On October 26, 2024, a workshop "Implementation of the EU Strategy: the Path to Youth Policy Reforms" was held in Kryvyi Rih. The event was held as part of the UNICEF Youth Support Program for Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, implemented by the NGO "Zahody". It brought together representatives of international organizations, state, district, and city authorities, future employees of Youth Centers, and active youth of Kryvyi Rih.

The goal of the workshop is to create a platform for exchanging experience, introduce European approaches to youth policy, and help develop a modern development strategy for Kryvyi Rih.

The event was opened by Matviy Bidny, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, with a welcoming speech. According to him, the voice of youth should be heard at all levels - from local communities to central government bodies, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine supports youth projects that originate in local communities.

The invited speakers shared their experience in implementing youth policy in different regions of Ukraine and abroad. In particular, the representative of the Youth Policy Department of the Lublin City Administration, Yagoda Wlokh, spoke about the experience of creating Youth Centers in Poland.

Serhiy Milyutin, Deputy Mayor of Kryvyi Rih and Vice President of the Assembly of European Values, in turn, spoke about the importance of developing youth policy at the local level and involving young people in the decision-making process: "We have a common community with a common goal - to build youth policy in our city from the bottom up."

The participants gained valuable experience in implementing the best European practices in the field of youth policy. The speakers shared practical advice on adapting effective methods, and young people had the opportunity to ask questions and receive professional answers on topical topics.

The UNICEF program in Dnipropetrovsk region is implemented by the NGO "Zahody" with the support of the Executive Committee of the Kryvyi Rih City Council, the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council and funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the German state development bank KfW.