Moving Beyond Uncertainty: Displaced Youth of Ukraine Transitioning into Adulthood in Europe Final Conference of the YoU Decide project

Young people displaced from Ukraine face decisions that will shape the next chapter of their lives—where to study, work, live, build relationships, and find belonging. But they are making these decisions against a backdrop of uncertainty and changing legal and social circumstances in the EU.

On 15 October 2026, the YoU Decide consortium will come together in Brussels for its final conference, “Moving Beyond Uncertainty: Displaced Youth of Ukraine Transitioning into Adulthood in Europe.” The conference will bring together young people displaced from Ukraine, including YoU Decide advisory Board Members, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, civil society organisations, and representatives of Ukrainian, European, and international institutions to explore what young people displaced from Ukraine need today to make informed choices and build safe, stable, and meaningful futures.

Join us in Brussels

The final conference, “Moving Beyond Uncertainty: Displaced Youth of Ukraine Transitioning into Adulthood in Europe,” will take place on:

15 October 2026
08:30–16:00
Comic Art Museum, Brussels, Belgium
Language: English
Registration is required by 11 October 2026.
Register here : https://2czb71.share-eu1.hsforms.com/247EitD3wTh2mcd4VO6mzzw

Putting young people at the centre

A central principle of YoU Decide Project has been that young people should not simply be the subjects of research or recipients of support — they should have an active role in shaping the solutions that affect their lives.
The project has worked directly with displaced young people in Czechia, Hungary and Poland, exploring their experiences, needs and aspirations as they navigate the transition into adulthood. Research has included surveys and focus groups, alongside the active involvement of a Youth Advisory Board. Drawing on their own experiences and those of other displaced young Ukrainians, they will share perspectives on education and employment, belonging, access to information, legal uncertainty, and the difficult decisions shaping their futures.

Reclaiming Our Voice Report and Heartwarmingly’s Role in Designing YoU Decide Research

We are proud to be part of the YoU Decide consortium . The Heartwarmingly Research Team has been contributing to the project’s focus on trauma-informed and participatory research with displaced Ukrainian youth.
Dr Jennifer Allsopp, Lina Vosyliute and Helena Wacko — will present the project’s research findings YoU Decide research report – Reclaiming Our Voice — at the final conference in Brussels, sharing insights into how trauma-informed and participatory approaches can support meaningful research with Ukrainian youth.
A particularly important part of this work has been involving young people as active contributors and co-researchers, rather than simply participants in research. For this we also developed Ethical and Participatory Research Guidelines co-authored with YoU Decide Youth Advisory Board.

Anticipating “Youth Voices: Building Futures Across Borders” Session

At the Final YoU Decide conference, we will be joined by members of the YoU Decide Youth Advisory Board and co-researchers, Ruslan Binazarov, Herman Barushkov and Diana Hubaidulina, who have contributed their perspectives and experiences throughout the project.
This collaboration reflects what we value at Heartwarmingly: bringing research, lived experience and collaboration together to generate evidence that can inform meaningful social change. By creating space for young people to contribute to the research process and to the conversations that follow, YoU Decide places their voices at the centre of discussions about the decisions and futures that affect them.Their reflections will feed directly into the policy discussion, ensuring decision-makers hear the questions young people raise.

From evidence to action

The conference will connect research findings and lived experiences with practical solutions and policy discussions.
Participants will explore what research tells us about the experiences and aspirations of displaced Ukrainian youth, what we can learn from involving young people directly in research and solution design, and how promising approaches to supporting displaced youth can be adapted and scaled across Europe.
The discussions will also address access to trustworthy information, education, employment, rights, and essential services; belonging and participation; longer-term legal pathways; and how Ukraine, the European Union, and its Member States can work together toward sustainable solutions for a generation whose futures may span both Ukraine and Europe.
This evidence-to-action approach reflects an important principle: meaningful social innovation starts by listening to the people most affected and creating space for their experiences to shape the solutions.
We have been grateful to be working alongside the YoU Decide consortium, led by Missing Children Europe, together with Terre des Hommes Hungary, OPU – Organisation for Aid to Refugees in the Czech Republic, and Fundacja ITAKA in Poland. This cross-sector and cross-country collaboration has been central to developing research and solutions that respond to the realities faced by displaced young people across Europe.
We look forward to bringing together the voices, evidence and partnerships that can help shape more informed, inclusive and sustainable futures for displaced young people across Europe.

More About YoU Decide Project

YoU Decide (Supporting Youth of Ukraine Making Informed Decisions) is an EU-funded initiative led by Missing Children Europe, in collaboration with Terre des Hommes Hungary, OPU – Organisation for Aid to Refugees in the Czech Republic, Fundacja ITAKA in Poland and the Heartwarmingly Research Team. See more information about the project here: https://missingchildreneurope.eu/youdecide/.
The project works with young people displaced from Ukraine to better understand the challenges they face and strengthen their access to reliable information, services and opportunities as they transition into adulthood.

Through research, youth participation, local stakeholder engagement and the development of accessible information through the Miniila platform, YoU Decide aims to ensure that young people are not only consulted about decisions affecting them, but have the information, support and space to shape their own futures.

Disclaimer: 

This project was co-funded by the European Union (ESF+ SI+ ). Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s ) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.