The public organization “Center for Social Welfare Dobrochyn” has been active since 1998, evolving from a local initiative into a sustainable institution that unites local and regional efforts. In 2025, Dobrochyn joined the “Impulse” project, implemented by the International Renaissance Foundation and the Eastern Europe Foundation with funding from Norway and Sweden. Today, the organization is deeply rooted in the communities of Chernihiv region, focusing on fostering an open and democratic civil society, particularly among young people. Its approach emphasizes partnership over paternalism, encouraging youth to become active contributors rather than passive recipients of support.
Dobrochyn’s philosophy is centered on mission-driven work rather than project-driven activities. The organization seeks to create conditions where young people actively shape their involvement in community life, particularly in recovery processes, moving away from formal or top-down approaches. Participants are engaged in the full cycle of initiatives, from idea generation to implementation, reporting, and public communication, which helps them understand community dynamics, constraints, and opportunities while fostering shared responsibility for local development.
The organization currently works with the Bakhmatska, Horodnyanska, Menska, and Ripkynska communities in Chernihiv region, where youth participation has increased significantly. This growth is attributed to active youth groups and partnerships with local authorities. Given Chernihiv’s context as a border region affected by occupation, recovery extends beyond infrastructure to rebuilding human connections, trust, and community cohesion. Dobrochyn provides flexible support through training, mini-grants, and continuous access to resources, ensuring young people can pursue initiatives independently.
Several initiatives illustrate this approach, including the youth club “Menska Energiyna Molod,” which creates murals to engage urban spaces; NGO “NZUM,” which develops youth media and streams local government events; NGO “Korvus,” which fosters youth sports and cohesion; NGO “Expansion of Good,” which helped establish student self-government; and the youth space “MUR,” providing venues for discussion and joint planning. These efforts enhance leadership, advocacy, and project management skills while turning communities into active co-creators of change. Trust, equality, and systematic involvement of young people are central to the organization’s model.
Within the Impulse project, Dobrochyn is strengthening its institutional capacity to support communities systematically rather than in isolated interventions. This approach promotes sustainable changes in decision-making, collaboration, and shared responsibility. The initiative aims to build civil society, foster inclusive governance, and enhance community resilience. By combining education, practical participation, and initiative support, Dobrochyn helps residents engage in solving local issues, strengthens trust between citizens and authorities, and ensures recovery processes are people-centered.
Overall, Dobrochyn’s work highlights the transition from passivity to active participation, encouraging communities to shape their own recovery agendas even in the midst of war and uncertainty. The organization continues to develop its team, advocacy, communication, and funding capacity, building coalitions with other civil society organizations and international partners. Through projects like Impulse, Dobrochyn provides youth and local communities with the motivation, resources, and guidance needed to actively rebuild Ukraine from the ground up.
