The «Active Parks – Locations of a Healthy Ukraine» system as a space for developing a health culture and adolescent socialization

The implementation of the «Active Parks – Locations of a Healthy Ukraine» project represents a significant direction of state policy in the fields of physical education, public health promotion, and youth social development. An analysis of the project’s legal framework and content components has shown that the «Active Parks» system not only encourages physical activity among various age groups but also fulfills an important socio-educational function. This resource is especially relevant for adolescents, who are going through a challenging transitional life stage and require a safe, open, and inclusive space for self- expression, collaborative experience, and the strengthening of physical, mental, and social well-being. It has been established that through the integration of health- promoting, educational, recreational, and cultural components, the «Active Parks» system creates a favorable environment for fostering adolescents’ values toward health, teamwork skills, and social interaction. The potential of «Active Parks» as socialization spaces has been emphasized- places where adolescents can communicate informally, pursue their interests in sports, creative activities, and meaningful leisure. Addressing the needs and characteristics of this age group, ensuring infrastructure accessibility, engaging qualified professionals, and implementing innovative interaction formats significantly enhance the educational impact of the «Active Parks» initiative. To increase the effectiveness of the «Active Parks» system, it is advisable to integrate it into the formal education system by including thematic activities in physical education curricula; conducting physical lessons in parks as an alternative to school gyms; and using these locations for extracurricular events, flash mobs.