Crossing Borders has embarked on an exciting new adventure called Youth For Ukraine!
Youth For Ukraine is an initiative designed to establish meaningful communities for Ukrainian youth in Denmark.
The project will establish a minimum of four hubs, initially in the four largest cities – Aalborg, Aarhus, Odense, and Copenhagen – with the aim to provide Ukrainian youth the opportunity to meet, lead, organize, and participate in democratic initiatives and activities in their respective local areas. The project seeks to foster democratic spaces for Ukrainian youth in Denmark to increase their democratic participation.
Background:
Dansk Statistik reported 9,954 Ukrainian youth aged 15-29 residing in Denmark as of 2023. Ukrainian youth affected by war find themselves in Denmark with limited opportunities, a limited network, and a lack of knowledge about Danish society.
The assistance provided to Ukrainian refugees has predominantly focused on children, women, and older individuals. The target group of this initiative was not expected to seek refuge in Denmark due to the rules prohibiting them from leaving Ukraine.
Bevar Ukraine, which is the biggest Ukrainian humanitarian organisation in Denmark describes the Ukrainian youth in this age group as “a lost generation.” This was confirmed by 50 Ukrainian young people who attended the CB event Youth for Ukraine on the 2nd of December 2023.
Latest Update
Kick-off Gathering:
On December 2nd, Crossing Borders organized an event in Denmark, bringing together 38 Ukrainian youth aged 16-30 to establish a meaningful and sustainable community. Through group dialogues, participants formed five clubs and a social media community, fostering connections and addressing shared needs. Enthusiastic engagement underscored the event’s importance, providing a sense of home for participants. The initiative, supported by Bevar Ukraine, Tuborg Fondet, and BUPL Solidaritets- og Kulturfond, is the first national effort for Ukrainian youth in Denmark.
The Ukrainian Youth Program:
Building on the 2nd of December 2023 event, we are now initiating a two-year program for Ukrainian youth in Denmark. The goal is to establish at least four hubs, initially located in Aalborg, Aarhus, Odense, and Copenhagen, where Ukrainian youth can actively gather, lead, organize, and participate in democratic activities within their local areas. This is expected to foster a sense of belonging and purpose among Ukrainian youth in Denmark while promoting their democratic engagement.
Our primary target audience comprises 50 Ukrainian youth aged 16-30 across Denmark, serving as catalysts for community building and youth engagement. Building on that, we aim to engage a minimum of 300 Ukrainian youth in dialogue and collaborative projects through these local hubs. Additionally, we seek to interact with Danish youth organisations through participation in major democratic festivals such as Folkemødet and Ungdommens Folkemøde.
The project kicks off with a three-day Innovation Camp at Ungdomsøen, where the Ukrainian youth will shape the organisational foundation for their work.
Throughout the two years, we will work towards anchoring this initiative in the different municipalities, so that the initiative continues beyond the two-year program. We will work towards capacitating the Ukrainian youth to be self-sustainable regarding financial aspects such as fundraising, how to reach out to possible collaborators and establish partnerships, and training the skills and abilities to execute different projects. From these two years we will also gain insights whether we should seek to establish more hubs in other cities, to engage as many Ukrainians as possible.
Main Objectives:
Partner Organizations:
