Horytsvit 2

An amazingly strong group came together: brave, sincere teenagers who were ready to show their vulnerability and to be honest and open with others. As a team, we had to work hard to sustain that intensity, but the fruits of this interaction proved priceless!

It was at this autumn camp that we reshaped our programme a little and put the emphasis on social exercises. Throughout the camp, the participants explored their own bodies and their sense of boundaries with others, looked for something to lean on, and experimented with expressing aggression and powerlessness. And although at first not every teenager was keen to try something new, by the end of the camp you could feel the space of safety, support and acceptance that all these different kinds of interaction had created in the group.

It means a lot that the young people keep in touch after the camp and meet up whenever they get the chance. Feeling part of something bigger is essential to a person’s wellbeing.

And we are happy that our project can bring a valuable experience of community into the lives of Ukraine’s teenagers.