‘Bloom where you are planted’. How Keretskivska community in Zakarpattia region tackles migration challenges through careers guidance
The problem of youth outflow abroad has historically been a pressing one for Keretskivska community in Zakarpattia region, as the region is a border area. However, the community has decided to take proactive measures. Local authorities, together with educators, have transformed career guidance into a strategic tool for development, and thanks to cooperation with the Swiss-Ukrainian DECIDE Project, this work has become systematic and targeted.
The community began taking its first steps in this direction independently right from the moment it was established. At the Kushnytsia Lyceum, a local project called «Shaping the Future in Ukraine» was launched at that time, aimed to introduce schoolchildren to successful local residents who had gained an education and made a name for themselves in their homeland.
‘The topic of careers guidance is not new to us; we have had some experience and successes in this area. But thanks to DECIDE Project, our work has become more systematic. We used to organise one or two excursions a year, but now there is a fully-fledged course in place. The project has provided us with a clear framework, tools, resources, and skills that enable children to look deep within themselves, discover their potential, and find the field that interests them most,’ says Hanna Ostolosh, Head of the Department of Education, Youth and Sport, Culture and Tourism at the Keretsky Village Council and career coordinator in the community.
Lessons in duets and discovering one’s own talents
Currently, as part of the pilot JOBS course, career counsellors work with students in Grades 8–9. Teachers at the Kushnytsia Lyceum, Tetiana Pryima and Viktoriia Dochynets, have developed their own effective format – they lead the sessions together, supporting one another. This approach helps to keep the class engaged and to interact quickly with students during practical exercises.
‘Whilst one of us distributes additional materials or assists students at their desks, the other delivers the presentation, explains the topic or interacts with the students. This has proved to be extremely effective, as the work is dynamic, with no pauses or delays,’ says Viktoriia Dochynets, Deputy Director for Educational Work and Career Counsellor.
This interactive format required the teachers themselves to prepare and adapt. At first, our colleagues were concerned about how best to allocate roles during a live lesson, but working as a team quickly yielded the desired result.
‘At the very beginning, we were worried and unsure how best to structure the first lesson: who should take the lead, who would present the material, and who would work directly with the children. However, we quickly identified our strengths and weaknesses and got in sync. After that, one of us would speak whilst the other would complement her naturally. If one person had to deliver such a packed, interactive lesson on their own, it would have been much more difficult», adds Tetiana Pryima, a careers counsellor and practical psychologist at the Kushnytsia Lyceum.
In the JOBS course, students do not simply listen to theory; they take tests, analyse their strengths, and learn to work as a team. This not only helps them decide on their future profession, but also significantly boosts the teenagers’ self-esteem.
‘After each lesson, we held a reflection session where the children discussed what interesting things they had learnt about themselves. Each time, it was an incredibly positive experience. Teenagers often think little about their inner qualities or talents. We created a special diagram where everyone marked their strengths, and their classmates had to confirm or add to these. The children were pleasantly surprised. There were cases when, due to low self-esteem, a student felt that their abilities were insufficient, but when their friends spoke about their strengths, the children literally blossomed,’ notes Tetiana Pryima.
Field trips that change a world view
The practical part of the course – visits to local businesses and educational institutions – arouses the greatest enthusiasm among the students. Planning this field trip programme became a separate, inspiring stage for the team of career counsellors.
‘Before the project kicked off, we planned the excursion programme very carefully – there were so many options that we were spoilt for choice. We even discovered new family-run businesses in the community for ourselves. Of course, we have not managed to visit everywhere yet, but we will definitely carry out these plans next year. It was amazing to realise: we live in such a small village, yet there are so many opportunities for development here and so many heights that can be reached right on our doorstep,’ says Yana Sniozyk, Director of the Kushnytsia Lyceum and the school’s careers coordinator.
The students visited the Zakarpattia Court of Appeal and the Zakarpattia Regional Council so that they could see the administrative hierarchy first-hand and understand how specialists work at different levels.
‘Before the project started, we planned the excursion programme in great detail – and the local woodworking enterprise turned out to be a real discovery. It is a unique family business with a zero-waste production process, passed down from father to son. We were shown the entire process, from timber harvesting to the finished product. Every machine there is custom-made, the work is meticulously planned, and every stage is imbued with family values and harmony. The children watched this with fascination and realised that even in a small village, they can thrive and reach new heights,’ says Tetiana Pryima.
The teenagers also visited the Svaliava Technical College, where several of the lyceum students immediately expressed a desire to enroll as prospective students.
А також – форелеве господарство, де ознайомилися з туристичним бізнесом Карпат.
‘The children learnt about the internal processes of the staff’s work. They were shown how trout are bred and reared. It is important that the students saw this as an aspect of our natural heritage. High-altitude trout are listed in the Red Book, so we must monitor and sustain their population. It was a very meaningful experience for the children,’ says Hanna Ostolosh.
Another great discovery for the children was a successful example of local entrepreneurship.
‘It is not at all difficult to negotiate with business owners; they are as open as can be, happily welcome the children and treat them to refreshments. When we propose signing a memorandum on future cooperation, no one has ever refused. We already have five signed agreements, and we plan to conclude a few more at the final meeting. Much of the credit for this goes to the lyceum’s director, Yana Sniovyk, who takes charge of organising the logistics for these trips,’ adds Hanna Ostolosh.
The team’s work is not limited solely to lessons and excursions – teachers constantly integrate careers guidance into other areas of community life. For example, during the «Sokil-Dzhura» military-patriotic game, one of the key elements was the «Me and My Profession» event. It brought together 90 schoolchildren from all corners of Keretskivska Community, who were introduced to the world of modern professions through play.
How parents view career guidance and what their plans are
The parents of lyceum students fully support the initiative. They often ask teachers about upcoming trips, as they can see how happy and inspired their children are when they return home. However, as career counselors note, working with parents has its own particular challenges.
‘Nowadays, choosing a profession is often an even bigger challenge for parents than for the children themselves, as adults tend to be less well-informed on these matters. Parents know very little about new professions, what the modern labour market is like, and which specialisms are most in demand. Therefore, they were pleasantly surprised that, in an ordinary lyceum, teachers provide children with such in-depth knowledge and even reinforce the theory with practical trips,’ notes Viktoriia Dochynets.
The leadership of Keretskivska community plays a huge role in developing the career guidance system. Mayor Mykhailo Mushka is personally involved in negotiations with the business community, helps to organise meetings at the regional level, and strives to ensure that young people see a future for themselves at home.
The community leadership’s position is uncompromising: from 1 September 2026, they plan to fund the JOBS optional course from the local budget in all the community’s schools, without waiting for state funding.
‘The problem of migration in Zakarpattia region is a long-standing one, and with the outbreak of the full-scale invasion, it has reached a new level across the whole country. If we want to have a strong nation, we must raise conscientious people who will develop it here, rather than waiting out the difficulties abroad. We show children that it is possible to be successful at home. As the Ukrainian proverb says: «Bloom where you are planted».
At the moment, everything is driven by our team’s enthusiasm, but we are already expanding the programme: this summer, teachers from neighbouring secondary schools in Bereznyky and Lysychovo will be trained as careers counsellors. The work continues, and we are not going to stop, because together we are building the country we dream of,’ concludes Hanna Ostolosh.
The DECIDE project is implemented by NGO DOCCU and PHZH International Projects in Education with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine.