Participant of the regional contest "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the nomination "Youth Worker of the Year" Viktoriia Bilousenko
My name is Viktoriia Bilousenko. I am originally from the village of Novotroitske. I graduated from the Mykhailo Tugan-Baranovsky Donetsk University of Economics and Trade, but life had a surprising turn for me—I chose a creative path and became a choreographer. I later received a professional education from the Kyiv Academy of Culture and Arts named after Pavlo Chubynsky.
I created my own dance group, where children from 5 to 17 years old were involved. We didn't just learn to dance—we created an atmosphere of support, development, and love for art.
In 2022, due to the war, I had to move to the village of Havrylivka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Despite all the difficulties, I started working with children again: we danced outdoors, in my backyard, drew together, made crafts, communicated, and found inspiration in simple things.
Today, I continue to work as a youth worker. My task is to support young people, help them find themselves, develop, and be an active part of the community. I organize meetings and creative workshops, and I hold classes with elements of non-formal education where young people can freely express their ideas, implement initiatives, and change the world around them.
One of the recent examples is my participation in the "Green Skills: How Youth Are Changing the World" project, which is being implemented as part of the DIY Community mini-grant competition with the support of the UNICEF program in the Donetsk region. This project is about eco-consciousness, sustainability, teamwork, and small steps that lead to big changes.
I believe that youth are the engine of change, and my mission is to give them the space, knowledge, and inspiration to act.