Forum "Eastern Dimension of Volunteering"

The European Year of Volunteering 2011 Promoting Active Citizenship as well as the Polish Presidency of the EU are slowly coming to the end, therefore the Polish National Agency of the Youth in Action Programme together with the SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus Resource Centre would like to invite stakeholders of the different programmes of international volunteering in Eastern Europe and Caucaus (i.e., Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine) to share their experiences and to discuss together about the challenges and opportunities of the Eastern Dimension of Volunteering.

What can you expect?

The Forum "Eastern Dimension of Volunteering" will focus on the following objectives:

1. Analysing current practice and resources of different programmes of international volunteering available for beneficiaries from Eastern Europe and Caucasus
2. Reflecting and discussing different understandings of the international volunteering
3. Exploring the impact of the international volunteering on the different stakeholders involved
4. Highliting challenges for international volunteering specific for the region of the Eastern Europe and Caucasus
5. Defining the opportunities of development of international volunteering in the Eastern Europe and Caucasus region
6. Celebrating the International Volunteer Day :-)

Note! This Forum will be an unique opportunity to meet different stakeholders of the programmes for international volunteering which are active in the countries of Eastern Europe and Caucasus (e.g. representatives and beneficiaries of the programmmes financed by EU, UN, Red Cross, UEFA, national governments, etc.).

Who will be there?

The Forum will bring together up to 100 stakeholders of different international volunteering programmes active in the countries of Eastern Europe and Caucasus (i.e., Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine) including the representatives of donor institutions (e.g. European Commission, National Agencies, national governments, non-governmental institutions etc.) and project beneficiaries (e.g. project coordinators, volunteers).

• Participants should have experience in international volunteering issues in context of the Eastern Europe and Caucasus to be able to contribute actively to discussions in the various workshops and working groups.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

Monday, 5 December 2011 - the International Volunteer Day

Arrival of participants

12:00-15:00 - registration of participants

15:00-19:00

• Official opening of the Forum
• Presentation of EVS Impact Survey Results
• Presentations of International Volunteering Programmes active in the Eastern Europe and Caucasus

19:00

• Ceremonial opening of the EVS Photo Exhibition
• Celebration of the International Volunteer Day

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

10:00-19:00

• workshops and panel discussions aimed to share experiences of different spheres related to the international volunteering (e.g. "learning and service in volunteering", "legal frames of international volunteering", "support structure", "impact of volunteering", etc.)

20:00

• CITY TOUR

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

10:00-12:00

• working groups on strategical development of international volunteering in the Eastern Europe and Caucasus (e.g. recognition of international volunteering, volunteering in rural areas, sport volunteering, etc.)

12:00-13:00

• Summing up, official closing

Departure of participants

Working language

English

Interested to participate?

If you received a direct invitation from the Polish National Agency of the Youth in Action Programme or from the SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus, please fill in on-line registration form. The deadline for registration is 9th of November 2011.

If you did not get a direct invitation, but you are interested to take part in this Forum, please fill in on-line application. The deadline for applications is 9th of November 2011.

Organizers

The Forum is co-organized by Polish National Agency of the Youth in Action (YiA) Programme together with SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus (SALTO EECA) Resource Centre.

Financial Conditions

• The board and lodging during the training course for all participants will be provided by organizers,
• Travel costs of participants from the Eastern Europe and Caucasus will be covered by organizers on the basis of original tickets and invoices,
• Travel costs of participants from the Programme Countries will be paid by relevant National Agency according to their own principles.

NOTE! If you have any further questions please contact the organizers by e-mail: eeca@salto-youth.net