This youth-led assessment was commissioned by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Ukraine Country Office for Scruples Research to identify youth’s voices and experiences to ensure that NRC’s programming is both youth-responsive and youth-centric. Conducted over four months, from September to December 2024, the assessment covered Northern Ukraine (Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts, specifically Shostka raion), Eastern Ukraine (Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Donetsk), and Southern Ukraine (Mykolayiv, Odesa, and Kherson).
This study focused on exploring the barriers war-affected youth experience in transitioning from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) or high school into employment, unemployed youth, including gaps in skills and limited access to market-relevant opportunities. It also aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the preparedness of youth for livelihoods by evaluating their access to life skills and market demands needed for their active involvement in the local labour force, which is not only crucial for Ukraine under war conditions but also for the reconstruction and recovery phases of the country. Additionally, the assessment highlighted challenges youth face in their meaningful participation in decision-making at local, regional and national levels, including traditional socio-cultural norms, gender roles and responsibilities, regulations, policies and structural barriers that limit their ability to participate in decision-making as well as taking on leadership roles. This assessment aims to guide NRC and other humanitarian interventions that empower war-affected youth to overcome these challenges and realise their full potential by providing a deeper understanding and perspective.
