PRESS RELEASE
Many young people who fled Ukraine are now living in Bucharest. They have a roof over their heads, but they often lack something just as important: people to talk to, a place where they feel welcome, and a sense that they are part of the city they now call home.
The National Youth Foundation (Fundația Națională pentru Tineret – FNT) wants to change that. It is launching "Pathways to Belonging", a 24-month project ([November 2025 – October 2027]) funded by the European Solidarity Corps. FNT runs the project with three partners: CSCE (France), LOGOS (Poland) and STELLA (Ukraine).
An open door at THE YOUTH by FNT
The project is based at THE YOUTH by FNT in Bucharest. It will be a safe, friendly space where young Ukrainians can come together, learn and simply spend time with others. Over two years, 83 young volunteers from across Europe will take turns running activities there. Forty-two of them come from backgrounds with fewer opportunities, so for many of them this will also be their first experience abroad.
Young people who come to the space can expect:
- language practice and cultural exchanges, to make everyday life in Romania a little easier and to build friendships across cultures;
- workshops, learning activities and recreational time, to develop new skills, gain confidence and have fun;
- events with local NGOs, to connect young refugees with the support networks around them;
- regular consultations with the young people themselves, using the Public Café method, so the activities match what they actually need;
- community and public events that bring Ukrainian, Romanian and international youth together.
Over its lifetime, the project aims to reach more than 3,300 young people directly. Many more will hear about it through events and online campaigns.
"We don't want young Ukrainians in Bucharest to simply be 'supported'. We want them to feel at home, to have friends, plans and a community that's glad they're here. The volunteers who join us from across Europe show that solidarity isn't an abstract idea. It's people choosing to show up for each other."
Co-funded by the European Union. 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 Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.