UActive: Empowering Ukraine’s Future Generation
Summary
In 2024, SavEd, in partnership with Spirit of America, committed to expand its UActive initiative to benefit more than 1200 youths residing on the frontline and in liberated communities across Ukraine. The UActive program focuses on civic education, imparting leadership and entrepreneurial skills to Ukrainian teenagers. Youth are pivotal to Ukraine’s reconstruction effort, represent the future of the economy, and are critical to rebuilding Ukraine post-war. The aim is to inspire participants to initiate social impact projects within their communities. By equipping Ukraine’s future generation with these essential skills, the program not only fosters personal development but also nurtures a sense of empowerment, resilience, and hope. Through UActive, young Ukrainians are encouraged to remain engaged and invested in the betterment of their nation, contributing to a brighter and more prosperous future for Ukraine.
Approach
avED is committed to: select teams from schools in frontline and liberated communities of Ukraine to take part in the UActive program; hire qualified mentors and teachers to work with the teams; provide a 10-month program (inclusive of curriculum and tools) ; provide participants with additional educational opportunities, if necessary, and consultations for the effective implementation of their projects. Spirit of America undertakes to provide financial support for the implementation of the program expansion across regions, including Mykolaiv region, and to oversee the accomplishment of all program components.
The UActive program is jointly developed by savED and Spirit of America to foster Ukrainian students’ leadership potential, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. The knowledge and skills acquired are transformed into real projects that schoolchildren design and implement in their communities, becoming leaders of positive change. UActive will expand its 10-month civic educational program for teenagers from frontline and liberated communities of Ukraine. UActive participants work in teams to address the real problems of their communities through project-based learning focused on sustainability and social responsibility. UActive values are Curiosity (desire to learn new things) , Sensitivity (ability to listen to oneself and others) , Creativity (dreaming without restraint) , Community (being different waves of the same force) and Ukraine (creating the future at home) .
The program combines courses, case studies and mentoring support by qualified experts so that participants learn and master skills for proactive and responsible community leadership:Social entrepreneurship, Design thinking, Budgeting & Project management, Civics (local, national, global) , Emergency preparedness, Public speaking, Fundraising.
Action Plan
The proposed timeline of the project is 12 months.
Month 1 (August 2025) : selection of communities/schools etc, recruitment of mentors and teachers;
Months 2- 5 (September-December) : start of the educational part of the program and projects preparation.
Month 6-10 (January-April) : finalization of the projects, final projects presentations.
Month 10-12 (May-July) : organizing and conducting an educational expedition to one of the Ukrainian cities, wrap up, submitting reports.
Background
Ukrainian youth face threats to their future that often seem insurmountable. The impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is still tangible for children as they experience constant anxiety and shelling. Thousands of children face limited access to education due to blackouts, unprepared shelters, and limited electricity. Confused and discouraged, with their hopes and plans seemingly destroyed, young Ukrainians need encouragement, leadership and professional skills training, and guidance to find their stable future in Ukraine.
According to savED research data, 53% of students want to stay in Ukraine after graduation. At the same time, 26% want to move abroad, and 20% are still undecided. High school students in 8th-11th grades are especially vulnerable and uncertain. Living under the conditions of war, a crippling economy and unpredictable future, it is difficult for youth to understand how to navigate their future, build a career, and plan for a life in Ukraine.
At the same time, the economy of Ukraine needs a proactive, motivated and qualified workforce to rebuild and restore communities destroyed by Russian military forces. Young Ukrainians can be a critical motivational force to drive change and help develop their communities and country. This is especially the case for small rural towns and villages severely damaged by Russian occupation and continued hostilities in their territories.
The UActive commitment focuses on teenagers living in frontline and liberated communities in Ukraine. It aims to help schoolchildren in grades 8-11 learn how to solve community problems comprehensively through the implementation of entrepreneurial projects that are based on global goals of sustainable development and social responsibility. These projects improve schools and neighborhoods with top project ideas awarded grants. As a result, integral community spaces such as theaters, sports fields, cultural venues, and co-working spaces are being restored, while also bringing hope to students and communities.
Progress Update
In 2024, the UActive initiative continued its work in three regions of Ukraine – Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and Chernihiv. By the end of March 2025, 752 teenagers from 53 villages and small towns had successfully completed the UActive program. So far, the participants have implemented 23 successful projects and independently attracted an extra $207193 in investments (excluding funds from savED partners) .
SavED has significantly refined the program’s design and content by deeping and extending the duration of training and mentorship, enhancing the skills component for project implementation, and launching an online platform that allows access to program materials anytime and anywhere. The “UActive Program Guidebook: Implementing Educational Initiatives in Communities” received a recommendation from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for broader use in schools.
Additionally, UActive launched an alumni community to offer further development opportunities. For instance, in collaboration with Woodgrove High School, UActive is working to improve English language skills, and in March 2025, four program alumnus attended an international summit at this school. SavED is also organizing annual educational trips to Lviv for the community and partnering with various organizations and universities to provide diverse opportunities.
Looking ahead, in the next phase, UActive plans to expand into two additional regions – Kharkiv and Dnipro (Kryvyi Rih district) – covering 40 small frontline and de-occupied settlements and engaging 400 teenagers.
Partnership Opportunities
Implementation of best practices: By integrating proven methods and strategies from successful civic initiatives, UActive can increase its effectiveness. This includes learning from other youth programs, adopting their successful techniques, and adapting them to the specific context of war-affected communities.
Involve additional experts: Expanding the program’s scope requires engaging additional experts to cover a wider range of topics and develop new competencies. These experts can offer fresh perspectives and specialized knowledge that will enrich the learning experience of participants and ensure that they receive extensive and relevant training.
Attracting additional financial support: Ensuring additional funding is essential for program expansion and sustainability. This can be achieved in various ways, such as applying for grants, partnering with NGOs, participating in fundraising events, and seeking support from the private sector. Financial sustainability will allow UActive to reach more adolescents, expand its capacity, and continuously improve its programming.,UActive is a unique opportunity to share the experience of implementing educational activities and programs for teenagers during Russia’s war against Ukraine, especially in communities that have been severely affected by the consequences of armed aggression. This initiative aims to support and inspire young people who are overcoming enormous challenges related to the war (frustration, demotivation, desperation and uncertainty about the future) .
The program participants do more than just learn; they become role models of leadership and change-makers in their communities and cities. Despite the ongoing challenges and difficulties of implementing projects in such a horrific environment, participants have shown remarkable resilience and dedication to promoting positive change.
At the center of UActive are the lecturers and mentors who lead the program’s educational component. These experts have a wealth of knowledge and experience in their fields and are eager to share their insights.