Ukrainian teenager: "My biggest dream is to run a youth radio or TV station."
Denis Stepura (19) lives and studies in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. He was born in Togliatty (near Samara) in the Russian Federation on June 21, 1986. Denis’ grandparents lived in Togliatty and his family had moved there temporarily because of the Chernobyl disaster two months before Denis’ birth. After seven months in Togliatty, Denis and his parents moved back to Kiev. Denis: First I started working with media when I was about 15. I wanted to try everything so I was attending classes on business, international relations and later journalism in special centres in Kiev for youth and children. We were taught the basic rules of journalism and gained some experience working with print media. As a result, I had some publications at the end of the classes and even tried myself in the role of Editor-in-chief of the youth newspaper “Jun-post” that young people tried to create and to run. But we didn’t have enough patience making it on a regular basis. I think my first real experience with the media (not only print media) was the time when I joined the media centre. Since that time I have been involved in doing different types of media like cartoon books, radio programmes, video spots and websites.
UNICEF: Are you still studying now? What's the plan concerning work or studies for the next few years? What's your ambition with youth & media and what other ambitions do you have? Denis: Yes, I am studying in Kiev National Economics University, 3rd year. Well, there are a lot of ambitions and plans for the next few years. Of course I will continue my studies. I would also like to launch an analytical youth magazine for the “educated youth”, because there is a huge need for it, I think. There are no other youth publications in Ukraine except entertainment ones. I hope that after my studies, I can combine my profession (economics) and my hobby (media). There are a lot of things that should be done in youth media in Ukraine. It is not well developed and I somehow consider it my duty to try my best for its development. Denis: My biggest dream is to run a youth radio or TV station. Denis can be contacted through his youth media NGO's website "Children's Voice"
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