Engagement of youth in the formation and implementation of youth policy at the local level in the conditions of war

The general formulation of the issue and its connection with important scientific and practical tasks. Youth policy is very important for any country because young people are the main resource for the future development of the state. Ukraine is no exception, and youth policy presents great importance from the scientific perspective. If the authorities fail to develop a plan of support for young people in Ukraine, we risk becoming a country of people with disabilities and the elderly, which in turn will lead to the collapse of the social sphere, the bankruptcy of the Pension Fund of Ukraine and the financial crisis. For this particular reason, the consideration of the chosen topic is relevant from the perspective of state administration and implementation of youth policy.

The analysis of the recent publications on the issues covered in the article; identification of the parts of the general problem that have not been previously addressed. Since the early days of Ukrainian independence, many public figures, opinion leaders, scientists and practitioners have argued that the youth in Ukraine is a significant social group that impacts the development of the country. Youth need support and development to ensure social, economic and political progress of the country. However, there is still not enough research on the development and implementation of the youth policy in Ukraine during the war, which, unfortunately, has been going on for almost two years.

The purpose (the objective) of this article is to theoretically justify the need to involve youth in the formation and implementation of youth policy at the local level in the conditions of war.

The key results and background. A complex solution to acute and painful issues in the field of the youth is possible if we’re able to:

• systematically involve young people in making management decisions at local, regional and state levels;
• improve the mechanisms of cooperation between the public authorities and institutions of the civil society;
• lay down funds for the implementation of the necessary volume of financing of targeted youth programs in the budget documents of all levels;
• create working places for young people;
• initiate assistance programs for young families (solution of housing issues);
• adapt educational programs to the requirements of the modern labor market;
• develop a system of monitoring and testing of the effectiveness of state and local target programs with the involvement of the public in this process with a flexible mechanism of introducing changes and additions;
• systematically study the needs of young people, taking into account the peculiarities of the regions of Ukraine and the age of the target groups (in Ukraine, people from the age of 14 till the age of 35 are considered young);
• efficiently inform young people about the opportunities available to them.

There are many successful practices at different levels, in particular in the Ivano- Frankivsk municipal territorial community, which should be exchanged and borrowed for more successful experience.

Conclusions and prospects of further research. The article describes the role of youth policy in the development of the country and its economic and social stability during the war, as well as suggests ways to solve acute and painful issues in the sphere of the youth.

The analysis of scientific literature, normative legal acts and expert developments of the relevant Ministry demonstrates positive dynamics, in particular, during the war financial and expert support from the governments of other countries and international non-governmental organizations is attracted. However, currently available materials still demand a lot of refinement. The existing system of involving young people in public administration is focused on narrow circles of young representatives who have already proven their active position and potential for the state, for example,  consultative and advisory bodies of various levels – public councils, youth advisors; contests for youth public organizations, etc.

The issue of youth migration and its retention in Ukraine, creation of competitive conditions on the labor market and comfortable community infrastructure, including for internally displaced persons and students, who now have the opportunity to get education in other countries of the world, still remains open. It is also worth remembering the need to find the most effective methods of communication with all subjects of youth policy and with the youth themselves.

Further development of this direction should consist in studying and analyzing the prerequisites that influence the formation of a quality youth policy in the country, studying the successful experience and best practices of other countries, especially those that have survived military operations, as well as bringing topical issues of the youth sphere into the public space with the aim of involving a wide range of people in their discussion and resolution.