducted a survey among their peers to identify any gaps. The answer was simple but painful: ‘No youth spaces. Young people, boys and girls, specifies that there is nowhere to go.’

 

First projects, first victories

 

The next steps were to draw up an activity plan, as well as to develop various directions.

That is how the idea of attracting athletes to the Youth Council and creating a sports club came about. "I suggested that a university student Denys Vyshynskyi join us because I saw his potential. He is actively involved in sports, cycling competitions of various levels. Now Denys is the Deputy Chairman of the Youth Council and the one who came up with the idea of a sports club," Diana said.

Another active member is Yuliia Borbenchuk, a young doctor who is also part of the volunteering movement. Together, in addition to cultural and educational initiatives, the team also engages in volunteering, including fundraising, humanitarian aid and supporting vulnerable youth.

The Council is mainly made up of students, young education and health specialists. There are not many schoolchildren because the format is more suitable for older participants. However, all initiatives are open to young people in the municipality.

The first public event – an outdoor evening gathering in the park with guitars, light bulbs and a movie screening – was an emotional point that brought the community together. It was followed by charity competitions, environmental initiatives and participation in all-Ukrainian educational programmes.

A crucial achievement was allocating a room for a youth space. Although the premises still needs renovation, it is already a space for meetings and ideas.

The training within U-LEAD programme was a turning point. ‘The most memorable meeting was when we switched roles, taking the place of the mayor or the accountant. It taught us how to formulate ideas correctly and understand what the authorities expect,” shared Diana. This knowledge, she says, lays the groundwork for planning future projects and effective communication with local authorities.

"The Youth Council is extremely important for the development of our municipality. It is a platform where young people can voice their thoughts, ideas and problems. Together we discuss these issues and look for ways to solve them. It is important that their proposals are taken into account in the decision-making process at the level of the Village Council," said Ivan Onyshchuk, Head of Horodnytsia Settlement Council. He added that one of his tasks was to create favourable conditions for the development of the Youth Council, to ensure its smooth operation and to take into account its opinion in the activities of the local council. "I am proud of our Youth Council and their efforts and firmly believe that together we will be able to implement many important and useful initiatives for our municipality," he said.

This case goes to show that with the right approach, support and trust in young people, even a small municipality is able to create a powerful youth structure that transforms the lives of those around it.