To engage at-risk youth in rural Russia, 17-year-old Lyuba Shkarubo is converting her street-dancing talents into civic action and effecting change as a citizen, not just as a youth.
Three years ago, Lyuba had trouble relating to her peers and spent most of her time break dancing. She did not imagine herself as an agent of civic change, much less as a recognized leader working alongside adults.
This changed when she met Ekaterina Mishina, a psychologist in her home district of Sortavala, near the Finnish border. Ekaterina worked with Lyuba using a Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach, focusing on and supporting Lyuba’s strengths, rather than weaknesses. 
Ekaterina involved Lyuba and other youth incommunity projects designed to bolster their confidence and strengthen their connections with peers.
One day Lyuba saw a need and conceived her own initiative to help a group of local youth with a passion for dancing. With no space of their own, they were dancing on the street. Lyuba started “A School of Street Talents” and successfully negotiated with a local organization to obtain space where the group could rehearse and perform. Her goal for the group is to help street youth recognize their own talents and develop the confidence to achieve their goals.
Having discussed with Ekaterina how to identify local issues that mattered to her, Lyuba continues to take the lead on problem-solving and implementation, with Ekaterina’s constant support.
Lyuba recently applied for and was awarded the Republic of Karelia’s Volunteer of the Year honor. “I understood that my role was purely supportive,” Ekaterina said. Lyuba plans to continue volunteering and serve as a role model for other young volunteers. “Volunteering brings brightness and goodness to life,” shared Lyuba. “When you go home smiling after doing something for your community, you are smiling because you gave someone else a smile, a piece of happiness.”
Ekaterina’s psychological center had itself undergone a transformation, from only counseling depressed youth to encouraging them to initiate local projects for the common good. Where youth previously participated in adult-designed projects, now, the youth identify, design, and lead the projects. Ekaterina participates in IREX’s Youth Development Competencies Program [7] (YDCP) and brings together both high achieving and at-risk youth—ages 14-26—in a nurturing, inclusive environment where they build skills through hands-on social projects.
This year, YDCP works in three Russian regions providing young people with an opportunity to contribute to their communities while developing the skills and abilities they need to become successful adults and engaged citizens. The program also works with adults to strengthen youth policy and programming through a series of trainings and roundtables.
The Youth Development Competencies Program [7] is funded by USAID and developed and implemented by IREX.