ESF-SI-2024-UA-01-0068

The VMU Ukrainian Centre, established on 11 June 2022, is an open space for people who have fled Ukraine that provides various services and responds to their cultural, linguistic, educational, and psychosocial needs. A broader aim of the project is to explore and define the social innovation implementation model of the Ukrainian Centre in Lithuania, which is based on developing skills, building solidarity and fostering community cohesion. Through a multifaceted approach to social inclusion encompassing education and active participation (language teaching, leadership training, youth think tanks, Saturday schools, consolidated events, international conferences and forums), the project seeks to empower Ukrainians through knowledge sharing and collaboration, advocacy and policy influence and exchange best practices across Lithuania and with the partners in Poland. 

Hence, the concrete objectives of the project are as follow: 1) to pilot centrally located services in other regions of Lithuania and develop regional community leader network by training Ukrainian community leaders; 2) to create a seed funding scheme that would enable Ukrainian leaders to initiate local actions that help to meet the needs of displaced Ukrainians regionally; 3) to expand the activities of youth think-tanks as a participatory process that engages young Ukrainians and creates a platform to meet various decision makers and discuss relevant topics; 4) to organize activities of Saturday/weekend schools and summer camps that engage Ukrainian children, to enable participation of their parents in community activities, language learning, increase their attractiveness for the labour market; 5) to create language learning opportunities, educate displaced Ukrainians about national law and policies in relation to employment, education, family, etc.; 6) to create a cross-sectoral cooperation network of organizations and institutions actively working on advancing the lives of displaced Ukrainians in EU. 

Funding: 672,613.00 Eur