The benefits of volunteering for personal growth and development have been proven through various research studies and personal testimonials from both volunteers and beneficiaries of volunteer services. For years, the Local Democracy Agency Sisak has been working on developing a sustainable model of school volunteering that, as an integral part of the school curriculum, brings new knowledge and methods into the practical education of students about community development and active citizenship.
This time, we have taken a step further by collaborating with schools and civil society organizations involved in the Platform for the Development of School Volunteering. Together, we questioned, brainstormed, and implemented seven volunteering actions through which children and young people practically learn about active citizenship, social justice, and the social inclusion of vulnerable groups.
All these outstanding volunteering actions have been captured in short video clips, subtitled and synchronized, which you can watch on the LDA Sisak YouTube channel HERE.
Students of the Ivan Trnski High School in Hrvatska Kostajnica engaged in educating older people about financial literacy, while students of the Glina High School focused on reducing the feelings of loneliness and isolation among the elderly.
At the Petrinja Elementary School Mate Lovrak, students learned about the challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in everyday life. To familiarise other students in the school with sign language, they decided to photograph basic signs and phrases they had previously mastered. They transformed this knowledge into a picture story that will help them and other students in their school establish basic communication in Croatian sign language.
The Volunteering Club of the Sisak Vocational School restored a flood-damaged riding arena for the KAS Association, where children with various levels of disabilities receive therapeutic horseback riding services.
Students of the Budaševo – Topolovac – Gušće Elementary School had the opportunity to experience a day in the life of blind and visually impaired individuals. They organised a volunteering action at the Association of the Blind of the Sisak-Moslavina County. Through collaboration, users and volunteers painted beautiful autumn scenes on canvas. Working in pairs facilitated interaction, promoted communication, and heightened sensitivity towards people with visual impairments.
Students from regular and special classes at the Popovača Elementary School ZorkA Sever spent an instructional day learning, playing, and participating in workshops together. Involving students with developmental difficulties in interaction with others is not just about promoting diversity; it is a path towards encouraging a truly inclusive society.
Social stigmas and stereotypes can build invisible walls for individuals with intellectual difficulties, and communication challenges and a lack of understanding often isolate them from the rest of society. The volunteering action of the Viktorovac High School in Sisak addressed this issue. Creativity bridged the gap between volunteers and users of the Association of Persons with Intellectual Difficulties of the City of Sisak, contributing to the creation of warmth and friendship.
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The Platform for the Development of School Volunteering in the Sisak-Moslavina County is an informal network of schools and civil society organizations, serving as a place for education, exchange, and advocacy towards decision-makers. The purpose of the Platform is to support schools and civil society organizations in the development and sustainable operation of school volunteering clubs as a proven tool for the practical education of children and young people about active citizenship, social justice, and the social inclusion of vulnerable groups.
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The opinions expressed in this text are the sole responsibility of the Local Democracy Agency Sisak.
