Active youth engagement necessary for development of community where we live! – message of youngsters from Sisak participated at the youth exchange in Črnomelj, Slovenia.
Aiming to get better understanding the importance of volunteering and developing new knowledge and skills useful in achieving social and personal changes, six youngsters from the Local Democracy Agency Sisak participated at the youth exchange “Volunteering Saves Lives”, from 222n to 30th August 2016, held in Črnomelj. Youth Centre BIT hosted the youth exchange funded from the Erasmus Plus programme of the EU, gathering 36 young people age 18-30 from Croatia, Sloenia, Romania, Hungary, Poland and Spain. Additionally, youngsters from Portugal and Macedonia were involved in a role of the program facilitators.
Carrying out diverse activities, workshops and debates, participants gained new knowledge and skills needed for volunteering. They had the opportunity to get to know the work of voluntary fire-fighting brigades from Črnomelj and learn how to give first aid to injured people. Moreover, young participants visited Ljubljana and the association “Kings of the street” which works with the homeless people, actively involving volunteers.
Participants had an opportunity to use their creative skills and experience in volunteering, organising the humanitarian action in Črnomelj, gathering donations for children with disabilities and decorating streets with graffiti.
The exchange will help young people to apply new skills in their community and their strengthening where volunteering not recognised as something valuable and un-exceptional in the field of active citizenship.
“If you look at western countries, we can notice that the volunteering is really developed. The goal of the program Volunteer’ Centre Sisak, operating within the Local Democracy Agency Sisak, is awareness rising on the importance of voluntary work and promotion of volunteering in the local community. Personally, this exchange was one unforgettable experience that expands horizons and upgrades existing knowledge, both of non-formal and formal education. I dare to say that the exchange of this kind are very important nowadays for young people if they want to contribute and to influence on their living environment in the future.” – says Matea Strižić, the leader of Sisak youth group and Coordinator of the Volunteer’ Centre Sisak.
“This exchange was very informative, dynamic and full of different activities which introduced me to different aspects of volunteering. The biggest impression on me was the presentation of the Association “Kings of the Street” where I realised the importance of engaging in decreasing human suffering.” – explained Antonia Pintarić, one of the participant.
“Time passes very quickly in Črnomelj with days full of activities. It is useful to find out about voluntary work in other countries. Young people should not be afraid to participate in exchanges of this kind. No previous knowledge or poor knowledge of a foreign language is not a barrier to participation.” – concluded their colleague Manuela Birač.
Vita Jankovič, the Youth Centre BIT project manager, gave Youthpass certificates to participants as a confirmation of their newly developed competencies in this youth exchange.
