Youth is an absolute force for every society

Gayane Davtyan has been a Young European Ambassador since 2022. Having studied sociology at Yerevan State University, she is now a junior researcher at Prisma Research and Analysis, and a board member at the ‘Professional Orientation Centre’. She is also a policy project manager of the Erasmus Student Network.

Tell us a little about yourself and your interests.

I am a 22-year-old Armenian. I was born and live in Yerevan. I am a sociologist by profession, a young scientist, and a researcher. I am active in public life and engaged in multidisciplinary youth work, trying to contribute to the development of my community. My interests are diverse. Although I hardly have any free time, I dedicate it to contemporary literature and cinema. I love travel and discovery. I often travel in Armenia, but also overseas.

Can you describe the impact you have had through your involvement in youth work?

When I was starting out with youth work, I expected to bring big changes. Over time, I realised that if one action can lead to a positive change in the lives of five teenagers or expand their horizons, then my work is valuable for the community and the country. Perhaps we should start trusting in the “art of small steps” to bring about big changes. I can’t say exactly how much and where I had an impact, but I can say that there are young people who keep in touch with me, ask for support, or just smile when we meet by chance. This is what motivates me to continue my volunteer work.

How has your participation in the Erasmus+ international credit exchange programme and other EU-funded programmes affected your personal and professional development?

Participating in the Erasmus+ international credit exchange programme at the University of Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic was much more than just an international education for me. It is my best personal development experience yet, from the perspectives of building independence, life management, and cross-cultural communication. That Erasmus experience has developed a worldview that helps me to look at society from other perspectives, in a new way, and with a new point of view. Living and studying in that small European city, I got to know new ways of life, and what was interesting when I returned was that I loved Armenia even more.

What was the role of being a YEA in your life, can you share the most vivid experiences?

My decision to become a YEA was related to my determination to share information about  the EU, its history and the opportunities it offers young people. Often, international education or intercultural experience seem inaccessible to young people. My goal is to make people believe that these opportunities are available to each of us as a result of hard work and the desire to bring about positive change. Now, when I communicate with my peers, I understand that they have developed faith in their own strengths and a desire to develop their personal and professional abilities. The brightest experience for me is every smile and sparkle in the eyes. I have never met anything brighter than the will to develop.

Can you tell us more about your initiative aimed at the career development of displaced youth?

Our population of young displaced people are an important part of the Armenian youth community, which today needs inclusion and help in adapting to their new environment. Considering their needs as a result of the conflict, one of my colleagues and I decided to start a new volunteer initiative to impart professional and soft skills to them, aimed at career development. We plan to actively work with these people until October, have meetings with individuals in various fields, organise study visits, learn from each other, and form a community to help them to develop.

How and why did you become a member of the EU4 Youth Alumni Network?

For me, this is another opportunity to contribute to community development. The network provides significant resources and tools. And since the network includes all the countries of the Eastern Partnership, we also work with the youth of these countries and have the opportunity to form an international network and create connections. I think this is a network that provides great opportunities to realise young people’s potential.

Can you share one piece of advice for today’s youth?

We must continue to plant trees, whose shade we may not live to enjoy. Any action we carry out today will give its results years or decades later. Youth is an absolute power for every society and this resource should be appreciated with all its potential. Each of us can and will bring about change based on the foundations of constant values, hard work, and principle in our actions.

This interview is part of a collaboration between the Young European Ambassadors initiative and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, showcasing the success stories of Armenian YEAs. The interviews are published regularly on erit.am, and aim to highlight the influence of EU-funded projects in fostering community civic engagement.