On 18 January 2024, the youth sector of the Council of Europe organised a civil society event to connect youth organisations from Ukraine and those in other member states, discussing the needs and aspirations of young people in Ukraine, nearly two years after the Russian aggression. The meeting was organised by the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe, one of the decision-making bodies in the youth sector of the Council of Europe comprising of 30 youth representatives from youth organisations across Europe.
In the meeting, representatives of the National Youth Council of Ukraine emphasised the utmost importance of supporting and sustaining the effort to support young people from Ukraine and their organisations, and the changing needs that they are experiencing. Representatives from youth organisations across Europe, the Council of Europe's Youth Department and related entities shared information on the European Youth Foundation (EYF) call for projects to support youth from Ukraine.
Over the past two years the Council of Europe has provided 380,000 euros to 26 youth projects. Most of the projects (17) have been proposed by youth organisations from Ukraine and some (9) by youth organisations from other member states, working with young people who fled Ukraine. This is an unprecedented level of support for specific youth initiatives. Discussions focused on a wide range of topics, from addressing mental health issues, reaffirming a culture of human rights, supporting youth work in times of war, to the integration of young Ukrainians in other European countries, where they find themselves due to the conflict, etc.
The meeting served also as an occasion to announce that the EYF special call for projects to support youth from Ukraine continues in 2024, now with enhanced support for international activities and exchanges among young people from Ukraine and other member states, to ensure solidarity and international co-operation. In 2024, the EYF special call will support projects at local and at international levels, with the overall goal of reinforcing the role of youth organisations in supporting young people from Ukraine to increase their resilience, skills, and capacities, and to find solutions in the challenging current context. Applications can include activities such as peer-to-peer learning, trainings and workshops, information and counselling, awareness raising and capacity building for young people, youth workers and youth leaders, different type of meetings with young people from Ukraine, analysis, research and other actions based on the principles and practice of youth work. Activities may have a local, regional or national scope, and can also include activities in a local cross-border context.
