d. 16.12.2025
Pictured is Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, flanked by, among others, Trine Hammershøy, CEO of headspace Denmark (third from left), Denmark’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Thomas Lund Sørensen (fifth from left), Minister for Employment Kaare Dybvad Bek (left), Howard G. Buffett (right), and Annika Sten Pärson of the Inner Foundation (second from right). Photo: Olena Zelenska Foundation
Ukrainian children and young people can now get help at the first “12-21” Youth Space – an initiative inspired by headspace Denmark
“There is no way around it – we are from Denmark; therefore, we help people in need.”
This is what headspace Denmark’s founder and patron – and then Prime Minister – Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said in a speech in 1999.
These words capture headspace Denmark’s collaboration with several Ukrainian and international partners to establish “12–21 Youth Space” – free, safe places offering support and guidance for Ukrainian children and young people aged 12–21, inspired by headspace Denmark’s volunteer-driven approach.
Now, the first of five headspace-inspired centres has officially opened in Bila Tserkva, near the capital Kyiv.
At the centre, young people are offered, among other things:
- Leisure activities
- Peer-to-peer support
- Volunteer-led conversations
- Professional psychosocial support
- Education and career guidance
headspace Denmark’s CEO, Trine Hammershøy, attended the opening and says:
“The war in Ukraine also affects young people who are trying to keep school, friendships and their future on track amid air-raid alarms and uncertainty. We cannot stop the war, but we can help ensure that young people are not left alone with their worries.”
Denmark’s Minister for Employment Kaare Dybvad Bek (Social Democrats) also took part in the opening, together with the Danish ambassador to Ukraine, Thomas Lund Sørensen and Annika Sten Pärson, founder of the Swedish foundation The Inner Foundation, which has been a key contributor to the project.
The Danish Minister for Employment Kaare Dybvad Bek says:
“It is important that we continue our substantial support for Ukraine — civil, humanitarian, and military. Nearly four years of war have taken a toll on the population. Far too many children and young people in Ukraine are experiencing the horrors of war. They deserve the best possible support. I believe and hope that this new youth centre, through conversations, activities, and guidance, can bring them a little light in the darkness.”
headspace Denmark has contributed knowledge, training and support
During the establishment phase, headspace Denmark has contributed to capacity building – including training staff and volunteer coordinators in Ukraine and Denmark, as well as sharing knowledge and providing advice on how to organise volunteers and create youth-friendly conversation environments.
headspace Denmark’s CEO, Trine Hammershøy, says:
“We have shared our experience from more than 10 years of working with young people, but it is the Ukrainian organisations that have carried the heavy load. Their courage, determination and professionalism under such difficult conditions are deeply inspiring, and we are grateful to have been able to contribute what we can.”
Strong cross-sector Ukrainian collaboration behind the new centres
Work on the new centres began 18 months ago, when Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska visited headspace Denmark in Copenhagen. Her organisation, the Olena Zelenska Foundation, is responsible for the overall coordination of the work on the new centres.
About the new headspace-inspired initiative, Olena Zelenska says:
“With each new project, with every conversation with families, partners and, most importantly, with the children themselves, it became increasingly clear to us that young people require a special approach. They need services tailored to their age and their real needs.”
The collaboration also includes the NGO Voices of Children, which contributes experience from working with children and young people affected by the war and from building national services. During the visit, the Danish delegation also had an inspiring visit with Voices of Children.
The Coordination Center for Mental Health under the Ukrainian government helps ensure cooperation between ministries, local authorities, civil society actors and international partners, including The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which has provided significant support for the project.
The remaining four “12–21 Youth Spaces” are expected to open over the coming months.
Headspace Denmark’s efforts in Ukraine are supported by The Inner Foundation, Tuborgfondet, Sagitta Charity Foundation, STAR, ERASMUS, Otto Mønsted Foundation, Stubkjær Family Group, and KG Fonden.
Get a video tour of the new “12-21” Youth Space in this video from The Olena Zelenska Foundation:
