Ukraine Youth Action Network

At the heart of the Ukraine Youth Action Network are not classrooms, but campfires. Each campfire brings together a circle of students and teachers from Ukraine, the EU, and the United States to form a safe, sacred space where young people can share who they are, what they have lived through, and what they care about most. Around these campfires, they listen deeply, learn courageously, and begin to see both themselves and one another with new clarity.

This is where the rebuilding begins. From these conversations emerge not only friendships but shared purpose. Small sparks of understanding grow into collaborative projects designed to meet Ukraine’s most pressing human needs. These projects are not about pouring concrete. They are about rebuilding from the mind up by cultivating resilience, empathy, and moral imagination.

Each campfire becomes a living ecosystem of care and creativity. Students discover common ground across cultures and borders, then work together to transform that insight into action. They design initiatives that support Ukraine’s recovery while strengthening their own capacity to lead and to listen with care.

Since 2023, UYAN has connected more than 1,500 students and over 100 educators across Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and the United States. Through partnerships with schools and community organizations, we have built a scalable model for youth led recovery anchored in identity, cross cultural collaboration, and community impact. Participants from New York to New Mexico and from Lviv to Krakow have worked in cross border teams to design and implement real world solutions that strengthen war affected communities. This is not a simulation. It is real world learning with measurable outcomes and lasting impact. Designed for scale. Grounded in need. Led by youth.

MapWorks Learning’s Ukraine Youth Action Network was funded by the Stevens Initiative, which is housed at the Aspen Institute and is supported by the Bezos Family Foundation.