Kyiv hosted the “Impulse” Award, organized by the NGO “Teach For Ukraine,” as the culminating event of its namesake program for teenage mental health ambassadors. The initiative brought together 50 adolescents from frontline and war-affected regions who, over the course of nine months, implemented school-based projects focused on peer support, connection, and fostering a culture of self-care among students.
The program is delivered as part of the multi-year MYRP 2024–2026 initiative with the support of Education Cannot Wait and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. It responds to the challenges faced by Ukrainian teenagers: according to research by “Teach For Ukraine,” the war has had a profound impact on children’s psychological well-being and their ability to learn.
At the same time, adolescents most often turn to one another for support — this is why the “Impulse” program is grounded in a peer-to-peer approach.
“My name is Hlib. I’m fifteen. And trying to remember life without war feels like solving an advanced problem. When it all began in 2014, I was just three. I grew up as historic events unfolded around me,” said Hlib, a 16-year-old ambassador from Kharkiv, opening his speech at the Award ceremony. “What I see is that our teams have managed to create spaces in our schools where everyone can feel heard, valued, and needed. I deeply admire the immense effort each of us has put in. The impact we’ve had on our peers proves that through care and commitment, we can change the world.”
From October 2025 to April 2026, ambassador teams implemented more than 100 initiatives, ranging from art therapy sessions and discussions to online lectures and film clubs. The Award provided an opportunity to recognize these practices and highlight their impact on school communities.
All submissions were evaluated in accordance with the official regulations by an expert panel that included Nataliia Pipa, Member of Parliament of Ukraine; Azad Safarov, co-founder of the Voices of Children Foundation; Oksana Ziobro, Communications Director at “Teach For Ukraine”; Yuliia Tymoshenko, head of Ukraїner; and Illia Bachurin, social psychologist, trainer, and mental health consultant. Final decisions were approved by a supervisory board comprising Alyona Nevmerzhytska, CEO of hromadske; Kseniia Kalyna, Head of the Resilience Program at “Teach For Ukraine”; and Alyona Popova, Education and Psychosocial Support Specialist at UNESCO Ukraine.
- “Courage to Be” — Liubotyn Arts Lyceum “Dyvosvit”
- “Presence” — Kharkiv Gymnasium No. 88
- “Influencers” — Kryvyi Rih Lyceum No. 95
- “Community Builders” — Zaporizhzhia Academic Lyceum “Elint”
- “School Pulse” — Mykolaiv Lyceum No. 55
- “Storytellers” — Hrun Lyceum
- “Reset” — Petropavlivka Lyceum No. 1
- “Team Code” — Novopetrivka Lyceum, Petrivka Village Council
- “Passing the Torch” — Oster Lyceum No. 1
- “Safe Space” — Kherson Educational Complex No. 11
- “NGO” — the charitable foundation “Behind Blue Eyes,” which works with teenagers in de-occupied and frontline communities through photography and other creative practices as tools for self-expression.
- “Youth Initiatives” — the project “Laboratory of Feelings: Exploring the World and Ourselves” by the ActBalance team (Zlatopil Lyceum No. 7, Kharkiv region), part of the UActive program, which created an inclusive safe space accessible to all children in the community.
БО «Behind Blue Eyes»
ActBalance
“Thank you for taking responsibility and shaping your present today. For not waiting — for circumstances, for someone else, or for perfect conditions — to start speaking about your mental well-being, but instead creating initiatives that support the mental health of your peers,” said Anastasiia Konovalova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, during her speech.
The organizers emphasize that the Award is not about ranking teams as “better” or “worse.” Each team has created a unique model of support that can be scaled and adapted in other schools.
Soon, “Teach For Ukraine” will present a practical guide for implementing the “Impulse” program in local communities.
“Impulse” does not end here: a new phase of the program — “Impulse 2.0” — will launch shortly, and the Award itself will become an annual event. Organizers plan to continue recognizing youth-led initiatives and advancing a culture of self-care among young people across Ukraine.
