The Olena Zelenska Foundation presented the new “12–21” Youth Spaces project on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference
July 10, 2025
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This year, the Olena Zelenska Foundation took part for the first time in the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025, held in Rome on 10–11 July.
On the sidelines of the Conference, the Foundation presented the key results of its work and outlined its priority goals to support children, adolescents, and young people across three main areas: the promotion and support of family-based care, access to education and development, and psychosocial support.
In the context of the full-scale war, support for children, adolescents, and young people goes far beyond humanitarian aid. It is a strategic investment in human capital, which is essential for Ukraine’s recovery and development. After all, today, it is impossible to speak of rebuilding the country without focusing on those who will shape its future — the younger generation.
As part of its work, the Olena Zelenska Foundation develops family-based care — building homes for large foster families, providing comprehensive humanitarian support, and creating quality living environments and conditions for development through the ‘Room for Childhood’ project.
To ensure access to education, the Foundation sets up shelters in schools and kindergartens, provides students and teachers with devices for educational purposes, establishes School of Superheroes centers in children’s hospitals, and builds and restores creative and sports spaces for children.
A dedicated focus of the Foundation’s work is the psychosocial support of children, adolescents, and young people.
Psychosocial support as an investment in the resilience of the young generation
Ukrainian adolescents face not only the usual challenges of growing up but also a complex crisis, marked by loss, broken social ties, and changes to their familiar environment. All of this affects the way they perceive themselves, their environment, and their future.
According to the "Future Index" research, 44% of Ukrainian children show signs of potential PTSD. UNICEF findings indicate that 61% of parents report their children experience stress symptoms and sleep difficulties.
These are not temporary factors — these are deep-rooted effects that can impact the entire life of a young person
“Adolescence is always a challenge in itself. Even in peacetime, it is a difficult period of self-discovery, identity formation, and building connections. In wartime, these challenges multiply. Ukrainian teenagers and young people face the loss of home, loved ones, and the lives they once knew. All too often, they are left to cope alone with what they are going through. They need accessible support that is tailored to their age, experiences, and the reality they live in. That is why we are launching the Youth Spaces ‘12–21’ project — to stand beside them and provide a supportive environment where every young person will be heard and helped,” emphasized Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine and Founder of the Foundation.
“12–21” is a new Foundation project to create barrier-free and friendly youth spaces where every young person can receive free and confidential individual or group psychosocial support, career counseling, and engage in meaningful leisure-time activities.
The spaces will welcome every young person, including those who have lost their loved ones, those with parents in the military, those who have been cut off from their social circles, and those who have experienced violence or bullying. The project’s target audience is adolescents and young people aged 12 to 21.
“When we talk about the mental and emotional state of adolescents and youth during a full-scale war, it’s important to remember that behind every statistic are real stories. That’s why we needed to find a systemic solution to support young people. For over a year, our team studied international experience with similar initiatives through working visits, consultations, and collaboration with expert organizations. We developed our own model, taking into account the needs of Ukrainian youth and the impact of the full-scale war,” noted Nina Horbachova, Director of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
The launch of the project was made possible thanks to the financial support of The Howard G. Buffett Foundation. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has also joined the initiative.
The long-term goal is to create such spaces in every region of Ukraine. This year, the Foundation plans to open the first five centers in five regions across Ukraine.
