The war in Ukraine has had a huge impact on young people living in this country. Based on new research, Maria Zolkina, Max Pras and elizabeth live Find out what young people think about conflict and their hopes for the future.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is already in its third year. This has disrupted life across the country, making it harder for people, especially young people, to develop and prosper personally and socially. In recent research, we dug deep into the war experiences of young Ukrainians to understand the impact of the war on their current interests, needs and hopes.
tremendous impact
We designed a fully qualitative research project to explore the impact of war on young people at a more detailed level than previous research, and to understand the reasons and drivers. As expected, we found that full-blown aggression had a significant effect on young people. Most participants assessed the impact of the war extremely negatively, either for practical reasons, emotional distress, or both.
One of the most affected groups is internally displaced people (IDPs). Internally displaced people face unique challenges, including forced migration, lack of social networks, poverty in their new homes, and unemployment. Lack of basic home elements such as adequate accommodation and furniture is another major challenge for internally displaced people, especially those with young children.
Interestingly, during the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian youth developed a sense of security that went beyond the absence of violence. Security also includes stable housing and financial independence that are sustainable over the medium to long term. This may at least partially explain why young people stay in areas with active shelling and refuse to move if they have stable housing and jobs.
Unpredictability and fear
The unpredictability of situations is one of the main causes of suffering. This is directly linked to young people’s inability to plan for the future. The majority of participants don’t plan more than a month in advance, and this only includes household chores and meetings. Some young people don’t plan more than a week in advance.
Focus group participants expressed this point very clearly. “I don’t have a global plan,” said a young woman from an eastern Ukrainian city. Because I am afraid of making plans. “I have no plans to build a house or have children,” explained one young man from a western village. “I have no plans. You can’t make plans if you don’t know if tomorrow will stay here or take you somewhere else. What can we plan here?” The inability to plan appears to be rooted in fear and leaves people feeling frustrated and empty, especially in eastern Ukraine.
Nevertheless, young people have a general belief in Ukraine’s victory and the resilience of society after the war. Participants emphasized the importance of organizing at the grassroots level while also expressing a lack of trust in the ability of public institutions to effectively solve people’s problems.
Although the war is expected to end in a few years, the majority of attendees are confident that Ukraine will win and expect Ukraine to join the European Union and NATO. However, there are regional differences in the level of confidence in Ukraine’s possibilities. Those living in the west are more optimistic, while young people living in the east (and internally displaced people from the east) see the path to victory less clearly.
reject russia
An important finding is that younger respondents showed a stronger commitment to Ukrainian culture and a clear orientation towards Russian cultural products. However, our findings do not specify which format of Ukrainian cultural products is preferred.
This rejection of Russian cultural products often creates tensions with friends and relatives due to the entrenched Ukrainian-centric mentality and young people’s limited tolerance for pro-Russian views. The move away from Russian cultural products is closely linked to the rising patriotism of Ukrainian youth. Patriotism is now associated with low or no tolerance for Russian cultural influence, which is increasingly seen as part of a broader framework of aggression against Ukraine, along with military and political action.
The strongest resistance to Russian culture is observed in the youngest group (14-19 years old), which is consistent with their often expressed patriotism, national identity and commitment to the future of Ukraine, encouraging them to remain in the country and build their own lives. It motivates. In line with this, young people (especially teenagers) show a strong interest and commitment to participate in rebuilding and promoting the social and cultural life of their communities. This includes organizing cultural and educational events.
However, despite the clear intention among young people to continue living in Ukraine, there are two scenarios that could significantly change these plans. On the one hand, young people perceive the lack of ongoing resources (money and training) as a limitation. On the other hand, even those most determined to stay acknowledge that they may be forced to flee if their region is occupied by Russia.
Support for Ukrainian youth
We identify a set of recommendations for the British Council, which commissioned the study, and for other actors seeking to support young people in Ukraine. Firstly, it is important to prioritize local cultural and educational events and activities to encourage the active participation of young people. Second, survivor support must be included as a component of all funding programs.
Third, there is a need to provide additional support to vulnerable groups so that they can participate in future activities. Fourth, specific projects and activities with teaching staff should be funded to improve the quality of youth education provision during wartime.
Fifth, whenever possible, online activities should be replaced or expanded with face-to-face activities. Sixth, cultural activities in Ukraine must be planned to reflect the trend of prioritizing local culture. Finally, the free courses offered at secondary education level must be further strengthened and developed.
Our research adds nuanced insights into the resilience, aspirations and concerns of Ukrainian youth by exploring how students and young people perceive the role of education in shaping their futures amid ongoing war. Our findings highlight the important link between educational development and youth retention in Ukraine and highlight the need for reforms, psychological support mechanisms and improved infrastructure to maintain educational continuity in times of crisis.
However, significant gaps remain, particularly in understanding the long-term impact of conflict on educational outcomes and the effectiveness of interventions aimed at supporting staff and students. Nonetheless, our work provides a knowledge base that increases confidence in drawing conclusions and formulating targeted recommendations for policy makers, international agencies, and local stakeholders.
See the author’s entry for more details. companion studyAt the request of the British Council LSE Consulting’s education, youth and civic engagement hub.
Note: This article gives the views of the author and not the position of EUROPP (European Politics and Policy) or the London School of Economics. Main image source: pandora photos /Shutterstock.com
