Young people changing communities
Success stories of UPSHIFT teams in Chornomorsk
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The UPSHIFT programme began its operations in southern Ukraine in October 2023. During over a year of work in the Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions, it has supported young people and strengthened their capacities, helping them to initiate projects to develop their communities, join youth councils, establish NGOs and actively promote youth activism.
A striking example of this success is the civic activity of two teams from Chornomorsk, in the Odesa region – ‘Panzer’ and ‘Modern Ladies’.
The ‘Modern Ladies’ project focused on helping girls to expand their understanding of career opportunities, overcome gender stereotypes and confidently realise their goals. The team organized 20 diverse events, including meetings with a psychologist, art therapy sessions, career counseling training, movie screenings with discussions, bike rides and yoga classes. One key initiative was a series of 'living libraries’, where successful women from various professions shared their stories. The project culminated in a hackathon for girls and, in total, reached around 300 beneficiaries.
“Unfortunately, many stereotypes about women still persist in society. Some believe that a woman’s primary role is to be a mother and nothing more. This is simply not true. We aim to empower girls and show them that they have the same potential as boys. They can choose any path for self-realisation and achieve anything they set their minds to.”
The ‘Panzer’ team’s project addressed the issue of rights violations among youth aged 14 to 18 by raising legal awareness. The initiative included debates among Chornomorsk school pupils, a training session on identity rights and participation in decision-making, and a boot camp for student council leaders from the city’s schools. The project empowered more than 300 young people with new knowledge and opportunities for self-realisation.
“UPSHIFT gave us a unique opportunity to explore innovative approaches to problem-solving and foster positive societal change,” says Volodymyr, a member of the ‘Panzer’ team. “Participation in the programme was a critical development stage for our team. We acquired practical skills in financial management, project management and communications, which we applied at every stage of our initiative.”
The experience gained through UPSHIFT enabled the two teams to unite and create a joint NGO, the ‘Academy of Youth Leadership’. This organization focuses on three areas – youth support, sports and volunteering. Its first large-scale event, the ‘Chornomorsk Youth Forum: Youth Participation in Community Development’, attracted 120 representatives from youth communities across the city.
“UPSHIFT was my first step into public activity and inspired me to grow in this direction,” says Modern Ladies’ Kateryna and head of the ‘Academy of Youth Leadership’ NGO. “Before this, I couldn’t imagine leading an NGO or participating in social or youth initiatives. Now everything has changed dramatically.”
The UPSHIFT alumni are already witnessing the impact of their initiatives on the community, with young people actively engaging with their NGO and proposing ideas for community development. The NGO is currently developing new projects and running activities to provide psycho-emotional support for Chornomorsk residents.
“Participation in the programme provided me with an incredible opportunity to connect with inspiring peers,” says Iya, a member of the ‘Panzer’ team. “We bonded over our shared desire to make life better.”
Between October 2023 and December 2024, UPSHIFT organized 11 recruitment waves across southern Ukraine. Over 550 young people participated in impactful social projects across the Mykolaiv, Kherson and Odesa regions. These efforts supported more than 25,000 beneficiaries and led to the implementation of 117 projects. The UPSHIFT programme in southern Ukraine is managed by the ‘Needed Here’ NGO, with support from UNICEF Ukraine and the Government of Belgium.
