UrbanRukh: What happens when Ukrainian teenagers get to design their own cities?

The educational project, UrbanRukh–City Is Me, offers teenagers from various cities in Ukraine tools to influence the development of their own communities. Here, they learn not only to talk about problems but also to propose solutions. Over nine months, 27 cities and communities across Ukraine participated in the project, and 810 teenagers began thinking about their initiatives to improve their cities.

What's the problem?

What do children know about cities? Iryna Ozymok, the founder of the urban movement City Is Me and author of the book by the same name, asked herself this question.

Iryna Ozymok. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

Children and teenagers in Ukraine know only the basics about cities. Often, this knowledge comes from their parents or, when kids are interested, from the internet. Ninth-grader Natalia Kostiuk from Vinnytsia, a city in central Ukraine, like most of her friends, didn't know much about how a city works.

At school, she says, topics like the city budget, sustainable development, public transport, and architecture are rarely discussed — at least not in a practical sense. These subjects are simply not part of the curriculum. Of course, some aspects of urban studies are occasionally touched upon, like ecology, but even that is often reduced to general phrases like "save nature."

"Right now, many young people don't realize certain things, especially when it comes to ecology," says Natalia. "In our lessons, we were told that even small things, like sorting trash, can have a huge impact on the environment. But the youth just don't realize it or are simply not interested. This project gives young people the chance to understand that the environment and the city as a whole are important. After all, who, if not us, will take care of them?"

Urban movement in Vinnytsia. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

Moreover, even if teenagers are interested in urbanism, their enthusiasm is often not taken seriously. In adult society, there's a prevailing belief that children are too uninformed to influence important things. Because of this, even their interest rarely turns into specific actions.

What's the solution?

Iryna Ozymok's book City Is Me became the catalyst for many projects, including the UrbanRukh. The idea was inspired by her thoughts about the environment in which her own child is growing up and her professional work. Iryna leads the local economic development program at the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund. Through this program, the fund supports community-based projects that bring financial benefits and positively impact people's lives in those communities.

"I founded the International Mayors Summit — a big conference about cities and for cities. But when COVID hit, we were all working from home," says Iryna Ozymok. "At the time, I had a small child and started buying different children's books. During this time, I thought, 'What do children know about cities?' Not the typical picture books, like 'Here's a tram, here's a traffic light…' So, I translated adult knowledge into 'childish language' and created a book."

Iryna Ozymok. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

The pilot phase of the UrbanRukh project was created in two cities in Poland — Lublin and Warsaw. Iryna moved to Warsaw with her children at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. There, the project was run as an urban club for Ukrainian children who had found temporary shelter in Poland. As Iryna notes, in addition to its educational mission, the project helped the young Ukrainians make new friends in their new environment.

In March, the project moved to Ukraine. Its first wave brought teenagers from 19 cities and communities together; the second included 16.

How does it work?

Participants of both waves of the project attended 11 lectures over three months, covering urban topics such as ecology, accessibility, the city budget, public transport, architecture, and more. The educational program for young people was prepared by Ukrainian urbanists and architects, with a professional methodologist curating the content. Project mentors teach participants about the importance of good street lighting, the convenience of street design, how bike lanes improve life, and where the city's budget money goes.

The urban movement's team. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

Iryna Ozymok admits that there were unexpected situations during the second wave of the project. In Uzhhorod, the mentor faced protest from eight participants when the teenagers dramatically walked out of the lectures. Iryna suggests two possible reasons: either typical teenage rebellion, which is common at this age, or a reaction to being forced by the school administration to attend the classes.

However, the project also saw pleasant moments in the same city. During the first wave of the program, children with mental disabilities who needed more time to absorb the content joined the project. Despite the lectures lasting 3–4 hours, they continued to attend.

"We started getting feedback that these children became more involved, so maybe this was kind of therapy for them. Or it was socialization and acceptance, which they needed," says Iryna Ozymok.

Each session lasts around two and a half hours and is designed to be interactive, ensuring the children stay engaged. The lessons incorporate at least four types of activities. For example, when studying urban development, participants analyze the optimal density of buildings for safety, look at street design possibilities, and consider changes to public spaces. In lessons about waste, they discuss textile waste, the influence of fashion, and the environmental impact of products like avocados and their contribution to CO₂ emissions. The team works hard to make complex topics engaging and accessible to children.

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UrbanRukh in Cherkasy. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

Fencing master class for UrbanRukh residents from Paralympic athletes. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

At Vitrebenky, one exercise involved a student, Natalia Kostiuk, wearing a blindfold to experience navigating space with visual impairments. She had the chance to assess how well the space adhered to accessibility standards and how accessible it was for people with visual impairments. She notes that such interactive experiences are invaluable. Now, whenever she is out on the street, she mentally checks whether there are ramps or Braille signs in establishments and stores.

Natalia Kostiuk as a person with visual impairments. Photo courtesy of Natalia Kostiuk

"Experiencing life as a visually impaired person is such a valuable practice. I had this experience for the first time, thanks to UrbanRukh. I think entrepreneurs should use this tool to understand how inclusive the space they create is. Based on our analysis, McDonald's turned out to be the most accessible place for people with disabilities," Natalia shares.

The project has also been affected by the war. Besides air raid sirens that interrupt lectures and power outages, UrbanRukh has faced the challenge of mentors and participants relocating. For example, a mentor from Kharkiv had to leave the city because of the danger of bombing, so they are now looking for a replacement. In Ukraine's west, some of the children involved are internally displaced, so they either don't know the city well or try to apply new knowledge to their hometowns or communities, which has created new challenges.

The second wave of UrbanRukh is coming to an end. Participants will present their projects in December at the final event in Ivano-Frankivsk. UrbanRukh will help implement the winning project by finding funding or negotiating with local authorities. However, other projects will also receive attention.

While Natalia Kostiuk does not reveal the specifics of her final project, she shares that it is focused on inclusivity and creating barrier-free spaces.

Does this really work?

Although UrbanRukh–City Is Me has only been around for a short time, some cities are already seeing results. For example, participants from the Kropyvnytskyi branch created an outdoor movie theater in their town because they identified a lack of spaces for teenagers. Kids have playgrounds and centers, and adults have restaurants and cafes, but authorities and entrepreneurs overlook youth entertainment spaces. So, the teens took matters into their own hands, finding funding for the project independently.

"The idea for the Comma Under the Sun cinema came from the drawings and dreams of the children and teenagers who participated in our UrbanRukh program," says the organization's social media post. "The graduates of the first wave not only came up with the concept but also, together with the community, brought it to life, showing how, with joint efforts, urban spaces can be transformed."

Outdoor cinema in Kropyvnytskyi. Photo: UrbanRukh–City Is Me

Moreover, the project has involved the participants, mentors, urbanists, and local government representatives. In Chernivtsi, the mayor gave a lecture about the city's budget. He talked about the city's revenue and expenditures firsthand, and the children could ask him any questions. The UrbanRukh participants also presented their initiative to recycle clothes to him. This allowed adults, including local officials, to engage with active youth while the kids felt heard and valued.

Although the founder, Iryna Ozymok, states that the project's main goal is not to train urban planners and architects but to shape responsible citizens, UrbanRukh is indeed influencing the career choices of its participants. Some teens who took part in the first wave have already enrolled in university urban studies programs.