Youth Needs Assessment in Ukraine
This youth-led assessment was commissioned by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to Scruples Research to amplify the voices and experiences of young people and ensure youth-centred programming.
Our deepest gratitude goes to the eight youth facilitators who spearheaded this work across Ukraine. Their time, dedication, and passion were invaluable in making this initiative a reality. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the external stakeholders, including representatives of national and local governmental authorities, youth councils and centres, I/NGOs and community/volunteer networks and young people, who participated and generously shared their personal experiences. Prior to fieldwork, youth facilitators participated in a three-day intensive training led by senior qualitative researchers from Scruples Research. The training equipped them with key skills in participatory research, including ethical research practices, community engagement, effective facilitation, probing techniques, and managing group dynamics. Emphasis was placed on data protection, informed consent, and handling sensitive information. Facilitators were also introduced to the specific FGD tools for this study, enabling them to guide discussions confidently and ethically. This participatory approach placed young people at the heart of the research process, fostering ownership, enhancing data authenticity, and contributing to the facilitators’ professional development. Their lived experiences and local knowledge enriched the findings, while the study’s adaptive design allowed for ongoing refinement based on field insights, promoting youth leadership in community and civil society initiatives.
