A Year of Resilience, Support, and Recovery: Facts and Figures about the Place of Power
In December, the Dobrodiyiv Club opened a safe space for teenagers "Place of Strength", which is celebrating a year of active work today! During this time, more than 15,000 teenagers have found their special space here for creativity, communication and relaxation. Every day at the Place of Strength was filled with laughter, hugs and unforgettable moments that we will remember for a long time. Let's remember the brightest moments of this incredible year together!
Our year in crazy numbers 🎯
- 1500+ cool events where everyone could be themselves
- 3100 hours of open doors for everyone who was looking for their own space
- 3600 liters of tea (and the same amount of warm conversations!)
- 45500 ml of acrylic paint for creative experiments
- 160 kg of clay turned into works of art
Frosty winter: first steps, hugs and “Wow, it’s so cozy here!” ❄️
Do you remember that moment when you first step foot in a new place and your heart skips a beat? In January, there were as many as 545 such hearts! So many new faces, stories, and impressions🤩 The first shopper painting workshops, where everyone created their own unique design, cozy movie nights, and art therapy classes, where teenagers explored their emotions through creativity.
In February, our space was filled with laughter and creativity! Teenagers took cool portraits with a professional photographer, cooked fragrant soap, and created valentines with love❤️ And real stars visited us: KILIMMEN talked about winning Eurovision, Yevhen Klopotenko shared the secrets of success, and Edgar from Dobryva told how to make musical dreams come true. It was in February that the teenage club "Adults are not allowed" and the long-awaited art therapy courses "Recovery through creativity" were launched, which our teenagers loved so much.
Interesting fact 🤫 Did you know that the “Adults are not allowed” room was not in the plans? Instead, there was supposed to be a technology room of the future, but we felt that this was not our format – and we were not wrong! Now it is one love of our visitors!
Blooming spring: a time of creativity and new discoveries 🌸
In March, we had a special guest visit – London Underground driver John, who held an English Speaking Club in the space. The teenagers not only improved their English, but also learned a lot of interesting things about life in the English capital. We also held the first interactive theater classes, where everyone could become both the director and actor of their own play!
April gave us many creative discoveries: from the magic of ebru painting on water to creating scented candles with dried flowers. In the art zone, everyone found something special for themselves! The space also hosted a quiz "Nightingale Quiz" with Kateryna Tymoshenko, where teenagers showed off their knowledge of the Ukrainian language. And at the inspiring meeting with Yevhen Yanovich, as many as 56 participants gathered - a record for the month!
In May, we organized three thematic weeks in the art zone: from traditional Ukrainian crafts and art therapy to creative upcycling, where old things were given a new bright life. At the lecture "Secrets of Money" with Elena Shepel, teenagers discovered the world of financial opportunities, learned about ways to earn their first income and the secrets of increasing their funds💰 The end of spring was unforgettable for us with a meeting with the dog Patron and his team, who taught us important mine safety rules.
Hot summer: camps, adventures and summer parties 🌞
On June 1, we held a Reunion Day at the Place of Power and opened the doors to the parents of our teenagers. Together, they created collages at the workshop, watched the touching film "The Blind Side" and took memorable photos. And June also gave us the first summer camp, where 30 participants created an incredible performance based on "Alice in Wonderland"🍿 The month ended with a grand pajama party with a DJ, goodies and a sea of positive emotions.
July was remembered for the thematic week "Vkontakte with Nature", where teenagers created herbaria, made their own paper, and discovered eco-art. The most anticipated event of the month, which brought together a full hall of participants, was a meeting with Anton Ptushkin!
In August, young people tested their knowledge in the fashion industry at the PRO-fashion course, and also learned to joke at the modern humor course with star mentors and searched for their calling at the workshop “Decipher your success code”. On Independence Day, teenagers painted shopping bags with quotes from prominent Ukrainians and participated in a discussion club. where they learned what role independence plays in our lives.
Golden Autumn: learning, support, and warm gatherings 🍁
September gave us an urban planning course, where teenagers, together with experienced mentors, created projects to improve urban space. We also held an Anti-Stress Day, where young people made slimes, meditated, and found new ways to deal with stress. The highlight of the month was the three-day course “The Profession of a Filmmaker” with Maksym Mykhailichenko!
In October, Serhiy Prytula visited us, inspiring and motivating our visitors. Our stained glass painting and Halloween lantern making workshops were also popular 🎃
November was memorable for us with a series of art therapy events and trainings. This month, the fall camp "Shoot-Influence!" took place, where 16 teenagers created video content about mental health.
Finally, we want to say a huge THANK YOU! To our teenagers – for their trust, sincerity and desire to create together. To parents – for their support and belief in what we do. To the team of psychologists, mentors and trainers – for their professionalism, dedication and ability to find an approach to each teenager. To our star guests – for their willingness to share their experience and inspire young people. To partners and friends of the space – for supporting our initiatives and helping to create vibrant events♥️
A year ago it was just a dream - to create a place where every teenager would feel at home. Today it is a reality that we are creating together🫶🏻
