Participant of the regional contest "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the nomination "Youth Worker of the Year" Maksym Hrynenko
My name is Maksym Hrynenko, and my creativity is a part of my life that began in childhood in the city of Marinka, where I was born in 1995. From a young age, I felt drawn to culture and the stage. From the first grade, I attended Marinka Secondary School №1, and from the fourth, I studied at the Sviatohirsk Boarding School. It was at school that I became more confident on stage: I sang, hosted school events, received certificates and letters of appreciation for my creative contributions, and won prizes in vocal and creative competitions.
After school, I enrolled at the Donetsk Industrial and Pedagogical Technical College. The year 2014 is remembered not only for me receiving my diploma but also for the start of the war. After the beginning of hostilities, my life, like the lives of many of my countrymen, seemed to stand still: shelling, uncertainty, waiting for change.
In 2015, the city began to come alive, and hope started to appear: children were returning to schools, and the district center for children's and youth creativity and the house of culture were reopening. It was then that I first tried my hand at pedagogical and creative work: from 2017, I worked as a club leader at the center for children's and youth creativity, held cultural events for children, was an host and organizer, and truly began to understand how much satisfaction I could get from working with youth.
Later, as part of the "Music Saves" project by the German foundation "Heart for Ukraine," I traveled as an accompanying educator with a group of children of war who lived on the contact line under constant shelling to a rehabilitation camp in Germany. In this camp, the children spent two weeks participating in music, art, and therapeutic workshops, enjoying peace and nature, and getting acquainted with European traditions and culture. We adapted together, learned, and exchanged experiences with foreign mentors.
In the winter of 2018, together with the co-founder of the "Music Saves" project from the German foundation "Heart for Ukraine," Maryna Bondas, we held a series of cultural and rehabilitation events for children in Avdiivka, Popasna, Zolote, and Marinka.
In 2019, on a voluntary basis, I coordinated a new trip for a group of children to the German camp for rehabilitation: I collected documents, communicated with parents, organized logistics, and led the group from the beginning to the end of the journey. All this was done so that our children could feel safe for at least a few weeks, rest, see a different world, make new friends, and simply switch off from the constant stress that the war brought.
In the same year, I hosted the "Avdiivka FM" art festival. I am always open to cooperation and never refuse to work with other cities or communities in the field of culture.
In September 2019, I started working at the Marinka District House of Culture, where I quickly became the chief administrator. Together with my colleagues, we created new formats for holidays, involved the community, organized creative events, and held events for children and people with disabilities. During this time, I participated in various seminars, trainings, and educational programs. I have repeatedly received certificates and letters of appreciation for my work in culture.
From November 2020, I became the acting director of the Marinka House of Culture.
Throughout my time working at the house of culture, I actively participated in organizing and preparing various events—from festive concerts to creative competitions and festivals.
I met the new challenge for the entire country—the full-scale invasion—in my hometown. No one was ready for the fact that we would have to leave our homes, personal belongings, documents, awards, and work-related materials. However, the experience gained during COVID-19 helped me not to stop in my profession: I already had experience in holding online events, concerts, various conferences, and video meetings. Online culture became the answer to the challenge of the time.
Together with a team of cultural workers, we are implementing a number of online projects, adapting creative events to new realities, and finding a way to communicate with people even from a distance.
In 2023, as part of the "Wild Field. Path to Europe – 2023" festival-conference, I became a co-author of the scientific publication "Wild Field: Nature, History, Culture"—this was my personal contribution to the preservation and popularization of the cultural heritage of our region.
In 2024, I joined the creation of the Marinka community youth council, where I participate in the development of youth and cultural initiatives in the region. During this period, we paid even more attention to national-patriotic education and supporting children who have experienced the war.
Many of the photographs, videos, design layouts, and media materials used in the community's sphere of activity are my work, done with love for my native land.
Also, since 2024, I have been working as a radio host on the Ukrainian-language radio "Record FM," which broadcasts to the city of Berdychiv in the Zhytomyr region. Through the airwaves, I try to lift people's spirits, tell them interesting things, maintain a cultural tone, and bring listeners closer to Ukrainian music, traditions, and contemporary art.
I believe in Ukrainian culture. I believe in its strength, its depth, and its ability to unite, heal, and inspire. And I am doing everything possible to preserve, develop, and spread this culture—in schools, in communities, in the hearts of people.
"If we save on culture, then what are we fighting for?"—these words of Winston Churchill sound especially relevant today.
Culture is not an add-on to life. It is its essence. It is the root that holds us to the ground. And as long as there are those who carry it, there is hope that we can do anything.