Olena Zelenska Foundation expands the Youth Space 12-21 network with a new center in Odesa

A new Youth Space 12-21 center has opened in Odesa. This is the fifth location in the network created by the Olena Zelenska Foundation for children and youth.

The new center in Odesa was another step in expanding the network, following the successful launch of Youth Space 12-21 locations in Bila Tserkva, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Kryvyi Rih, which young people already visit.

“Our adolescents and young people need an environment where they can be themselves, develop freely, and plan for the future. Youth Spaces 12-21 are about providing such support and building resilience. We strive to ensure that every Ukrainian adolescent has a place where they are heard, understood, and helped to move forward,” Olena Zelenska, founder of the Foundation, stressed.

Youth Spaces 12-21 are designed as modern, barrier-free, and safe environments. From now on, such a center will operate in Odesa. Here, adolescents and youth aged 12 to 21 can study, communicate, and receive professional assistance for free. The spaces focus on three key areas of their work: psychosocial support and mental health care through group and individual sessions with a psychologist; assistance in choosing a future profession and career guidance; and meaningful leisure activities, including master classes, board games, and creative events. These are safe places where young people can be themselves, share their experiences, and receive support without pressure or judgment.

A rich, interactive program was prepared for the first visitors to the Odesa space, during which adolescents got acquainted with the center and participated in activities across all its areas of work. The day ended with an open film evening with a psychologist, where young people in a friendly circle had the opportunity to reduce anxiety about the future, shift from external pressure to their own feelings, and normalize the state of soul-searching.

“Establishing the space in Odesa is another important step in developing the Youth Space 12-21 chain. This is the fourth space we have opened with support from our permanent partner, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. We see how much young people need such spaces, where they feel cared for, make new friends, and gain practical tools for personal empowerment. And we won’t stop—by the end of the year, we will open another, sixth space in the network,” Viktoriia Romanova, General Director of the Olena Zelenska Foundation, noted.

The Olena Zelenska Foundation has launched the Youth Space 12-21 initiative to minimize the negative impact of war on adolescents and youth, overcome social isolation, and build the resilience of a new generation of Ukrainians. All services at the spaces are free of charge. The Foundation will open its sixth youth space by the end of the year.