On January 24th, 2026, a Youth Think Tank discussion titled “Choices That Matter: Staying Safe and Effective in Life, Digital Spaces, and Communities” took place in Visaginas, hosted at the Sedulina Cultural Center within the project “SUCCESS | Socially innovative Ukrainian Centres in Central Europe: Empowerment and Social Support.”
The event brought together 28 participants of mixed ages, mostly school-aged youth, representing a wide range of educational institutions, including Visagino “Verdenės” gimnazija, Visaginas TECH, Visagino Draugystės progimnazija, Visagino ,,Gerosios vilties“ progimnazija, Visagino Žiburio mokykla, Visagino Atgimimo gimnazija, as well as students studying online in Ukrainian educational institutions such as Kupiansk Medical Professional College named after Mariia Shkarletova, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and Kharkiv University of Humanities “People’s Ukrainian Academy.”
During the event, participants had an opportunity to engaged with two speakers:
Hanna Dovbakh, Executive Director of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association, who invited participants to reflect on choice, personal agency, responsibility, and harm reduction — exploring where our zone of influence lies, what risks exist across different areas of life, and which practical steps can help young people stay safer both online and offline. Anastasiia Shapovalova, practicing psychologist and neuro-pedagogy lecturer, who guided participants through understanding how the brain functions in social media environments, why the urge for “just one more scroll” appears, what short dopamine cycles are, and led several simple exercises to help participants better recognize their habits and reactions.The format of the event was highly interactive, combining practical exercises and experiments with open discussion and a Q&A segment. The atmosphere was warm, active, and curious, creating a safe and engaging space for learning and reflection around topics that are especially relevant for today’s youth.
We sincerely thank our speakers and Visagino ukrainiečių draugija, with special gratitude to Liliia Bakharieva, for the invaluable support in organizing the event, as well as all participants for their openness, engagement, and thoughtful contributions.
*Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
Smart Choices and Digital Safety: Youth Think Tank in Visaginas