Three months of activities at the Youth Center for Ukrainian teens
Danyl has been living with his family in Romania for five months. They have gradually adapted, feeling warmly welcomed from the start.
With enthusiasm, Danyl tells his new friend, Cristi, a Romanian volunteer of the same age, a bit about Ukraine—details not included in the project he prepared with his team to present at the Youth Hub. Meanwhile, Romanian volunteers are preparing a Kahoot quiz about Romania, all part of the Tuesday evening meetings.
Since the end of May, every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 PM, laughter, music, and the energetic bustle of teenagers can be heard on the mezzanine of the National Library of Romania. Young people affected by the war in Ukraine gather at the Youth Hub, where Romanian volunteers greet them with enthusiasm.
The youth center dedicated to teenagers affected by the war in Ukraine was established by the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, supported by co-funders UNICEF Romania and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and in partnership with the National Library of Romania. The end of August marks 3 months of activity.
In the last three months, over 130 young refugees aged 10 to 19 have visited the Youth Hub at least once. Among these teenagers is Danyl, a tall blond boy who initially came to the Hub out of curiosity and with some reservations but has since become a regular attendee.
Danyl dreams of studying in Romania during high school and later enrolling in a university in the Netherlands—he wants to become a sports director. Meanwhile, he practices Romanian with the volunteers at the Hub, discussing sports and movies, and attends the free English lessons offered at the Hub.
“I believe the Hub truly helps people find themselves, socialize, and improve their English. There’s always something new, and it distracts us for a few hours from what’s happening in our country.
For my friends and other Ukrainian teenagers here, it was very important to find such a place because we left home without friends, without being able to talk to them directly, and the Hub helped us find all these things.”
When not meeting at the library, the Youth Hub teens can be found on the streets of the city, map in hand, participating in a City Hunt, visiting museums, exploring Bucharest’s parks, or organizing trips around the city.
Youth Hub achievements in numbers (last 3 months):
- Over 130 young refugees participated in at least one Youth Hub activity for free
- More than 32 sessions with the youth
- Over 165 hours of free foreign language (English and Romanian) lessons
- More than 20 Romanian teenage volunteers were involved in activities
- 7 socio-cultural events outside the Hub (including museum visits, movie nights, and amusement park trips)
- Urban Treasure Hunts: 6 organized together with City Hunt
- Facilitators: 5 permanent team members
In the past three months, the Youth Hub has provided a safe space where teenagers affected by the war in Ukraine could socialize, make friends, practice English, and develop communication, collaboration, and orientation skills. The center’s activities will continue in the fall, focusing on the emotional development of the youth and preparing them for life.
Learn more about the youth center’s activities by following our Instagram page.
