In Ukraine, barrier-free youth spaces called “12–21” will launch in December 2025, initiated by the Olena Zelenska Foundation. These spaces will be open and free for everyone aged 12 to 21. Olena Zelenska shared this news on her Facebook page.
According to her, since its inception, the focus of each Foundation project has remained on children.
“With each new project and conversation with families, partners, and, most importantly, young people, we increasingly understand that teenagers require a special approach. They need services tailored to their age and real needs. At the same time, they want to be in places where they are heard and accepted, where trust prevails,” stated Zelenska.
She also emphasized that supporting youth is not just an act of care but a necessary condition for the country's recovery, as it is the youth who will shape Ukraine’s future.
“According to UNICEF, 73% of young people aged 14–34 require psychosocial support, and 61% of parents notice signs of stress and sleep issues in their children. According to the ‘Future Index’ survey, only 30% of Ukrainian teenagers can confidently say who they want to be at 30,” highlighted the First Lady.
The Olena Zelenska Foundation conducted in-depth interviews in which the youth shared their experiences: many have left their homes, separated from their families, and feel constant stress and uncertainty about the future.
In search of effective support formats for young people, Foundation representatives visited the Headspace space in Denmark, where they observed how such initiatives work, providing a sense of support, safety, and self-belief.
“All this laid the groundwork for creating a new project – the youth spaces ‘12–21’. These are barrier-free centers for youth, combining trustful communication, leisure, peer-to-peer interaction, and professional psychosocial support, which will become one of the key areas of the Foundation's work,” Zelenska noted.
According to her, the first youth spaces will be operational by December. They will be free and open to all aged 12 to 21.
“We cannot change the experiences that teenagers and young people already have. But we can create conditions for a better future, where there is room for support and acceptance,” stressed the President's wife.