EU4Youth: National Ukrainian Youth Association holds training for public officials and youth policy lab for local communities

On 27-30 September, the National Ukrainian Youth Association (NUMO) successfully conducted a training session for local government representatives and youth poliсy lab. These initiatives were aimed at facilitating the development and implementation of local «Youth» Programmes within Ukrainian communities.

The event gathered 25 participants from 10 communities all over Ukraine. What made this event particularly impactful was the participation of both young people and local officials from each community, who worked together in teams to develop a tailored «Youth» Program for their respective communities.

During the training for local government representatives, participants explored the fundamentals of youth policy, focusing on how local government can effectively engage young people in the policymaking process. The youth policy lab allowed participants to collaborate in teams, identifying key challenges as well as setting clear goals for future «Youth» programs and designing practical tools for their implementation.

The event also featured expert contributions from two youth policy experts, who provided valuable insights and guidance throughout the training, helping participants refine their approaches and strategies for future «Youth» programs.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Svitlana Lymanska, Head of the Youth and Sports Department of the Chuhuiv City Council, shared: “The NUMO team helped clarify the entire process and how to move forward. After the training, I gained a clear understanding of how to structure youth programs effectively. Despite my experience in this field, I learned a great deal.”

The event was held with the support of the ‘EU4Youth IV: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project, co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).