Lumos Ukraine wins award for development of Youth Advisory Board
30.04.2026
Pictured (left to right): Svitlana Voskresenska, Regional Care Reform Officer, Yaroslav Laguta, Director of Lumos Ukraine, and Zhanna Solovyova, Executive Director of the NGO Modern Format.
On 24 April 2026, the winners of the “Local Impact Awards – 2025” were announced in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. The awards recognise local initiatives and organisations who are creating meaningful change in communities across Zhytomyr region.
Lumos Ukraine received the award in the “Sustainable Solution” category for its work in developing and supporting the Lumos Youth Advisory Board, strengthening the participation of children and young people in decision-making and creating opportunities for young voices to be heard at local, national and international levels.
The members of the Lumos Ukraine Youth Advisory Board are young people with diverse life experiences, including young people with disabilities, experience of alternative care such as foster care and displacement. Lumos Ukraine has created a platform for their meaningful participation in shaping policies and social services.
In 2025, Youth Advisory Board members took part in training on advocacy, communication and leadership, while also contributing to consultations, awareness-raising activities and community initiatives. Overall, these activities reached more than 4,000 young people through educational and outreach events.
For us, this award means more than just a result. Behind it is the enormous work of the team — daily, consistent and sometimes unseen. It represents the trust we have built with young people, the willingness to listen and find solutions together, and the belief that the participation of children and young people can truly change communities.
– Yaroslav Laguta, Lumos Ukraine Country Director.
About the awards
Organised by the NGO Modern Format, the awards were delivered with support from the National Endowment for Democracy and in cooperation with the Civil Society Hubs Network of Ukraine. The initiative is part of the project “Strengthening Civil Society in Eastern Partnership Countries”, funded by the Government of Germany and the European Union. The awards brought together civil society organisations, charitable foundations and initiative groups from across the region.
Youth Advisory Boards
Children and young people with lived experience of care are experts by experience. Their voices help Lumos make better decisions and truly understand what children, young people and their families need.
Lumos created Youth Advisory Boards in 2017 to make sure young people with lived experience of the care and protection system can influence our work. Members have helped shape strategies, policies, and advocacy. Active in every country where Lumos works, the Boards ensure that children’s voices directly influence how care systems are designed and reformed.
