Ukrainian-Danish Youth House in Mykolaiv: How a new space unites young people

On 24 January this year, the doors of the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House opened in Mykolaiv. Here young people can implement their initiatives, take part in trainings, forums, workshops, film screenings and meetings held within the walls of the house. Dmytro Larchenko, a programme and communications specialist at the Youth House in Mykolaiv, told us in a commentary that the idea of creating such a space was a response to the needs of young people looking for a place to express themselves and develop. We decided to visit the Youth House to find out what makes it special and whether young people really need such a place.

Networking after the film screening, photo: Anna Gakman / NikVesti

«We have no sense of a stable future. However, such spaces give us at least a little peace of mind»

We talked to young people to find out whether the Youth House really helps them feel part of the community and implement their ideas. Diana Donets, co-founder of the NGO «TUT», said that this space is exactly the place «where you want to come and hold your events».

«The house is really small, but it is still the only place in Mykolaiv where you want to come and hold your events. Where it is comfortable, where people are friendly and open. It's just now my favourite place in Mykolaiv. Now I see it as a real home, where there is a kitchen, where there is cosiness, where there is enough space to get together with friends, sit, chat, learn something new, or come up with many more new and cool things for the youth of Mykolaiv», said Diana Donets.

Diana Donets, co-founder of the NGO «TUT», photo: Anna Hakman / Mykolaiv Development Agency

Liubov Mykhailova, a youth activist, told us that such spaces «give them at least a little peace of mind» and a sense of stability.

«In general, after the full-scale invasion, young people feel certain limitations, because we do not know what will happen tomorrow. We have no sense of a stable future. However, such spaces give us at least a little peace of mind. Here you can come to a circle of like-minded people who will understand and support you. [...] On Thursday, we held a dialogue workshop on how cinema affects the worldview. We registered 15 people, 13 turned up. It was our first organised event», shared Liubov Mykhailova.

Diana Donets also added that initiatives and opportunities from the Youth House «are very easy to find».

«I see how new people are accepted into this small bubble, small for now, but I believe it will grow. First of all, it is tolerance, openness, kindness. All opportunities are constantly broadcast on social media, spread through acquaintances and friends. So it's not a closed community. If you are interested in something, if you want something and are looking for it, it is very easy to find initiatives and opportunities from home. And if you have a certain motivation, it's easy to participate in certain events, learn new things and immerse yourself in it all,» she said.

Mykolaiv youth spending time in the space, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

Sofiia Samarska, one of the founders of the public initiative «Cult of the State», shared in a comment that thanks to the Youth House, there is now a place to organise events and activities.

«We learned about this space even before it was officially opened, as soon as it became known that there would be a Youth House here. Even when the building was just beginning to take shape, we realised that our city needed such a place. And you can't even imagine how much. Now we come to every event, sit here — this space has become a real home for us. It was really necessary, especially for Mykolaiv. Especially when you organise events and simply don't know where to find a place to hold them», says Sofiia Samarska.

How did you come up with the idea of opening a youth house in Mykolaiv?

According to Dariia Frych-Alchina, manager of the Youth House in Mykolaiv, the idea to open a youth house in Mykolaiv came about thanks to the initiative of the Danish Cultural Institute. They opened their first house in Kyiv.

Youth House in Mykolaiv, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

The main hall of the Youth House, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

The kitchen of the Youth House, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

Youth House in Mykolaiv is part of Danish support for the next 10 years

Jakob Torrild Hansen, head of the Danish Embassy's office in Mykolaiv, told NikVesti that Denmark's support for Mykolaiv includes not only infrastructure projects but also cultural initiatives, including the opening of the Youth House.

«This is part of our support programme, which includes not only energy, water supply, infrastructure and building rehabilitation, but also cultural initiatives. The Youth House is an important element of this programme. We want our assistance to cover not only physical facilities but also culture. This is part of our 10-year commitment. Last year, our Prime Minister signed a relevant document, and we agreed with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that 60% of this aid will be directed to Mykolaiv and the region. We plan to continue working in this direction,» said the head of the Danish Embassy's office.

Opening of the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House, photo: Daryna Melnychuk / NikVesti

«Young people work here and create their own projects»

According to Dmytro Larchenko, the youth house in Mykolaiv quickly gained popularity among the city's active youth. In the first month of its full-fledged operation, the space became a centre for creative meetings, exchange of ideas and project implementation, and was visited by more than 200 people.

«We managed to cooperate with a large number of active young people in Mykolaiv and with new NGOs with whom we had not previously worked together. This is a very interesting experience, especially after the opening of the Youth House, where we have not just a room, but a real «house», where we work and live. I see a great demand and satisfaction of the needs of young people, because since the first month of operation, we have almost every day booked — either for events or for work in the house. Many people, both individually and in groups, come for 3-4 hours to work on their projects or develop ideas they want to implement», he said.

Dmytro Larchenko, programme and communications specialist at the Youth House in Mykolaiv, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

«Young people should be taken off the streets»: Deputy Mayor believes that youth centres should be in every district of the city

Deputy Mayor of Mykolaiv Anatolii Petrov believes that the future of Mykolaiv depends on creating opportunities for young people, so over time it will be necessary to create youth centres in every district of the city.

«I think that over time, it will be necessary to create a youth centre in each district, which will enable young people not only to develop but also to spend time. We have to do everything possible, because the future of any city, including Mykolaiv, depends on young people. We need to take young people off the streets, this is my personal opinion», said Anatolii Petrov to NikVesti.

Mykolaiv youth took part in the Democracy Festival in Denmark with the support of the Youth House

Every year, Denmark hosts one of the largest democracy festivals — Folkemødet, or the People's Summit, which brings together up to 60,000 participants. This event, which takes place on the island of Bornholm, has become a platform for democratic dialogue and exchange of ideas between politicians, NGOs, government agencies, businesses and the public.

«This festival has become special to me because it brings together Ukrainian and Danish youth who work on democracy issues and present them on a large public stage. It is important that Ukrainians have the opportunity to be heard, they are given space to express their opinions and are actively supported. Thanks to the Youth House, I had the opportunity to take part in the festival — it fully covered the costs of the flight, accommodation and meals for me and three other girls from Mykolaiv», Diana Donets shared her impressions.

It is also worth noting that the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, took part in the festival. According to Diana Donets, he presented Mykolaiv and stressed the importance of cooperation between Denmark and Ukraine.

The Folkemødet festival attended by Oleksandr Sienkevych and four young people from Mykolaiv, photo courtesy of NikVesti

How to organise an event or just work at the Youth House: step-by-step instructions

The Youth House offers opportunities to organise events and workflow. To take advantage of these opportunities, you need to meet several conditions:

1. Fill in the application form: You have to fill in an application form for events or for work at the Youth House. After that, if your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation by email.

2. Choose the areas of activity: Events and projects should focus on one or more areas, including

• development of soft skills of young people,

• development of youth organisations,

• civic education and activism,

• interaction with European youth,

• art as a tool for democracy,

• development of youth communities and institutions,

• promoting dialogue between youth and government and business.

3. Target audience: Projects should be aimed at young people or implemented by young people themselves (age group 14-35).

Note that the space does not host commercial events, only free events aimed at developing youth initiatives.

Mykolaiv youth spending time in the space, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

Mykolaiv youth spending time in the space, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

Use the QR code if you want to organise an event at the Youth House, photo: Anna Hakman / NikVesti

The Ukrainian-Danish Youth House in Mykolaiv has become not just a place for events, but a space that brings together active young people and creates new opportunities for cooperation and mutual support. In times of instability, such initiatives help to build a cohesive community where everyone can find support, implement ideas and feel involved in changes in the city. This is another step towards strengthening social cohesion that goes beyond the borders of one country, uniting young people in Ukraine and Denmark around common values.