Compass

“Compass” is a ten-day academic certificate programme for high school students from Ukraine’s frontline regions, internally displaced young people, and youth from the Lviv region. It combines high-quality education, interregional dialogue, and hands-on experience in civic engagement.

The programme is accredited by the Ukrainian Catholic University and follows its academic standards. Upon successful completion, participants receive a UCU certificate and 3 ECTS credits — equivalent to 90 hours of total study workload. These credits may subsequently be recognised by a higher education institution in accordance with its internal regulations. For high school students, the programme offers an opportunity to experience university-level learning before applying: following a syllabus, completing practical assignments and team projects, and being assessed on their work.

The first academy took place from 16 to 25 July 2026 on the campus of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, bringing together 45 teenagers from 15 Ukrainian communities.

The Idea Behind the Programme

Opportunities for young people’s development are not distributed equally. For some teenagers, taking part in camps, educational programmes, or international exchanges is a natural part of growing up. For others — particularly those living near the frontline or who have experienced forced displacement — even opportunities to learn beyond online schooling are often limited or inaccessible.

“Compass” was created to broaden access to educational opportunities and help young people develop their own vision of the future in Ukraine.

The programme is not designed exclusively for active students who already have experience participating in civic initiatives. It is also open to those who are only beginning to explore their calling, identify their strengths, and find ways to fulfil their potential. During the first intake, around 40% of participants had no previous experience of similar educational programmes.

Educational Approach

At the heart of “Compass” is an understanding of leadership as the ability to act consciously, take responsibility, and cooperate with others. Understanding one’s own values, the society we live in, and the opportunities it offers also requires practical skills.

The curriculum focuses on five main areas: leadership, identity, values, society, and active citizenship. Each of them is explored through the lens of personal development — from understanding one’s own beliefs to recognising one’s role in the life of a community and the country.

We created a space for engaging with complex questions that do not always have straightforward answers. How is our identity formed? What should guide us when we face a moral choice? How does democracy work? Where is the line between personal responsibility and responsibility towards the community?

The programme featured UCU lecturers, prominent Ukrainian public figures, representatives of civil society organisations — including the Ukrainian Leadership Academy (UAL) and Building Ukraine Together (BUR) — as well as representatives of state institutions.

An Environment That Brings People Together

Interregional dialogue is an integral part of “Compass”. Learning and living together gives teenagers from different regions of Ukraine the opportunity to get to know one another better, share their experiences, and see familiar things from a different perspective. This format creates space for building mutual understanding — something that is difficult to achieve through theories of tolerance or social cohesion alone.

Participants were supported by mentors — students and graduates of the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Kyiv School of Economics. They helped participants adapt to a new environment, work effectively in teams, and develop their own social initiatives. The mentors prepared for this role in advance through training in project management, psychology, safety, and the specifics of working with teenagers.

A Space for Making Your Own Decisions

The practical component of “Compass” focused on developing social initiatives. Working in teams, participants explored the needs of their own communities, looked for possible solutions, and learned how to turn their ideas into projects.

Over the course of 10 days, participants developed 9 such ideas, 3 of which had the opportunity to receive financial support from the NGO “Zemnist”:

- a mobile application for finding youth events;

- a career guidance forum for young people from a frontline community;

- an initiative aimed at strengthening connections and interaction among young people in the Lviv region.

Implementing the initiatives was not mandatory, given security restrictions and the different life circumstances of the participants. The focus was on developing a practical approach — from identifying a social need to creating a realistic action plan.

Results

A comparison of surveys completed by participants at the beginning and end of the programme showed a significant shift in how young people perceive their own ability to make a difference. The sense that their individual efforts could not influence anything declined: the proportion of participants who understood how they could influence decision-making increased from 31% to 75%. Around 90% of respondents felt more confident in their ability to change life in their communities. This points to positive changes in how high school students perceive their own capacity to take action — one of the programme’s key objectives.

It is also significant that the academy was the first educational experience of its kind for many participants: around 40% had never taken part in similar programmes before, while more than 20% had never visited Lviv. Working together in teams also helped participants improve their confidence in communicating with new people: 89% now feel more confident doing so, compared to 62% before the programme.

“Compass” became the largest initiative implemented by the NGO “Zemnist” and built on the experience of the pilot project “1,200 Kilometres: The Path to Leadership”, which brought together 12 school students from the Donetsk region at the end of 2025.

Organisation and Support

The programme was implemented by the NGO “Zemnist” in partnership with the Ukrainian Catholic University, with the support of the “Together for Ukraine” charitable foundation and the !FEST Holding of Emotions.