Annual overview 2004

This year we have started seriously thinking about becoming an organization, and not just a working group. New members have joined, an NGO from Berdyansk - Center of Students Initiatives “Berdyansk Institute of Youth”, which made SVIT active in 5 provinces of south-eastern Ukraine.

We have organized and participated to two training seminars on volunteering in the framework of UNCRO Program of Dutch Environmental Foundation Milieukontakt Oost-Europa. One of them, which was hosted by SVIT and took place in Berdyansk, has opened possibilities to start discussions on the different possibilities, how SVIT should be transformed from a working group to an organization. This process continued till September, when at the General Assembly a draft constitution was presented and discussed. Due to informational and financial support of Milieukontakt we have started developing Manual for Campleaders. The workcamps included environmental – Provalsky Steppe, social – Pervenez and Paraskoveyevka, and cultural historical – Futurum. 

With support of SCI-Switzerland Jucker-Mauderly Fund we have started working on a project “Tool for Change”, aimed to involve new individuals and organizations in volunteer activities, and foster development of SVIT. A seminar on volunteering and volunteer programs, organized in the framework of this project, allowed to involve new activists and potential partners in our activities.

Representatives of SVIT have attended SCI meetings, TEM and ICM, the last GATE meeting and Training for Mentors of long-term volunteers. At the ICM, our application to become a member of SCI was presented, and as a result, SVIT became an SCI group.