Young Ukrainians must be helped to recognize their constitutional rights and obligations, feel a responsibility to participate in social and political events, and respect state language, symbols, history and traditions. Unfortunately, official educational institutions do not support this type of civic awareness.
Educating younger generations is a calling for some, and these educators are always searching for best practices and new experiences to help them develop and advocate for new approaches in youth work. Yuriy Yuzych, Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Youth Organization Plast – National Scout Organization of Ukraine (NSOU), is an educator who cares about future civil society leaders. Yuriy is actively involved in government and community groups working on state youth policy reform. He is a leading expert on youth policy in a major NGO coalition called “Reanimation Package of Reforms”, co-author of the law on improvement of youth policy and establishment of youth centres, and initiator of the Roadmap 2020 youth policy strategy, which was approved by the government in 2015.
Since declaring independence, Ukraine has largely followed the French model of youth policy. In spring 2016, Yuriy participated in a training program in France, “Civic Education: Searching for New Instruments for Successful Implementation of the National Civic Education Policy in Ukraine,” under the USAID Participant Training Program.”
After the training in France, Yuriy joined a panel of experts in leading a series of public discussions in Ukrainian regions on a draft youth law. This draft law defined youth civic education as “formal and informal educational activities aimed at creating behaviours and value attitude in terms of consolidation and protection of democracy, human rights and universal culture, which are streamlined through implementation of target educational programs, introduction of democratic governance in educational institutions and adherence to the principles of democracy and human rights in educational programs.”
Yuriy Yuzych, Chairman of the Audit Commission of the Youth Organization Plast – National Scout Organization of Ukraine (NSOU)
Inspired by France’s Experimental Fund for Youth, Yuriy prepared an analytical report for the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine to reform the process for awarding gifted youth with presidential grants. The Ministry began working on a new approach to awarding grants based on key proposals in the report, such as introducing different stages for submission and selection of applications. In the first stage, young people submit short concept notes, and the projects are drafted out only for the ideas pre-selected by the experts. This approach is expected to significantly simplify and facilitate the inclusion threshold for youth.
Respect for civil rights and civic responsibilities is essential for the Ukrainian community. Introduction of youth civic education and raising young Ukrainians to be civically conscious is an important task that became especially urgent during the de facto war between Russia and Ukraine. The ability to think critically and build skills to distinguish between facts and propaganda are key elements of civic and moral education in France and something that Ukrainian civil society needs, so that its younger generation can become the driving force and future of the nation.