Together, we are developing youth leadership

A two-week working visit to Ukraine by representatives of the Danish Red Cross and the Danish Red Cross Youth has come to an end. Over the course of two weeks, partners learned more about the Ukrainian Red Cross’s youth work, met with young volunteers, and explored new opportunities to further strengthen cooperation.

As part of the visit, the delegation met with the leadership of the Ukrainian Red Cross. During the meeting, participants discussed partnership development, support for youth work, and opportunities to further strengthen the volunteer movement.

One of the key highlights of the visit was the first Ukrainian Red Cross Youth Leadership Academy — an example of how international partnerships can translate into meaningful opportunities for young people. Several years ago, young Ukrainian Red Cross volunteers gained experience through a similar initiative in Denmark. Today, they have developed their own programme, helping a new generation of young people build leadership skills, a sense of responsibility, and the confidence to actively contribute to their communities. In this way, experience gained through partnership is passed on to the next generation of young leaders.

Another important part of the visit was a presentation on the Ukrainian Red Cross’s youth development work and partnerships with youth organisations. The delegation learned about key achievements, youth initiatives, and successful examples of cooperation with national and international partners, including the National Youth Council of Ukraine and the Ukrainian-Danish Youth House. The meeting concluded with an interactive YABC session.

The programme also included meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the All-Ukrainian Youth Centre, and Member of Parliament of Ukraine Roman Hryshchuk. Discussions focused on youth policy development, support for youth organisations and volunteering, youth work with veterans, international cooperation, and Denmark’s experience, where volunteering is an integral part of education, professional development, and young people’s active engagement in society.

During the visit, the delegation also travelled to Lviv, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions. The Danish delegation met with Ukrainian Red Cross youth teams, took part in the SPRINT workshop, and saw how youth initiatives help young people turn their ideas into action and create positive change in their communities.

This visit marked another step in further strengthening the partnership between the Ukrainian Red Cross, the Danish Red Cross and the Danish Red Cross Youth. Together, we continue to create opportunities for young people, develop youth leadership, strengthen volunteer teams, and support resilient communities.