During an online meeting with the National Children and Youth Advisory Council, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska engaged with the young Ukrainians who comprise the organization.
“It is vital for people in the same country, regardless of age, to hear one another, especially now, when we are all resisting a common, massive threat. All of us – adults and teenagers alike – have been living in a state of tension and exhaustion for a long time. That is why it is so important to have a space where one can sit and talk: to listen to one another, sometimes even to argue. But the main thing is to talk and to listen,” emphasized the President’s wife.
The First Lady, together with the Olena Zelenska Foundation team, spoke about the Foundation’s activities and the “12–21” youth space network.
According to her, the Foundation’s work is focused on three key areas: supporting family-based care, ensuring access to education and development, and providing psychosocial support for children, adolescents, and youth, taking into account the challenges caused by the prolonged impact of the war.
“Our newest direction, our youngest project, is the ‘12–21’ youth spaces. The name reflects the age group they are addressed to. All of you and your peers have lost so much due to the Russian attack. And one of the greatest losses is the sense of safety and stability. At the same time, adolescence itself has its own challenges – emotional swings, growing up, and the attempts to understand who you are and where you are headed,” noted the First Lady.
Olena Zelenska shared that the Ukrainian project was modeled after European examples, specifically the Danish Headspace network of youth centers.
“We wanted to make ‘12–21’ a place where you can be yourself; where you can come without an appointment or explanation, switch off, and spend time with others without pressure: through creative meetings, joint events, films, games, and simple interaction. One can (but does not have to) meet with a psychologist or receive career counseling – to talk without haste or fear about oneself, one’s interests, strengths, and future options,” the President’s wife emphasized.
The “12–21” spaces are already operational in three cities: Bila Tserkva, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv. New centers are planned to open in Kryvyi Rih and Odesa. Olena Zelenska invited the council members to get involved, become volunteers for the “12–21” spaces, and support their peers.