On May 7, 2025, within the framework of the implementation of the EU Erasmus+ PROMENT project “Promoting vocational education and active participation of students through the formation of a comprehensive system of mentoring and tutoring in higher education institutions” under the scheme “Mentoring for IDP students”, an event of the RIKA conversational and integration club on the topic “Advocacy as a way of influencing decision-making in the community” was held.
The meeting took place offline in a warm, relaxed format, conducive to dialogue and mutual understanding.

The event was organized and implemented by the mentor of the “Mentoring for IDP Students” scheme, Svitlana Odintsova, a specialist in legal protection and advocacy, who shared with the participants her knowledge and practices on community influence on decision-making processes.

The goal of the meeting is to familiarize participants with the basic principles of advocacy, present opportunities for public participation in addressing current issues, and inspire activity in local initiatives.

The event brought together representatives of youth aged 14+, including internally displaced persons, local activists, and youth interested in social change.

The first part of the event included an educational session dedicated to the concept of advocacy, including a discussion of advocacy and its role in a democratic society; tools that citizens can use to influence government;
and examples of successful advocacy campaigns in Ukraine.

After that, there was the practical part – the participants divided into groups and worked on developing their own advocacy campaign.

In the second part of the event, participants participated in a language-interactive game that helped them better understand concepts, activated communication in Ukrainian, and promoted teamwork. This gamified approach made the meeting lively and exciting.

During the event, an atmosphere of openness, respect, and support prevailed, giving everyone the opportunity to express their opinions and ask questions.

The meeting ended with a coffee break, during which the participants had the opportunity to chat, exchange contacts and impressions.

According to the organizer, the results of the event can be defined as follows: the level of awareness of participants on the topic of advocacy was increased; a space was created for dialogue between youth and public representatives, and interpersonal communication skills in the Ukrainian language were strengthened.