New "Space for Change" program aims to support successful young leaders and award regional initiatives that bring positive changes for local communities.

Open Ukraine Foundation believes that the shortage of young professionals in Ukraine is caused by the lack of peer-to-peer support and information exchange between bright and passionate young leaders. Modern development of every region and every city is vested on creative people who use innovative approaches to solving problems for the benefit of their communities. These kinds of people, who work in business, educational institutions, local governments, local associations, cultural and civil society organizations  and media, will form the future network of the Space of Changes program.

Program participants will be given tools and resources to:

• Present their projects and ideas at the national level and develop recommendations (case studies, policy papers) on how to multiply best practices.
• Develop professional skills by participating in special training programs in Ukraine or abroad, including internships. The participants will have access to the professional support and mentorship of the Supervisory Board of the Program.*
• Receive personal development grants of up to 25000 UAH

• Communicate internationally with their colleagues abroad, who are involved in similar projects.
   

Open Ukraine calls on companies, NGO's, media, local authorities, schools and universities to nominate future participants among young people from 20- to 35-years-old.

The nominees must have accomplished the following:

• Have demonstrated best possible results in implementing their local innovative projects and ideas;
• Have implemented projects which work for the benefit of the local communities.

The Supervisory Board will review the nominations and select 50 bright, passionate and successful young Ukrainians (2 from each oblast of Ukraine) who will become Program participants.

To nominate a person for participation in the Program, please fill out the special nomination form and send it to Open Ukraine at space@openukraine.org by September 30, 2008.

Starting from September, a special web-portal will be created that will allow participants to present their projects to the public, discuss them and communicate with people from other regions who are interested in replicating their innovative ideas.

In mid-October Open Ukraine will organize a special conference for Space of Change participants.   The conference will provide the platform to discuss the most successful projects. Participants will have the opportunity to attend specially organized master classes and trainings tailored to the needs of the participants.  They will also meet young leaders from other countries to establish links and exchange best practices.

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