Once, We Were Simply Young People Who Decided to Take Action
In 2014, in Donetsk, a team of young volunteers came together to help people who found themselves in difficult circumstances because of the war. That is how the story of the NGO Responsible Citizens began.
At the time, we did not yet know how far this initiative would take us. But we knew one thing: if you care, you can do something.
Perhaps that is why today we understand so well that young people are not a separate category for whom it is enough to organise a few events a year. Young people need more than safety, humanitarian or psychological support. They also need spaces to connect, opportunities to grow, participate and have a say in decisions that shape their future.
That is why, through our projects, we work to support the psychological and social well-being of young people, create opportunities for non-formal education and skills development, foster social inclusion, and encourage young people’s participation in the life of their communities.
Another important area of our work is advocating for young people’s interests at different levels. It is important to us that young people’s voices are heard, because decisions about Ukraine’s recovery and future must take into account the views of those who will shape that future.
“We want young people to see Ukraine as a place to live, grow and bring their own ideas to life. We want those who left because of the war to want to return, while those who stayed have opportunities to develop here. Because strong communities are, first and foremost, made up of people who see their future in them and are ready to help create it,” says Olha Kosse, Chair of the Board of the NGO Responsible Citizens.
And there is a special symbolism in our story. Once, we came together to help others. Today, that initiative has grown into a large organisation working to ensure that the next generation has not only the support it needs, but also opportunities to grow and bring its own ideas to life.
We wish you never to wait for instructions to change what matters to you. And to always find those who are ready to take action together.
Happy Youth Day!
Більше новин
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Reflection session for the team implementing cash assistance project in eastern Ukraine held in KyivA reflection session was recently held in Kyiv for the team working on the implementation of the cash assistance project in Eastern Ukraine. This event brought together specialists from Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions. The meeting was essential to analyze the results of the past year's work, discuss challenges, and achievements.
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Partnership That Works: Responsible Citizens Systematically Builds Cooperation with CommunitiesFor the NGO Responsible Citizens, work in a community does not begin with a single event and does not end once a project has been completed. We build a long-term presence and working partnerships at the local level — with communities, government authorities at all levels, educational institutions, social services, and cultural and youth organizations.
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Announcement for сareer development trainingThis opportunity is for those concerned about employment after losing their job due to the war. If you need professional support in finding new opportunities, we in...
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Social Services Development Training Sessions Held for Communities in Dnipropetrovsk OblastRepresentatives of communities from the Samarivskyi, Pavlohradskyi, and Dniprovskyi districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast took part in two training sessions dedicated to strengthening social services for families with children. The participants included community leaders and sectoral specialists responsible for organizing social support at the local level.
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More than 10,000 residents of the Sumy region received aidMore than 10,000 people in the Sumy region received humanitarian, financial, and psychosocial support through the project “Supporting Conflict-Affected Vulnerable Households and Communities to Meet Basic Needs in the Sumy Region.”
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Responsible Citizens NGO — 12 YearsFrom our first volunteer initiatives in Donetsk, we have grown into one of the largest humanitarian organisations operating in eastern Ukraine. Today, the Responsible Citizens NGO team includes more than 300 professionals working across Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy oblasts.
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Resilience Center in Zaporizhzhia: over 1,600 requests in six months of operationThe Resilience Center was opened with the support of UNICEF and funding from the Government of Germany through the development bank KfW. The Center was established in cooperation with local authorities and social services of the Department of Social Protection of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, and implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens.”