More Opportunities for Young People: Plast to Expand Its Scouting Movement in Nine Ukrainian Cities

Plast, the National Scout Organization of Ukraine, will develop its local branches in nine Ukrainian cities: Kharkiv, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Kremenchuk, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Sumy and Kropyvnytskyi. The partnership with the Mnozhyna Foundation will help make Plast’s youth programme more accessible. More children and young people will be able to join the movement, and more adults will be able to volunteer and support young people in their communities.

For more than a century, Plast has been raising responsible, active and engaged citizens through small groups, hiking, camps, volunteering, hands-on learning and service to society. During the full-scale war, this work matters even more. Children and teenagers need safe communities, strong mentors and a space where they can learn to act and take responsibility. They also need room to explore Ukrainian history and culture and to understand that their everyday actions shape Ukraine’s future.

Developing Plast in these cities is an important step towards strengthening local youth communities. The project includes support for local branches, recruiting and training volunteers, enrolling children and promoting the Plast educational approach. Its aim is to make Plast’s youth programme more accessible to children and young people in communities that are looking for high-quality extracurricular education, a values-based environment and opportunities to volunteer.

We support Plast because, for more than a century, its educational model has helped young people become responsible and active citizens who can contribute to their communities. Developing new branches in nine cities will give more children, young people and adults the opportunity to join the movement and will strengthen their ability to act and create lasting change in Ukraine.

“Plast gives children and young people the resilience skills Ukraine needs so much right now. It is an educational model that nurtures leadership and mutual support, rooted in love for Ukraine. At Mnozhyna Foundation, we believe that this kind of experience is where authorship of one’s own life begins. That is why supporting this movement matters to us,” says Taras Kovalyk, Head of the Resilience Programme.

The project includes several strands of work to introduce Plast to more communities. These include recruiting adult volunteers, communicating with children and parents, working with local authorities, media and community partners, and holding in-person events.

Volunteers are the backbone of the Plast movement. They become youth leaders and run weekly meetings, hikes, camps, training courses and events for children. For communities, this means new opportunities for young people. For adults, it is a chance to take part in work with a lasting impact.

“Expanding Plast into new communities starts with people: volunteers, parents, partners and everyone ready to help raise the next generation. Our partnership with Mnozhyna Foundation will allow us to support Plast communities in nine cities and create more opportunities for children and adults who want to be part of the movement,” says Oksana Skliar, Plast member and project manager.

Plast’s youth programme is about more than weekly meetings or camps. It is an environment where children learn to work in a team, make decisions, act responsibly, help others and build their character. Through play, practice, adventure and service, they gradually gain skills that stay with them into adulthood.