The “Gart” film club is currently implementing the advocacy project “YOU ACT: Youth Participation in Decision Making.” This is a story about two film club moderators, educator Ella Nemish and lawyer Inna Kolesnyk, who joined forces to prove that adolescents' voices in Kolomyia should be heard loudly, and that their ideas are entitled to support and financing from adults.

It all started about two years ago. The film club’s moderator, educator Ella Nemish, recalls that her impetus came from her work with the spouses of military personnel. Looking for ways to support these women, her team turned to cinema. However, the civic activists needed to screen films legally.

“We started looking for opportunities to obtain the copyright to use the videos. This is when we found information about the Docudays UA film club. We really liked the fact that there is a legal and official mechanism to screen documentary films in Ukraine,” says Ella.

Ella Nemish  

Indeed, documentary films can “break the wall” of indifference and bring people together. They create spaces for dialogue, where viewers can discuss their own pain and concerns using real-life examples. When the “Gart” film club reached out to young audiences, it became clear that adolescents want to be heard but don’t know how to do so. They do not feel included in the processes in their cities, especially now, during the full-scale war, which intensifies feelings of helplessness.

This is where professional legal expertise proved invaluable. Inna Kolesnyk, head of the film club, lawyer, and civic activist, is convinced that any attempts at societal transformation are doomed to fail without legal literacy.

“We lack legal awareness concerning the basic legal notions that form the foundation of our lives. If adult people don’t understand how the local authorities are formed or what the duties of a mayor are, they voice unjustified complaints to the authorities. Their sense of personal responsibility disappears,” explains Inna.

Inna Kolesnyk 

This is why the advocacy project “YOU ACT: Youth Participation in Decisionmaking,” initiated by the film club, is aimed at teenagers. The lawyer believes that working with schoolchildren is a strategic choice. If we teach children to use the democratic tools now, they won’t grow up indifferent. Throughout the project, Inna helps turn children’s dreams into legally valid projects and advocates for integrating the “School Participatory Budget” module into the electronic democracy platform. 

The project addresses a crucial issue in community development: Kolomyia has not yet introduced the mechanism for the Participatory School Budget. Currently, no matter how great the schoolchildren’s ideas are, from creating a recreational zone to environmental startups, they have no transparent way to raise funds for their realization.

Workshop for students within the advocacy project

The “YOU ACT” advocacy project offers students a clear algorithm of action: if you have an idea, submit it to the competition; if it wins, you receive a financial award for its realization. A series of workshops has already taken place for the high schoolers of Kolomyia, educating them on leadership, project budgeting, and the presentation and justification of their ideas. This year, the three winning ideas will each receive 5,000 UAH from the film club for their implementation. 

However, the main point is advocacy. The project team is preparing a proposal to the city council, offering to make the School Participatory Budget a permanent mechanism in Kolomyia rather than a one-time action.

Inna Kolesnik admits that, during her conversations with children, she noticed that their main concern is the school infrastructure. “Most of their ideas are about recreation areas and open spaces. Some lack space to play during recess, while others need basic facilities, such as orderly restrooms and locker rooms. They want something tangible: buy it, bring it, set it up,” says the lawyer.

Ella Nemish is confident that this is just the beginning. Having received their first round of support, students will submit proposals to the School Participatory Budget for both social and entrepreneurial projects. She tells the story of one student who, while running for the important position of Head of the Finance Department of the City Youth Council, mentioned the School Participatory Budget as a tool for change.

“I was so proud! It is awesome that they remember such tools. I believe in our youth with all my heart. We are fostering the future that will rebuild Ukraine,” says Ella.

Ella and Inna 

The synergy between two leaders is interesting to observe. Ella Nemish, who identifies as an educator, brings into the project her profound understanding of children’s psychology and her pedagogical enthusiasm. She is not afraid to destroy stereotypes and is always ready to be the children’s partner in all their endeavors.

In her turn, Inna Kolesnyk adds her legal expertise to this enthusiasm. She emphasizes the importance of information hygiene and respect for the law. Together, they create an environment where a teenager ceases to be an object being bossed around and learns to become a responsible agent of action. 

Presentation of the advocacy project

Why is this important for Kolomyia nowadays? The full-scale war has transformed our lives. The community has welcomed many families of internally displaced persons with children who lost their homes, and it is crucial for these children to feel part of the new community. Collaborative work on the School Participatory Budget is one of the best ways to integrate youths. It demonstrates that Kolomyia is the city that hears you, no matter whether you were born here.

The advocacy project “YOU ACT” fosters in youths confidence in themselves and in the adults. Ella Nemish emphasizes, “I want every child who watches a film at our film club to leave it with the conviction: ‘I can change my class, my school, and therefore, my country as well.’”

Inna Kolesnyk adds, “Here, at school, we are training to use democracy in our subsequent adult lives.” Judging by the sparkle in the eyes of the young people in Kolomyia, this training is going extremely well.

Photos from the archive of Ella Nemish

The project is implemented with the support of the DOCU/CLUB Network, funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, Fondation de France and the German Marshall Fund of the United States of America. 

The opinions, conclusions or recommendations are those of the authors and compilers of this publication and do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments or charitable organizations of these countries. The authors and compilers are solely responsible for the content of this publication.