On 26 June 2025, the YoU Decide consortium came together for the first time in Budapest. Partners from Hungary (Terre des hommes), Poland (ITAKA), Czechia (OPU), and Belgium (MCE) gathered with our Youth Board representatives – young people with lived experience of displacement – to launch this important initiative.
Coordinated by Missing Children Europe, YoU Decide will work across Hungary, Poland, and Czechia to protect displaced Ukrainian youth from the risks of going missing, trafficking, and exploitation, while ensuring they are not only supported but also have a voice in the decisions that affect them.
The meeting, hosted by Terre des Hommes Hungary, set the tone form the start: open and full of energy.
“Youth participation is in our heart,” said Balázs Lehel from Terre des Hommes Hungary. “We strongly believe in the need to involve young people in everything we design. Youth and children are the customers of what we do; if we can involve them, we believe the results will be there. And if not, they can tell us that what we’re doing is not working.”
Alyona Samar from Missing Children Europe carried this message forward while facilitating the meeting, reflecting on how the project idea first took shape and how it will now be brought to life in practice.
This spirit of listening, learning, and creating together shaped the flow of the entire day.
Voices that matter
The most powerful moments of the meeting came when Youth Board members spoke about their journeys. These weren’t abstract “case studies” or statistics. They were real, lived experiences of young people who were forced to leave Ukraine and rebuild their lives in new environments.
One young man shared how a fire caused by missile debris forced him to flee Ukraine. Determined to pursue his dream of studying chemistry in Prague, he had to navigate everything alone — from finding the right documents and figuring out the education system, to learning the language and applying to university. It wasn’t easy, and not everything worked out on the first try. Yet he kept going, step by step, until he was finally admitted.
Another participant recalled how life changed overnight: fleeing bombardments, losing documents, and arriving in countries he barely knew.
Others spoke about the quieter struggles — the sting of feeling that public attitudes towards Ukrainians have shifted and the pain of hostile comments based on nationality. One young woman admitted how difficult it was to connect with local peers: “Maybe there’s something wrong with me.” Her words resonated deeply, with many nodding in recognition and affirming that these feelings are common, and certainly not her fault.
They also reminded us that well-being depends on more than emergency services. Ordinary things — hobbies, community activities, making friends, and staying in touch with family — are building blocks of stability and mental health.
Why this project matters
These stories are exactly why YoU Decide exists. The project is about more than access to services, reports, or research. It is about ensuring that young people who have been forced to leave their homes are not left to navigate adulthood alone.
Displacement interrupts everything — education, friendships, family life, and the milestones of growing up. Yet, as we heard in Budapest, young people remain resourceful and determined.
YoU Decide is about creating the conditions for them to thrive. Together, we will:
- Understand the aspirations, wellbeing, and needs of displaced Ukrainian youth.
- Map available services and identify the gaps.
- Create youth-led recommendations that ensure young people are heard in decisions that affect them.
Research as the foundation
Our research team, Heartwarmingly Consultancy, presented their methodology and research plan, which will serve as the backbone of the project. Their approach recognises integration as well-being: learning, thriving, belonging, and knowing that support is there when needed. This foundation ensures that the evidence we gather will be practical, relevant, and shaped directly by youth input.
The role of the Youth Board
The Youth Board is not a “side element” — it is central to YoU Decide. Youth representatives are there to guide us, challenge us, and make sure our research and activities remain relevant and respectful. They will help design tools, shape focus group discussions, co-interpret findings, and act as ambassadors in their communities.
In this way, they keep the consortium accountable, ensuring the project remain grounded in youth perspectives.
Looking ahead
The meeting ended with a reflection exercise — “Head, Heart, Hands.” — where participants shared what they learned, what moved them, and what they will take forward.
Many highlighted the same thing: the importance of hearing directly from youth. The courage it takes to share these stories. And the responsibility we all share to transform those voices into action.
As one participant put it: “inspired – how young people can be involved and are willing to act”
YoU Decide is just beginning, but already the path is clear: we will listen, we will act, and we will walk alongside young people as they shape their futures.