Young Diversity Ambassadors and Global Platforms

What old people say you cannot do, you try and find that you can. Old deeds for old people, and new deeds for new.

— Henry David Thoreau, “Walden; or, Life in the Woods”

Since 2019, the program “Young Diversity Ambassadors” (YDA) has encouraged people to begin their journey in civic activism. It helps them to implement their ideas and projects. Last but not least, it also helps them to connect with like-minded people, colleagues, and friends from all over Ukraine. Over the past few years, the program has gathered a community of active youth. Even now, this generation significantly contributes to the development of Ukrainian civil society. This generation will be crucial in the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war.

The program of YDA is constantly improving, expanding the geography of its work. This year, it will join the international network Global Platforms founded by ActionAid, an alliance for rights, equality, and international solidarity. Read the text to learn what it means and which opportunities it will open up for Ukrainian youth.

Youth platform. To be heard, listen first

Global Platforms is an international activism network established in 2009 by ActionAid. This community unites active people from several dozen countries. Thanks to Global Platforms, young people get to study and work together, influencing political, economic, social, or ecological problems both on local and global levels. 

In 2023 members of NGO “STAN” got in contact with colleagues from ActionAid and discussed the Young Diversity Ambassadors program possibly joining Global Platforms. “Our friends from ActionAid are well acquainted with STAN activities,” says Yulia Lyubych, educational program designer of YDA. “They told us that what we are doing with the Young Diversity Ambassadors program is similar to what they are doing with Global Platforms. They told us they would be glad, were we to join the network.”

Global Platforms are interested in YDA methodology and Ukrainian work experience. It works both ways, as the methodology and approaches of the network can make a valuable contribution to the Young Diversity Ambassadors program. “When I first learned about the Young Diversity Ambassadors (YDA) program, I noticed that its training curriculum might overlap with what the Global Platform’s Network generally does,” confirms Matey Nikolov, ActionAid advisor on youth leadership in humanitarian activities. “While the YDA program and the Global Platform generally shared the same values and goals, there was one major difference. The Global Platforms methodology puts a lot of emphasis on getting young people involved in political matters and understanding power. This part was missing in the YDA program. But after talking with various young people and STAN, everyone agreed that adding political involvement and trainings that deconstruct power could really benefit the YDA movement.”

Besides, the YDA program joining the global network will open up dozens of new opportunities for youth. These are collaborative projects, training, and experience-sharing sessions. First of all, it is about communication and showing solidarity regarding important topics. “We deem it important that young people can speak up about Ukraine in this network,” Yulia Lyubych explains. “Apart from solidarity with Ukraine, it is a matter of solidarity regarding the topics we work on in Ambassdaords. All these youth hubs, from Bangladesh to Tanzania and Guatemala, amplify each other to promote joint campaigns. To speak up on the topics like climate justice, feminism, and gender equality.” 

Support like this calls for reciprocity. To make the world open up to us, we need to open up to the world. “Ukrainians need to be aware of the global context,” Yulia Lyubych says. “I believe it is just as important as telling about Ukraine to people who know nothing of us. To be heard we need to listen. To realize what happens in their world, what is relevant to them.”

Training in Kenya

To learn of the work of Global Platforms, members of NGO STAN Yuliya Lyubych and Valeriya Tkachenko participated in the workshop “Youth leadership in emergencies” in Kenya. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet people from the community of Global Platforms, to learn about the issues they deem important, and to understand how they are thinking (about Ukraine as well). But first of all, it was training. They studied using the methodology of Global Platforms. They spoke about the role of youth in overcoming humanitarian crises and about using this methodological base to work with any topic.

“One of the principles is learning by doing,” Valeriya Tkachenko says. “We had practice. We went to the village and worked with the locals. We organized an educational event about the role of young women in overcoming the humanitarian crisis. It was beneficial. Right away I thought about how we can implement this experience in Ukraine”.

On collaboration, trust, and integrity

Global Platforms is a flexible network. It’s not like the work of all the platforms is based on a single blueprint. It can work one way in Kenya, another in Myanmar, and in Ukraine, everything may be completely different. What remains constant are shared values and core principles, such as learning by doing, applying a feminist lens, focusing on youth voices, etc.

To think of the work of the platform in Ukraine, at the beginning of February NGO STAN organized a meeting with potential partners. Among the organizations were Chernyvtsi’s association “Protection”, the Center of societal transformations “Tenet”, “Insight”, “The Institute of Creative Innovation”, and “Blank Page”. We discussed the possible partnership and key areas of work. Most importantly, we got to know each other. The organizations are comprised of people, and further collaboration depends on how well they will get along. “We wanted to outline main engagement formats,” Valeriya Tkachenko explains. “We wanted to discuss potential ‘pain points’ other partners have. It is crucial for building ecological relationships and a safe space.”

A great deal of focus was placed on creating a base for the partnership built on equality, trust, common goals and values. “I’d like us to know for sure, that if we are partners in Global Platforms, we can implement projects together and support each other’s development,” muses Mariya Nikitina, head of “Protection”. “During the meeting, we brainstormed on what partnership means for all of us. It is interesting that literally everyone wrote down that for them, it is a matter of integrity and transparency. All organizations have their times and tribulations, and to let others support you, you need to speak up about them.”

Sharing the experience, internships

Healthy partnerships are always mutually beneficial, as all sides get something from collaborations. First of all, every organization has amassed significant expertise in its sphere. For instance, Chernivtsi’s association “Protection” focuses on the rights of people with disabilities and building an inclusive society. That is one of the topics youth ambassadors work with, and they will benefit from collaborating with colleagues from Chernivtsi and learning from them. It was for this reason that this year Zhytomyr hosted the workshop on gender equality and feminism. The Institute of Creative Innovations offered its expertise in the sphere to the participants.  

To share its own experience, NGO “STAN” has planned internship programs for the partners. Members of organizations or initiative groups, members of YDA will be able to come to Ivano-Frankivsk and learn of the inner workings of STAN. They will also connect with other experienced organizations and initiatives of the city and meet the representatives of the socially responsible businesses.

“Workshops and study programs are important,” says Mariya Keliy, coordinator of Global Platforms in Ukraine. “But we realized that when people come and delve into the work of a particular organization, having the opportunity to talk directly to the financial manager or a logistics manager, they get unique and valuable experience”

Resource center in Ivano-Frankivsk

This spring STAN will open a human rights resource center in Ivano-Frankivsk as part of the Global Platforms program. It will be the space for internships, educational events, strategy sessions, and retreats.

“It will be a small space for activists to work and strategize,” Mariya Keliy explains. “We also plan to offer rest and revitalization for our partners who need it. For instance, our Kherson partners, the charitable foundation “Real Ones” are working under constant shellings. These people need rest, and we can provide them with the space for it.” Organizing events won’t be the sole purpose of the resource center. It will also offer accommodation, with a kitchen, showers, and all the necessary household appliances.

Young people are leaders now – and not sometime in the future

We already mentioned that Global Platforms is a flexible system. The format of its work in Ukraine wasn’t defined beforehand. The model is being created at the moment, considering the conditions, challenges, and goals of active youth. It is not, however, made from scratch: it is based on the values, methodology, and experience of ActionAid, STAN, and other partner organization. This is the beginning of the collaboration aiming to amplify the voices of the youth. It would be a mistake to underestimate them, thinking that young people will be important sometime in the future. They are influencing it right now.

“At ActionAid and the Global Platforms Secretariat, we really hope that the tools, lessons, and ideas we have collected from our work around the world can support the Young Diversity Ambassadors (YDAs) and other youth-led movements in their fight for a fair, independent, and feminist Ukraine,”  Matey Nikolov muses. “Our goal in bringing the Global Platforms concept to the YDAs was to give them more resources that could support their efforts of making a lasting positive impact in their communities. We hope that the YDAs and other youth movements in Ukraine will see ActionAid and the Global Platforms Secretariat as partners in the fight for global social justice and as strong supporters of young people, who are leading the way as agents of change. Young people aren’t just leaders of the future; they’re leaders right now, and we’re committed to backing them up with all the resources we have at our disposal in Ukraine and elsewhere.”