How a Place of Power helps teenagers find themselves: the story of 12-year-old Lisa Vasilevska
12-year-old Elizaveta is from Kyiv, she is a 7th grade student at the special comprehensive boarding school No. 5 named after Ya.P. Batiuk.
Lisa is a creative and active girl who has many hobbies. "I do vocals, draw on a tablet, and try my hand at animation. I also went to Paralympic swimming, where I won first place in the competition.", – says Elizabeth proudly.
Despite all her achievements and numerous interests, school life is not easy for her. "I don't like when I'm forced to do something, and education is given to me by force. If I were given the choice of going to school or staying home and doing homework, I would choose the latter. However, I have subjects that I love - these are fine arts and writing.".
Elizaveta learned about the Place of Power during the career guidance workshop "Decode Your Success Code," which was held by the Benefactors' Club at her school.
"This is it, you have to try it! I scanned the QR code from the postcard, and then showed the Place of Power website to my mom. She looked at it and we immediately signed up for the nearest class. That's how I got into storytelling.", – the girl recalls.
Lisa had been looking for a place where she could find real friends for a long time. Communicating with her peers was not easy for her - the girl repeatedly tried to find like-minded people, but each time she encountered misunderstanding.
"Once I went to a sanatorium with a friend, but she immediately found other friends, she had her own company. I asked if I could join them, they agreed, but as a result they didn't take me anywhere with them", – the girl shares.
The place of Strength turned out to be exactly the space where the girl made new acquaintances. "When I came to my first class, the other teenagers immediately started getting to know me. No one there knew me yet, but it felt like I'd been coming here for a hundred years."
Here, Lisa found what she was missing – acceptance and understanding. “I really like the atmosphere at the Place of Power. No one will judge you, no one will say anything offensive to you. I am finally accepted for who I am. And I also feel safe, because there is a warm, beautiful shelter where we can continue our classes after the alarm.”.
The Place of Power turned out to be not just another club for Lisa, but a space for self-expression and development. With each new class, the girl discovered new talents and opportunities, but most importantly, she found an environment here where she could be herself, without fear of judgment or misunderstanding.
"I have already attended a workshop on making notebooks and flashlights. I really liked it, I feel like I am discovering myself in a new way through creativity.", – Lisa shares her impressions. – "I also went to an art therapy class where we made Orbeez balls. It helped me to distract myself and talk to the psychologist.".
The opportunity to talk to a psychologist was exactly what Lisa had been looking for for so long, because it had always been difficult for the girl to share her experiences with others. At the Place of Strength, she felt that she could safely talk about her emotions and receive professional help.
"I'm the kind of person who won't show others that she's in pain, but then the feeling comes over me and I can feel sick.", she admits.
After visiting the space, Elizabeth wanted to get back to reading, although this hobby had previously been difficult for her due to vision problems. Even an old text magnifier didn't always help the girl enjoy books to the fullest. In the library of the Place of Power, she found a book she liked and has already started reading "The Call of the Ancestors" by Jack London.
"After I got here, I gave books a second chance", – Lisa shares.
For Lisa, creativity is not only a way of self-expression, but also an opportunity to do good deeds. The girl is constantly looking for new ways to be useful and already has specific plans.
"I want to start painting shoppers and T-shirts and selling them to raise funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I'm waiting for this workshop in space, I'll definitely sign up!"
The positive experience at the Place of Power inspires Lisa to share this space with others. She sees how the support and creativity help her, so she wants those close to her to have this opportunity as well.
"I have a friend who has been seeing psychologists for six months and has been diagnosed with depression. It's really hard for her to cope with it.", – says Lisa. – "I want to invite her to the Place of Power. I think an anime club would be a good fit for her because she really loves watching it.".
Elizabeth is just beginning her journey at the Place of Strength, but this space has already become a real haven for her, where she can be herself, develop her talents, and build friendships. Here, the girl has found not just a group of interests, but a community where she is understood and supported.
And perhaps it is stories like Lisa's that best show how important it is to have a safe space where teenagers can freely develop, communicate, and find themselves!
