On June 14, 2023, a solemn opening of the school volunteering club “Most” (Eng. Bridge) was held at Vocational School Sisak.
The school volunteering club, as an extracurricular activity of the school, holds special significance for students as it provides them with the opportunity to actively participate in volunteer activities and develop their skills, values, and awareness of the importance of social engagement.
During the opening, guests had the opportunity to learn about the activities and steps that led to its establishment. After introductory words from the director of Vocational School Sisak, Ivica Beloglavec, and a brief description of the Platform for the Development of School Volunteering project by Monika Selimović, a program assistant from the Local Democracy Agency Sisak, representatives of the “Most” volunteering club, students Mateo Pavlek and Niko Hobor, shared their side of the story about how it all began and the activities that preceded the club’s formation.
Activities of the “Most” Club
The project coordinator for future volunteers conducted a workshop on volunteering for around 30 students from the school. Earlier this year, an education session on school volunteering was organized for a team of teachers and students at Vocational School Sisak as the initial step toward establishing and operating a volunteering club in the school. In parallel, research on the needs and interests of students and educational workers in the field of volunteering was conducted by representatives of the Human Rights House from Zagreb and LDA Sisak.
Students indicated that the future activities of the Club would focus on raising awareness among young people regarding topics such as social justice, active citizenship, and the social inclusion of vulnerable groups. To conclude the ceremony, they invited students from their school to join the club and uplifted everyone present with a performance of the “volunteer bećarac,” a traditional Croatian song. The song was composed by Luka Perković, a member of the volunteering club, and performed with the support of his friends.
Certificates and video equipment handed to School Club Volunteers
To ensure that the opening was not just about presentation, it served as the perfect moment for Paula Raužan, the president of the LDA Sisak, to award certificates to students and teachers for their participation in the Education for School Volunteering Club Team Representatives and video equipment that will aid them in their further work, promoting the club and volunteer activities of all eight schools involved in the Platform for the School Volunteering Development project.
The club represents space and support for expressing their own ideas and interests, and students will have the opportunity to participate in planning volunteer activities, allowing them to develop leadership skills, creativity, and initiative. Through participation, they will also have the chance to connect with other young people who share the same passion for volunteering and social engagement.
The Platform for Development of School Volunteering project is implemented by the Local Democracy Agency Sisak in cooperation with partners Vocational School Sisak, Human Rights House Zagreb, and Norsensus Mediaforum Norway. The project is supported with €87,870.00 in financial assistance through the Active Citizens Fund, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA Grants.
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The content published in this text is the sole responsibility of LDA Sisak and does not necessarily reflect the views of the donor countries and the Fund Manager.
