Youth for Ukraine: Empowerment through Open Innovation and resilient pathways

About

YOUTH4UA aims to empower Ukrainian youth and their European peers by fostering resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills. The project promotes active citizenship and youth entrepreneurship by engaging young people in co-creation processes and solution design through ThinkLabs, hackathons, and creative campaigns. It further seeks to strengthen shared values and civic participation by providing coaching, nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets, and creating opportunities for democratic engagement.

Activities

May - September 2026

ThinkLabs

Youth-led intercultural sessions where participants collaboratively identify the challenges they face in their communities and co-design inclusive, innovative solutions.

📍Portugal and Latvia

October - November 2026

Masterclass

Training focused on enhancing
creativity, strengthening teamwork, and equipping participants with practical skills for designing effective solutions.

📍Online

December 2026 - February 2027

Youth Hackathon

Around 30 young participants will work in teams to develop digital and social solutions to real community challenges. With guidance from experienced mentors, they will explore ideas, build prototypes, and refine their projects, promoting social innovation, resilience, and youth entrepreneurship.

February - March 2027

Creative Storytelling Campaign

The creative storytelling campaign will highlight youth voices and showcase their work. Through short videos, social media posts, and a digital zine or blog, participants will share their hackathon experience and amplify its impact to wider audiences.

February - April 2027

Mentorship Sessions

A series of mentorship sessions led by Web2Learn will support 15 selected young participants. Through tailored coaching, they will develop entrepreneurial thinking, strengthen digital skills, and turn their hackathon ideas into sustainable solutions.

May 2027

Showcase Event

A showcase event that will brings together young people, organisations, and policymakers. It will highlight the solutions developed and create opportunities for dialogue and visibility.

📍Portugal