Changing the world is easy when you feel support. Each of us, at different periods of life, receives it from parents, friends and the close ones, but a special role in our personal becoming belongs to our teachers at school and university. These are the people who care about our fate, who responsibly address their task – to raise us as conscious and active citizens of Ukraine.

The All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” held a series of interviews with school and university teachers who support our active youth in all their endeavours and do everything possible to develop their leadership ambitions. The interviewers show us how effective teachers could be, how important it is for them to change the approach to educating young people and thus contribute to the quality development of our country.

Anzhelika Ulyhanets

Anzhelika Ulyhanets works as a chemistry teacher at Svobodianska primary and secondary general school in Berehovo district of Zakarpattia region.

Why have you decided to become a teacher? She says that it happened quite accidentally since she had never imagined herself at such position.

“But immediately, when I tried myself in this profession, I realized – I have a heart for it and it is the best thing that has happened in my life,” Anzhelika smiles.

She learned about the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” from coordinator Mykola Yatskov having a common acquaintance with her and decided to have a shot at cooperating with the Initiative.

“We have incredibly cool young people, they are not inferior compared to the ones from big cities, and perhaps, in some respects, even better. And the cooperation with the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” will give opportunities for young people to fulfil themselves in their own communities without having to leave the country,” Anzhelika Ulyhanets continues.

According to the teacher, young people need to have their leadership potential and the sense of responsibility developed from childhood. She believes that leaders are the persons who realize that one should not withdraw into him/herself, avoid the community and stay away from it, caring only about oneself. The most important thing is that leaders feel the need to do something for people from next door, to arouse their interest in the outside world, namely to develop the community here and now.

“Why are we speaking about young people? Youth is our present and, especially, our future! If there is no confident conscious youth – there is no community.”

It is important to understand that such strong youth will allow other young people to fulfil themselves at home, not abroad. This would affect the development of the community and the state as a whole. That is why Anzhelika advises all teachers to develop the potential and leadership capabilities of their students.

Omarova Aisel Azad kizi

Omarova Aisel Azad kizi holds a PhD degree in Law and works as an assistant professor at the Department of State and Law of Ukraine and Foreign Countries History at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University.

She got acquainted with the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” during debates where she had been invited as a judge. Thereafter she decided to continue cooperating with the organization.

“I decided to cooperate with the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” since this organization makes a huge contribution to the development of consciousness and worldview of citizens, develops their analytical capabilities and does everything possible to strengthen civil society in Ukraine,” Aisel Azad says.

According to her, the reason to develop the leadership of young people is that they will be building our future tomorrow. It is important to do this now in order to be confident in the future of our state.

“It is the presence of leaders that allows us to defend the stance of the state on certain issues in the international arena, as well as to determine and implement the specific vector of development necessary for our country,” the PhD in Law shares her opinion. – “There is a lack of political and legal education of citizens. What I mean is not the quality of educational services provided by universities but the education of citizens in these areas in general.”

What do young people currently lack for their comprehensive development? First of all, it is necessary to increase the number of class hours for subjects related to political and legal education at schools and universities. There is also a need for state support of public organizations engaged in educational activities by means of providing grants for debates, workshops, seminars, etc.

“This is the way for us to raise a generation of conscious and active Ukrainians!”

Vira Hlushko

Vira Hlushko is a primary school teacher at Irshavska primary and secondary general school in Zakarpattia region.

“Why have I decided to devote my life to the teaching profession? First of all, I love children for their frankness and sincerity. It is important for me to do everything possible to form their dignity, desire to be active, to develop critical thinking.”

Vira Hlushko learned about the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” from Anna Melenanych, a coordinator in Uzhhorod. The teacher immediately decided to cooperate with the organization, but, in her opinion, cooperation is something that can bring results and actually brings them. Especially, when active conscious citizens cooperate for the benefit of the community – this is a double success.

Vira believes that teachers should help students to develop as conscious citizens of their country. After all, if young people develop their leadership skills from school, they will be confident in their importance and will be able to firmly defend their opinion and influence the decision-making, first in small causes, and later in larger ones. Not everyone can be a leader, even having the potential for it, so one always needs to study this.

“Currently, although it’s pitiable, we observe a negative trend in the development of future leaders. There is a lack of local motivators for youth, good examples from parents, social activities of teachers and the society in general. The development of civic processes requires targeted programs, elective courses/lessons from an early age,” Vira Hlushko shares her opinion and hopes that the state would activate the laying out of a policy line for the development of young Ukrainians.

Kulnieva Aliona

Kulnieva Aliona works as a teacher of mathematics and computer science at Volodymyrivska primary and secondary general school No. 1.

Since childhood, she dreamed of becoming a primary school teacher. However, while in the ninth grade, thanks to her math teacher, she discovered this science and decided to devote her life to teaching children math and to the ability to put this knowledge into practice in real life.

She learned about the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community” from regional coordinator Yana Tvereza and decided that it was important for her to cooperate with the organization and active citizens if she wanted to change something for the better in her village.

At the same time, Aliona Kulnieva believes that her task as a teacher is not only to teach the subjects but also to promote the development of active youth.

“Our times need leaders of a new formation. There is a need for competent, responsible and passionate people. The problem of raising young leaders is the matter of preparing a person of a future kind, which meets the requirements of the 21st century,” Aliona says. “The upbringing of a modern leader is a precondition for preparing the young generation to manage their own lives and strengthen the Ukrainian state.”

However, she notes numerous challenges on the way to this. These obstacles should be overcome jointly by all those who want to see today’s youth strong, determined and effective in the nearest future. First of all, such a problem is the lack of adequate financial support from the state, limited opportunities for young people living in rural areas.

The teacher believes that it is very important to involve not only teachers and parents in the education of schoolchildren but also those citizens who are actively working to improve the quality of life in the community: “I wish more educational work was held among young people living in rural areas and more civic specialists in the various specific fields were involved in this process.”

Note. The mission of the “Active Community” is to achieve prosperity through the democratic development of Ukrainian communities. The goal for 2025 is to activate and involve at least 1% of citizens in decision-making and promotion of reforms in Ukraine on a systemic basis for the well-being of Ukrainian communities. The initiative was created through the activities of the “Institute Respublica”. We are working to increase the civil activity of citizens.

Authored by Kateryna Halushka, the communication manager of the All-Ukrainian Initiative “Active Community”