The Youth Space 12–21 team attended a three-day partner training in Denmark

12–21 is a network of barrier-free youth spaces created by the Olena Zelenska Foundation for adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 21. It serves as a third place—somewhere between school and home—where they can relax, socialize with peers, or receive basic psychological counseling if needed.

While developing the Youth Space 12–21 model, the Foundation’s team studied international experience—specifically the Headspace Denmark approach—and adapted it to the Ukrainian context, taking into account the challenges of the war, the impact of traumatic experiences, and young people’s need for community and long-term support.

Volunteer mentors and psychologists from five 12–21 hubs attended a three-day training at Headspace. The main focus was on engaging and motivating young people to participate in learning and support activities and on building a sustainable community.

One day, the 12–21 team visited the local Headspace center. They saw the volunteer model in action and spoke with its representatives—volunteers up to age 75, including successful professionals, business owners, and individuals who had concluded their active careers yet consciously chose to dedicate their time to supporting young people. This demonstrated how volunteering can unite different generations and build a strong community.

“For us, volunteering is far more than helping run activities. It is an opportunity for young people to join a community, find like-minded peers, launch their own initiatives, grow personally, and shape the life of the space,” noted Kateryna Muzychenko, a psychologist and methodologist at 12–21 spaces.

Youth spaces already feature an established initiative called “Spilnodiia” (Joint Action), which outlines a volunteer pathway—from initial engagement and training to regular participation, increased responsibility, and the implementation of one’s own ideas. The 12–21 team aims to place particular emphasis on motivating, selecting, training, and providing ongoing support for active young people.

The new focus shifted to long-term engagement and a strong community, where experienced volunteers would gradually become a source of support for those just beginning their journey with 12–21 spaces.

“The Headspace experience inspired us to strengthen the areas we are already working on, including volunteer recruitment and training, ongoing support, motivation, experience sharing, and mutual support within the community,” Kateryna Muzychenko noted.

This marks the third visit by the 12–21 team to Headspace Denmark. Youth spaces operate in Bila Tserkva, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Kryvyi Rih, and recently, a space also started operating in Odesa.