To develop a culture of civic volunteerism in communities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine is announcing a call for applications for participation in the incubator of project volunteer initiatives “CREATE”.
Youth play a key role in UNDP initiatives in Ukraine, including in community development, strengthening social cohesion and supporting recovery. In the face of a full-scale invasion, youth volunteerism has become an important component of societal resilience, demonstrating active citizenship and a desire to contribute to the country.
The CREATE incubator is an inspiring environment for personal development in the direction of civic volunteering and creating step-by-step plans for the implementation of youth volunteer initiatives. Over three days, participants, in a gamified format and under the guidance of experienced mentors, will delve into the issues of planning and detailing projects, as well as create roadmaps with specific steps for their implementation in their communities.
UNDP aims to help young people acquire the necessary project management skills to gradually transition from participating in diverse projects to participating in their direct implementation. A bonus of the training will be the establishment of connections with other participants who have volunteer experience.
“CREATE 2.0” aims to:
- to raise awareness among young people about the importance and essence of civilian volunteering, including its restoration and development during wartime;
- increase the willingness of young people to participate in volunteer activities and mobilize community resources, if the need arises;
- to contribute to the development of volunteer projects, thereby improving the skills of participants in planning initiatives and their subsequent independent coordination;
- to strengthen cooperation and exchange of experiences between young volunteers from different communities and with different levels of experience.
We are looking for young people between the ages of 18 and 35 who:
- are engaged in or seek to develop in the field of volunteering, doing so individually or through youth councils, organizations, centers and other institutions, including those planning to launch a volunteer direction in their activities;
- live in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv or Kherson regions (in territories controlled by the Government of Ukraine), or are IDPs from Donetsk and Luhansk regions;
- have minimal experience in project activities or are just starting out in this area, but have a desire to create their own initiative;
- have an idea/vision for a future youth volunteer project and are ready to learn and personally participate in the recovery processes now.
When: December 10-12, 2025 (excluding travel days)
Where: Poltava city (with observance of necessary safety measures. Participants will work from the beginning in a shelter)
Please complete this form by 11:59 PM on November 16, 2025 to participate in the event.
Based on the results of the incubator, teams of participants will be able to apply for a project competition (December 2025 - January 2026) from UNDP with initiatives developed within the framework of the event or other initiatives that fall under the priorities of the competition, and receive support for their implementation in the amount of up to 5,000 USD, as well as the opportunity to apply for mentoring from experts. The implementation of projects is planned for January - March 2026. Please note that UNDP will support only non-profit initiatives*.
Among the priorities of this year's project competition — restoration and development of civil volunteering in the community, institutionalization of volunteering in the community, including through the creation of targeted volunteering support programs, development of self-reliance and improvement of the mental health of youth, as well as involvement of vulnerable groups of youth in volunteer activities.
Forty incubator participants will be selected based on the results of the review of applications, taking into account balanced regional representation, gender distribution, and the scope of the future project. Please note that the organizers will contact only selected participants.
*Please note that the incubator is aimed at finding new creative solutions. The incubator will not support initiatives to create and equip spaces, nor will it purchase any dual-use goods.
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Contacts: [email protected]
All training costs — travel (within the established limit), accommodation, meals and other expenses during the program — will be covered by UNDP in Ukraine. All safety measures will be observed during the training.