WORK OF YOUTH IN UKRAINIAN THIRD SECTOR Maksymenko

WORK OF YOUTH IN UKRAINIAN THIRD SECTOR Maksymenko Olena

Issues relating to youth policy and young people rests with the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sport. v The current youth law is from 1993. v The current efforts of the government focus on improving opportunities for young people’s meaningful leisure time, and the development and adoption of a programme for orphaned children. v There is also a youth policy project under development with the support of the UNDP Country Office in Ukraine, called the National Doctrine of Youth.

The registration rate of NGOs 5000 4500 3988 4000 3500 3000 2500 4482 3772 3437 3050 2000 1500 1000 500 0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Location of ngo’s Percent of NGOs Kiev 14% Dniepropetrovsk 9% Other region 55% Donetsk 8% Lviv region 7% Autonomous Republic of Crimea 7%

Decreasing Participation Membership in civic organizations decreased 17 % in 1991 -96. In 1999 7. 8 % of the population considered themselves members of civic organizations. 4. 6 % being members of 90 registered political parties (in 1999) 59 % of population had never participated in civic activities.

Decreasing Participation 26 % of the population was ready to join consumer advocacy organizations, 12 % was ready to join youth organizations, 5 % was ready to join political organizations, Only 5% of youth are involved in NGO activities. This last figure is even more dramatic in compared with European data, according to which 30%-60% of young people are involved in civil society activities.

The reasons respondents identified for not participating in NGO activities are : Percent of respondents no free-time no interest 19% 41% mistrust of public organizations absence of desired NGOs 17% 7% 8% 8% lack of information concerning NGOs other reasons

Legal Status The activities of civic and charitable organizations according to Ukrainian law are considered to be non-profit only if they are legally registered as other types of organizations: state agencies, local civil government, creative artists associations, political parties, pension funds, credit societies, unions, construction cooperatives and religious organizations. NGOs constitute 16 % of the organizations using the status "nonprofit".

Peculiarity of youth policy in Ukraine Youth policy in Ukraine has traditionally been rather problem-oriented, and focuses primarily on the needs of especially talented young people and those with special needs. There is no specific focus on providing young people in general with resources and opportunities to ensure a quality upbringing, or a strategy of support to the nongovernmental youth sector.

Since 1998 the Ukrainian Youth Forum (UYF) – has become a member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ). Young people’s participation as equal partners in the development of youth policy and in society in general is a central priority for YFJ Youth policy should be a cross-sectoral policy s at Such partnership all levels The organization works on promoting ies affecting c li o p t n e m n r e All gov nce to a v le e r f o e r a young people loyment to health p them (from em n) tio and discrimina

Program of youth governance “Uzhhorod City Hall 2025” is started. Ukrainian children took part in the Youth Parliament in Poland held such programs in Uzhhorod (Ukraine) Children 12 -15 years old took positions of leaders of the City and managed the City together with adult officials The best proposal from children was discussed at the regional experts WG and included into the operational plans of the Regional Strategy 2007 2015

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