On June 25-26, 2026, the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation participated in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk. Today, retaining and bringing back our youth is a matter of national security and Ukraine's survival as a state. Whether living abroad or facing uncertainty within the country, the current generation is experiencing a total loss of direction. They face complex challenges: a career guidance crisis, difficulties in finding their first job, and a lack of clear understanding of how to fulfill their potential at home. Without effective support tools, we risk losing this most valuable intellectual and creative resource forever.

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On the sidelines of the conference, a specially equipped studio hosted the filming of the second season of Human Capital Podcast. The format is designed to facilitate the return and professional integration of young people back home. Foundation founder and TV presenter Katya Osadcha conducted a dozen interviews with key conference participants, including European politicians, Ukrainian government officials, and leaders of international organizations. Guests of the Human Capital Podcast included Deputy Prime Ministers of Ukraine -  Taras Kachka, Oleksiy Kuleba and Tetyana Berezhna; Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration Ugochi Daniels and Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF Ted Chaiban. A guest of the Human Capital Podcast was also Glenn Micallef , the European Commissioner for Youth, Culture, Sport and Intergenerational Fairness. According to him, it is the youth who are the main drivers of the country's development and reconstruction.

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"Young people are the backbone of the country. Today in Ukraine, so many young people continue to implement projects and initiatives that support civil society, despite the war. Supporting youth during these challenging times is a vital part of our work. We want them to have the opportunity to live, breathe, pursue their own projects, and engage in sports. Sport is also one of the areas where we continue to make a contribution."

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While official international platforms focus on macroeconomics, real human capital and the voices of the new generation are often left in the shadows. To change this, The Katya Osadcha Foundation launched a new project at URC 2026 in Gdańsk. It consists of a series of short interviews where Ukrainian youth personally ask European and Ukrainian politicians, as well as television and sports stars, about career choices and prospects for the new generation in Ukraine.

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Joining the dialogue with the youth were the Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal, Head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration Vitaliy Kim, TV presenter Timur Miroshnychenko and world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. As the Foundation's founder, Katya Osadcha, noted, this format was created to give young people the opportunity to voice the issues that concern them most.

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"It was important for us that the youth at the Ukrainian Recovery Conference had their own voice and could personally express what concerns them most. Here in Gdańsk, it has become even more evident that the successful reconstruction of Ukraine is impossible without investment in human capital. The Foundation is actively involved in this area. Specifically, we are working on career guidance, which is part of our strategy to integrate young people into the labor market. We must create clear career paths for them and demonstrate the professions essential for reconstruction in practice, to encourage them to work right here in Ukraine. Our goal at the Foundation is to provide young people with the tools and support they need to become the architects of their own future and the country's economic recovery."

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The main objectives of the youth interviews were:

1. Career launch guidelines: Discussing career choices and vocational guidance tailored to the real needs of the country's reconstruction.
2. "Working from home" as a bridge for returning from Europe: Highlighting real opportunities and flexible employment formats for young people currently in the EU through dialogue with international and Ukrainian businesses.
3. Advocating for practical opportunities and engagement: Exploring the readiness of international donors and institutions to create future internship and mentorship programs. The project aims to act as a bridge, where we will strive to encourage partners to create real support tools (as a prospective track without direct, binding commitments).

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On the second day of the Ukrainian Recovery Conference 2026, Foundation founder Kateryna Osadcha held a workshop Generation of Recovery: Youth as a Driver of Ukraine’s Recovery. The discussion brought together 19 Ukrainian and international speakers and resulted in the signing of a joint communiqué aimed at strengthening partnerships between government structures, international organizations, and the youth sector. Workshop participants emphasized their support for Ukrainian youth.

Key areas for future cooperation include:

• Strengthening partnerships between the government, international organizations, and the youth sector;
• Integrating a youth perspective into recovery management and recovery policy;
• Promoting "Youth Capital" models and local approaches to recovery;
• Enhancing cooperation with Ukrainian youth abroad;
• Developing recommendations for youth participation, education, and employment within the framework of Ukraine's recovery processes.

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This publication was created by the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation with the support of the Askold and Dir Foundation, administered by ISAR Ednannia as part of the "Strong Civil Society of Ukraine – Driver of Reforms and Democracy" project, funded by Norway and Sweden.

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