Turning a creative passion into a successful project for social change is the dream of many young people. How to combine creativity with activism, find like-minded peers, and reach the international level? These very questions became central at the Erasmus+ KA1 Youth Participation Activity “YouthARTiculate: Voices for Social Change”, which took place from August 29 to August 31, 2025, in the picturesque Serbian town of Vrnjačka Banja.
The participant of this intensive program was Maryna Makukha, a Master’s student of the speciality “Architecture and Urban Planning” at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic,” who returned with unique experience, new knowledge, and unforgettable impressions.
The project “YouthARTiculate: Voices for Social Change” united youth from six countries to explore how art, culture, and creative self-expression can serve as powerful tools for activism and democratic participation. The main goal of the initiative was to expand young people’s opportunities to use art and culture for activism and democratic engagement. The exchange program was designed to provide participants with tools for transforming their creative ideas into sustainable social change projects.
According to Maryna Makukha, this project became special for her. She noted that its main distinctions were the warm and friendly atmosphere, in which everyone felt important and heard.
“We were not only discussing the project’s key topic but truly immersing ourselves in the question of how art and culture can be powerful instruments for activism and social change. Particularly valuable was teamwork with participants from different countries: diverse perspectives and stories helped to see the issue more broadly and search for new solutions. Together, we created ideas on how creativity can address discrimination, inequality, and the importance of the youth voice. For me, this was proof that even small artistic actions can influence society and inspire change”, – shared Maryna.
During three days, participants:
• learned about youth participation and civic engagement at local and European levels;
• explored the role of artistic expression in solving social issues;
• developed key skills such as critical thinking, activism, and communication;
• gained space for dialogue between youth and local decision-makers;
• encouraged intercultural learning and cooperation between countries;
• supported the development of youth initiatives that will continue in the following stages of the project.
“I am very grateful to the organisers and the team for this experience and already look forward to the continuation of the main part of the project this autumn in Malta”, – Maryna summed up.
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Participation in such events is not only an opportunity for students to gain practical knowledge but also a chance to discover themselves in a new international environment. Maryna Makukha’s experience proves that Erasmus+ opens doors to personal growth, the development of leadership skills, and the creation of a strong network of international contacts. Poltava Polytechnic will continue to support the initiative of its students, promoting their integration into the European educational and cultural community.
Previously, Maryna Makukha participated in Erasmus+ youth exchanges “STARTArt – Stimulating Talent in Arts through Resources and Training for Art entrepreneurship”, “Art Myths Culture”, the first and second parts of “The Power of Young Artists”, “Into the wild”, took part in the 8th International Conference ICAMES 2024, and as part of a delegation from the Polytechnic, represented the university at a large-scale event hosted by a Latvian partner university.
As a reminder, faculty members of Poltava Polytechnic are eligible to participate in academic mobility and internship programs. Students can study abroad through Erasmus+ credit academic mobility grant programs for a semester or a full academic year at leading universities in Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.
For more detailed information on current internship, teaching, and academic mobility programs abroad, please get in touch with the International Relations Office (office 213-C, interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or the coordinator of international activities at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” – Anna Pavelieva, Ph.D. in Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation (email: kunsite.zi@gmail.com, phone: +38-(095)-91-08-192).
Media Centre of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
