Applications to join a Youth Board – YoU Decide Project: Supporting Ukrainian Youth in Making Informed Decisions 

Deadline: 27 April 2025 at 23:59 (CEST)

 

 

Background 

Missing Children Europe (MCE), in partnership with Terre des Hommes Hungary (TdH), ITAKA Foundation Poland, and the Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) Czechia, is launching YoU Decide, a 1.5 year-long EU project supporting displaced Ukrainian youth in making decisions about their future. 

Together, we will listen to experiences of Ukrainian youth, identify support services and the gaps, and create solutions together. A key part of the project is launching a mobile app with important information to help displaced youth navigate life in their new countries. Every step will be taken in close collaboration with young people to ensure the support is relevant and effective. 

We are looking for an advisory Youth Board of 6 persons between 15 and 24 years old, who were displaced from Ukraine to (Poland/Czechia/Hungary) as a result of the Russian full-scale invasion.  

If you meet this criteria and you feel that you would like to share your experiences, read the document below and apply by Friday 27 April 2025 at 23:59 CEST. 

 

 

About the project 

YoU Decideaims to support displaced Ukrainian youth by ensuring that they have the right information, protection, and resources to make decisions and stay safe. Many young people face risks like exploitation and scams, especially when unaccompanied or transitioning into adulthood. 

To help, we are launching a mobile app, Miniila, in in Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, which will provide reliable information and access to support services. Most importantly, young people like you will influence the project, making sure it truly meets the needs of displaced Ukrainian youth. 

By joining the Youth Board, you will help us design solutions, advocate for better laws for the future of young people. 

 

About the Youth Board 

To help us with this project, we are currently looking for advisory Youth Board of 6 persons between 15 and 24 years old who have been displaced from Ukraine and currently live in Poland, Hungary or Czechia. 

What would the Youth Board do? 

From May 2025 to November 2026, the members of the Youth Board will be helping MCE, Tdh Hungary, ITAKA and OPU in a variety of tasks such as research to communications and dissemination of the solutions. 

 

More specifically, the Youth Board will support in co-producing and providing feedback on: 

  • Research: surveys and focus group discussion guides 
  • Mapping strategy for the support services 
  • Mobile app content  
  • An awareness raising campaign  
  • The youth board will also contribute to the project by taking part in 4 meetings presented below. 

 

Meetings: 

The Youth Board will take part in 2 in-person and 2 online meetings with all of the project partners. The Youth Board will also be invited to attend the final conference in Brussels. 

The meetings will be held in English and are on the following dates:

  • June: In-person meeting (Budapest) 
  • October/November 2025: Online meeting 
  • May/June 2026: In-person meeting (Warsaw) 
  • October 2026 Online meeting  
  • Final conference in Brussels towards the end of the project November 2026 

The Board will also be invited to take part in the taskforce meetings online, these dates will be decided on together.  

All costs will be covered by Missing Children Europe (MCE). You can also attend the in-person meetings online if you are unable to travel on those dates. 

 

Who can join the Youth Board? 

To join, you must: 

  • Be between 15 and 24 years old at the time of application; 
  • Be based in Poland/Czechia/Hungary; 
  • Have experience of being displaced from Ukraine as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion. 
  • Ideally, be available for the online and in-person meetings detailed above. 
  • Have a good understanding of English, as all meetings and activities will be carried out in English. 

​ For the purpose of this project, we define “youth” as persons between the ages 15 to 24 years old, following the UN definition. 

Displaced are considered the persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, either across an international border or within a State, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters (IOM Glossary on Migration, 2019). 

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, ethnic minorities, and those from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.  

 

How to apply?  

Please fill in the application form through this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/share/684057fc-102f-4a7c-a867-1f1aa195849f  

The deadline is Sunday 27th April at midnight. 

The results will be communicated via email in the week of 10-15 May 2025. 

If you have questions, please contact Alyona Samar at Alyona.samar@missingchildreneurope.eu