The Ukrainian NGO, “Stara Volyn,” based in Khmelnytskyy Oblast, was selected as the implementing partner for the approved IC alumni activity: Engaging Youth into Volunteer Activities. The proposal review panel included PH staff and Tamara Palyvoda from USAID. Part of the budget for this event is being spent to condense the seminar/training activities into a two-hour electronic course that will be distributed to approximately 400 alumni on CDs. Also approved was a small grants program which will offset costs for volunteer activities that engage youth initiated by alumni and/or their organizations. These are anticipated to take place across Ukraine and must be completed by 15 September 2010.   The alumni event took place 21-24 June in the village of Hrytsiv in Khmelnytskyy Oblast. 40 alumni representing 13 programs and 13 regions took part in the event. In addition to the alumni, in attendance were Tamara, Palyvoda from USAID/UA and Olya Svyrydenko from PH/UA. Participants were housed in private village homes that are part of an eco-green tourism network. The conference-training included presentations, hands-on exercises and a well-planned cultural program that included a concert of sacred and folk music by the Khmelnytskyy Municipal Choir and visit to a museum dedicated to the writer M. Ostrovsky in Shepetivka.    

As part of the activities, the organizers invited young volunteers from the Khmelnytskyy branch of the organization PLAST who explained how they are engaged in community volunteer efforts.While in Shepetivka, the participants met with youth from the NGO KEDR which unites over 250 volunteers in the district and learned about their work.

By the end of the conference, all alumni were able to utilize fresh knowledge and ideas from speaker presentations.They created detailed outlines of the volunteer campaigns that they will implement when they return home. To assist in carrying out youth volunteer projects as small grants program totaling $7500 has been approved by USAID.An important result of the event is that alumni from different regions united to find solutions for common tasks, shared invaluable experience about working with volunteers and created plans for future meetings.

Tetyana Litvinova presenting about the role of motivation in work with volunteers. Conference venue: Higher Art School in Hrytsiv housed in an 18th century Palace in the Khmelnytskyy region. 

Alumni work in small groups to create action plans for volunteer campaigns that will help to develop green tourism, provide services to children with special needs and provide new social services to people in need.

Serhiy Aniskov (at the left) leading a morning exercise for participants before breakfast.

(photos by Olya Svyrydenko from PH/UA)