The room is filled with drawings, Post-it notes, and writings on flipchart sheets, creating a creative atmosphere. On the third day of the four-day programme, the five participants appear relaxed with each other and with the trainers. They have worked extensively on trust-building activities and how to create a safe environment for openness and reflection:
” I am always running, rushing through life and working all the time. This workshop has given me a chance to pause and reflect, something I haven’t been able to do for years”, says one of the Ukrainian civil servants, Olha Nasvishchuk.
Everyone in the course is an agent of change
The course is based on a survey conducted with 36 government employees regarding the needs of public sector workers in Ukraine. East Europe Foundation ensured that respondents came from different cities, institutions, and ministries across Ukraine before selecting participants through an open application process.
” Everyone taking part in the course is an agent of change within their ministry. They represent different sectors of Ukraine’s public administration and have been chosen to make a difference”, says Mariia Voitko, Head of Operations at the CDTO campus, which is part of East Europe Foundation.
A tailored course
Based on the survey results, Hyper Island designed a tailored course focusing on building resilience, emotional intelligence, developing self-awareness, introducing new feedback tools, managing resistance, and driving change. One of the course designers, Chris McGee, explains:
“The course consists of 20 per cent theory, 40 per cent experiential learning, and 40 per cent application. Participants gain an understanding of different types of leadership, self-awareness, team-building, and trust-building”.
A different kind of course
The training is very different from what the participants have experienced in Ukraine:
” Courses in Ukraine are very theoretical—even case studies are theoretical. Here, it is completely different, with an interactive methodology that I will be able to apply both to myself and my team in Ukraine”, says Mark Arsentiev, a government expert in the Expert Group for Digital Skills Development.
The realities of the war are present
The course is taking place just days after US President Trump made a statement suggesting that Ukraine has only itself to blame for Russia’s full-scale invasion. The realities of war are present in the room in many ways—for example, when one participant shares that her house is under occupation and another reveals that her father is fighting on the frontline.
” Putin wants us to give up and be afraid, but we have no choice but to move forward and stay united in motivating the next generation of civil servants”, says Mariia Voitko.
The course has made a difference
There is no doubt that the training has made a difference to the participants:
“This training has sparked an inner transformation in me, one that I am sure will create change within my department”, says Evelina Holovanova, coordinator for the Ukrainian Start-up Fund at Ukraine’s Development Fund.
The project preparation is the first step
For Hyper Island and the East Europe Foundation, this pilot training is just a first step in a long-term future cooperation:
“For us at Hyper Island, this has been a short but very meaningful project. We definitely want to continue working with Ukrainians in the future. Project Preparation has been a great way to get to know our Ukrainian project partner, and we feel that we make a strong team. We have decided to aim for a larger project in the upcoming call. The feedback and insights from this pilot training will guide our decisions in the process, and we hope to bring Hyper Island’s transformative learning experiences to more Ukrainians”, says Kevin Sanikidze, European Project Lead at Hyper Island
Facts:
A new call for applications for the SI Ukraine Cooperation Programme will open as early as Friday, 14 March, for Swedish stakeholders and their Ukrainian partners. There are three types of grants offered: project preparation, cooperation projects and training programme.
Project preparation involves minor project support aimed at laying the groundwork for cooperation between Sweden and Ukraine. This may include networking activities, meetings, and workshops to discuss or carry out minor pilot studies.
Cooperation projects is a project support for the implementation of capacity building activities with actors and/or specific target groups in Ukraine.
Training programme is a project grant to conduct a thematic training programme for target groups in Ukraine. The aim is to strengthen the participants’ capacity to advocate for reforms and development that will contribute to Ukraine’s EU integration.