Julia Dem
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: UA-Youth: Empowering StoriesEstonia
Yuliia "Julia" Dem is a youth worker, project manager and adult educator. Julia works at VitaTiim, an NGO where she develops projects for young people that help them develop soft skills such as media literacy and critical thinking competencies. She is originally from Ukraine but has lived in Estonia for the last nine years. Julia holds a BA in Social Science and International Relations from Dnipro National University and has completed numerous training courses and workshops across Europe and the United States. She is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, and English, with intermediate Estonian language skills.
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: UA-Youth: Empowering Stories
This multimedia project raised awareness about the challenges, opportunities, and achievements of Ukrainian youth in Estonia, and fostered tolerance, understanding, and solidarity within the broader community. Compelling stories were gathered from interviews with Ukrainian youth and 32 illustrations were created based on those narratives. To publicize the stories, three events were organized and a podcast featuring them was produced. The project highlighted the resilience and determination of Ukrainian youth in the face of adversity and contributed to lasting change in community awareness, empathy, and understanding.
Click here to read the participants' testimonials
“Sharing my story allowed me to look back on my journey, understand my experiences more deeply, and see the resilience I've built over time. It was therapeutic to articulate my challenges and achievements and knowing that my narrative could inspire, or support others made the process even more meaningful. This project not only empowered me to share my voice but also connected me with a community of individuals with similar experiences, fostering a sense of solidarity and understanding.” - Project Participant
2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Narvamus Youth Podcast
The project supported Narva youth to develop critical thinking, media literacy and creative thinking skills through creating media. Two media retreats were held to train 36 young people on media literacy, identifying propaganda, and digital wellness. Five podcasts were recorded and published on topics identified by the youth as being of particular interest to them.
Listen to the podcast here!
Check out the project's website page here!
"I learned about the different types of media, including print, television, radio, and the internet, and the different ways that each type of media can be used to communicate a message. Overall, I gained a better understanding of how powerful media can be and how it can shape our lives." - Project participant
IVLP Exchange Experience
Julia participated in the IVLP Project 21st Century ChangeMakers: Engaging Youth in the Battle Against Disinformation in 2021 and 2022, organized by the U.S. Department of State and CRDF Global, in partnership with World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, World Chicago, Global Ties San Francisco, Global Ties Alabama, Gulf Coast Diplomacy, and Georgia Council for International Visitors.
Julia's exchange experience led her to develop her IVLP Impact Award Project: "My IVLP experience was a turning point, significantly influencing my perception of community engagement and youth empowerment. Drawing from the insights gained in Pensacola, the 'UA-youth: Empowering Stories' project was conceived. The project borrows the idea of using multimedia platforms for sharing narratives, focusing particularly on the Ukrainian youth in Estonia."
U.S. Communities Visited in 2022
Birmingham, AL; Washington, DC; Pensacola, FL; Atlanta, GA
U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021
San Francisco, CA; Washington DC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX