CollabZONE is an inclusive community building center that has opened at the International Youth House in Kovel. The design and content of the space were based on the results of a study on the needs of the youth in the community. To ensure the sustainability of the center, consultations were held with human rights and youth organizations. The project is being implemented by the Big Idea NGO in partnership with the Kovel City Council.

In August 2023, the Kovel Hromada became one of 10 hromadas that won a competition held by the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund and Cedos. As part of the competition, each community received a grant of 1,000,000 UAH to create a community building center, along with mentoring support from experts in architecture, culture, communications, and social interaction.

The project is an example of the synergy between civil society, local businesses, and local government. Non-profit organizations and local businesses contributed to the creation of the community building center. Entrepreneurs donated furniture, books, and provided various services free of charge, which helped make the space welcoming, inclusive, and safe for visitors. Additionally, the opening was supported by Kovel’s sister city, Chamblee, USA, whose residents managed to raise $10,000 for the design, partial coverage of the rent, and the start of renovations. The space itself will operate as a social enterprise under the umbrella of a non-governmental organization. Profits from its activities will be reinvested in the development of youth projects in Kovel.

In the space, you can:

  • host your own educational/cultural event;
  • attend an event organized by the CollabZONE team;
  • work/study in a comfortable co-working area;
  • grow within a community of mature and conscious people united by shared interests.

CollabZONE is a barrier-free, inclusive space equipped with a ramp, marked entrances, and information signs featuring Braille.

This space is unique for the Volyn region, as it is designed for mature, conscious youth who are eager for self-development. It combines an inclusive co-working space and an event venue, created through the combined efforts of residents from Kovel’s sister city in the USA, international grant partners, and local socially responsible businesses. The space will partially operate as a social enterprise, which is invaluable because it ensures sustainability and the unwavering quality of our services!

Liudmyla Zubareva, Head of Big Idea NGO

Read also about the opening of a community building center in the Krasnokutsk Hromada in the Kharkiv Region, about the DobroHub Space of Happy People which opened in the Odesa Region, and the Nezlamni veteran space which opened in Nizhyn.