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A lot of smiles, laugh and positive emotions – this is how possible to describe EVS Oscar Award Ceremony2011, which took place on Sunday evening in Donetsk Youth Debate Centre .

The event was designated to local Debate Centre volunteers, who regularly and mostly helped to organisation during 2011.

“We do appreciate our local volunteers, we simply cannot work without them. They are not only helping our EVS volunteers, but also are giving a lot of inspirations and new ideas to Debate Centre. To say them thanks but also to celebrate together International Volunteering Day and St.Nikolas Day we decided to organise Oscar Award Ceremony and to give special awards to volunteers who helped us the most”, – claimed Olga Sobchenko,  EVS project coordinator and one of the main organisers of event.  EVS Oscar Award Ceremony becomes tradition for Debate Centre, this year event was organised for the second time.

Sixteen young volunteers, who took part  in the ceremony, got “Oscar’s” award. In every category, such as “Camper”, “James Blond 007”, “Energizer”, “Traveller”, “Bee”, “Best teacher” etc., there were three people, who were nominated. Each time one of them got a prize – chocolate Santa Claus.

From 23 till 27 of November there was on-arrival training in Odessa. This is a part of European Volunteer Service (EVS) project and it is compulsory for every participant of EVS. Volunteers from DYDC also took part.

The place, where the whole event took part, was hotel Mirnyj, situated 10 minutes of walk from the shore of Black Sea. Training was conducted by Andrey Donets, who is one of members of DYDC, Olga and Natasha, trainers from Lviv and Vytebsk. Training was planned for people working in three countries: Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine.

It was great opportunity for us to compare the situation in our hosting cities, to get know more about how work in different projects look like, learn about the countries other volunteers came from, share the experience and ideas for work. We meet people from many countries in Europe, who came to East having similar aims, so integration was really quickly going, despite maximally filled by work training schedule.

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Could news and articles arise in cafes while drinking tea? Why not! European Volunteer Service (EVS) volunteer Vytautas Beniušis (Lithuania) is starting a project „Journalism in cafes“ and inviting everyone interested in communication to prepare photo and video cameras, laptops, dictophones and pens.

Every Wednesday in different Donetsk cafes there will be organised meetings with interesting persons. During it topics, related with journalism, public life, entertainment, will be discussed.

The first meeting will start on Wednesday at 18.30 in „Puzata Xata“ (ул. Постышева, 117, in front of Lenin square). The topic of the meeting- „The life in Netherlands and the secrets of Netherlands media“. Participants will know more about lifestyle in a small European Union (EU) state as well as will be able to find out what role media plays there.

Our guest – EVS volunteer from Holland Orhan Karakoyun. He is going to tell interesting facts about public life and media in Netherland as well as to answer to questions of meeting‘s participants.

The network of multipliers of the EC Youth in Action Programme in Ukraine (http://yia.org.ua) is glad to announce all-Ukrainian photo – video contest “EVS volunteering” in the framework of the European Year of Volunteering (http://www.eyv2011.eu)

Over 100 millions citizens in Europe invest their time, talents and money in order to make a positive contribution for society working in non-governmental organizations, children clubs, hospitals, schools, sport clubs, etc. In 2011 the world celebrates the 10^th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteering proclaimed by the United Nations Organization. The official slogan of the European Year of Volunteering 2011 is “Volunteer! Make a difference!”

The main objective of the photo-video contest “EVS volunteering” is to promote volunteering through presentation of experience of volunteers of European Voluntary Service within the Youth in Action Programme in Ukraine

Three young people from Poland came to Donetsk to promote anti-racism and tolerance before Euro 2012 and to raise the level of knowledge about European countries among youngsters of Donetsk. To obtain their goals, they are going to use non-formal ways of learning, like sport games, practical workshops or role-play games to encourage pupils to take part in these classes in active way. They will stay in Donetsk till the end of June.

Media‘s situation in Lithuania, youth media, possible cooperation between Ukrainian and Lithuanian young journalists – not only these topics were discussed in Donetsk via video conference with the chairman of Lithuanian Journalists Union Dainius Radzevičius.

The event was organised by the volunteer of the European Volunteer Service (EVS) Vytautas Beniušis and Donetsk region children and youth centre, where the meeting took place.

About twenty Donbass region pupils and students, who publish their works in newspapers, in the morning of 15th of September gathered in Donetsk. Youth from Krematorsk, Gorlovka as well as students from Donetsk national university arrived there in order to know more about media situation in Lithuania.

During video conference Dainius Radzevičius expressed his opinion about the things which are going on in Lithuania media as well as gave some suggestions, how Ukrainian and Lithuanian young journalists could cooperate.

On September, 6 young EVS volunteers from Debate Centre organized seminar “European summer in Ukraine” for teachers of Donetsk region. Seminar was organized with aim to disseminate best practices developed during the project and present results of the project.

Organisaors of the seminar – young volunteers EVS (Karen from Denmark, Lukasz, Ania and Paulina from Poland, as well as Orhan from Netherlands and Vytas from Lithuania) with help of their coordinator Olga Sobchenko and local volunteers had possibility to present their vision of the educational systems in their countries and to compare it to Ukraine, to present to the teachers methods of non-formal education they used during their activities with children in frame of the project “European Summer in Ukraine”, which was implemented during May-September 2011.

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Imagine that teenagers learn about success in schools. Imagine pupils that take responsibility for their life, liberated from fears and stereotypes, reaching for a dream come true and simply enjoying life they create. You could help to become it true.

 Three years ago in Lithuania work started nongovernmental organization “Kitas variantas” (“Other variant”), which takes care that children would grow up responsible personalities, who plan their time, knows their aims already at school and start to achieve them. Now this organization has about 500 volunteers in 3 biggest cities of Lithuania. As lectures there work businessmen, doctors, academics, teachers, etc.

Very similar movement will be started at Donetsk. The founders of this Lithuanian organization agreed to share methodical material so it will be possible to develop almost the same workflow.

Now I, EVS volunteer Vytautas Beniusis, am searching for volunteers who would like to be the members of Donetsk team.

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Карен Бус

Ksenia Breslavskaya

Karen Buse from Denmark came to Donetsk to work with children for a summer. Volunteer wonders at some aspects of Ukrainian education system, but also finds something interesting in our social life.

Group of children are playing with passion under the summer sun … It is doubtless with passion, after all who will not want to become the Superman? Namely so all will name the winner! After such active warm-up we’re moving to classroom of school “Fortuna”. Here we need to be an assiduity, attentiveness and accuracy. Because now we are making various hand-made articles of a paper.

Karen is 20 years old and she has arrived from Denmark under the program ”EVS” (European Voluntary Service). Volunteer takes part in the project “the European summer in Ukraine 2011”.

Why did this young girl instead of studying at university in Danemark decide to become a volunteer and come to Ukraine for a while?

Vytautas Beniušis, volunteer of European Volunteer Service

After starting activities in March about media for Ukrainian pupils and later students, I got many different impressions about Ukraine’s education system. In this essay I share some of them. I also give some proposals, what, in my opinion, could be done in order to change the situation.

However, before starting to share my notices, I will designate my aims while working with young Ukrainian generation. During my activities, I seek that young people, with whom I am working, would learn critically judge and analyse media as well processes which are going on in media and information, which is provided to them. Furthermore, I would be happy, if after these activities pupils and students would not be afraid to say their opinions and could ground it on arguments. Finally, I seek that young people could correctly and well-grounded discuss with other various topics related to the life of the society.  

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

EVS volunteer from Donetsk youth debate centre Vytautas Beniusis is forming a group of students and ex-students which are interested in journalism and would like to attend his activities about journalism.

Meetings is every Wednesday at 18 o’clock. Adress – pr. Б.Хмельницкого, 96, Donetsk (Donetsk  oblast children and youth centre). Duration of one activity – 1,5-2 hours.

Activities are free of charge.

Everyone, who are interested in more details, can always contact him – vyt.ben@gmail.com

Europa Secura is an international contest for secondary school student on security issues, the European Union and NATO and their roles in the global security system. You can register until June 2, 2011 HERE!.

Do you know what a crisis abroad has to do with you?
Do you have something to say about injustice and insecurity in the world?
Do you want to discuss your opinions with people from all over Europe?

Football field filled with happy clamorous of dozen smiling children. This is how would be possible to describe this Monday’s atmosphere in one of the Donetsk internates.

On April 18 Donetsk Internate nr.3 had a big sport event. EVS volunteer of Debate Centre who is professional sport teacher from Netherlands – Orhan Karakoyun and group of young Ukrainian volunteers event called “Open your hands for orphans!”

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Dear Friends,

Donetsk Youth Debate Center is looking for participants for Youth Exchange ”Youth For Gender Equality”.
Duration: 1-7 March 2011
Venue: Georgia
Participants: 5 people (1 team leader + 2 girls + 2 boys) from each country: Sweden, Latvia, Spain, Turkey, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Azerbaijan
Application deadline: 2nd of February 2011. Application form

Project “voice your say or have your voice” is a training course about development of cooperation tools between youth and youth policy makers at local level. The idea of a project came from the seminar about youth participation in youth policy making, in Ukraine. The aims of a project are to build up sustainable system of co-management in youth policy in local level, increase competences and develop common understanding on youth policy. Methods of training will be based on methods of non-formal education. It is a multilateral training which includes groups from Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Russia, Lithuania and Belarus, each country 4 participants. Groups will include 3 persons from youth and 1 policy maker from municipality. Duration of a training course is 7 days and it will be held in Lithuania. This training course is a first stage of a project – there will be half a year of a practice and implementation of action plans after it. Second international training will be organized by partners from Ukraine or Russia for sharing experiences, getting competences to overcome challenges.

Interested candidates should fill the application form and send it to Donetsk Youth Debate Centre on e-mail debate@cent.dn.ua.

For more details please see information pack.

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Date of implementation: 30.11.2010
Target region: Donetsk

The Living Library project was aimed reducing stereotypes, increasing social cohesion and breaking down barriers between people belonging to different groups in society. The problem of social cohesion and human rights issues were, thus, addressed by encouraging free dialogue and interaction between people in order to break the stereotypes created by misconceptions and misinformation.
The target group of the project were young people from Donetsk, especially students, who had the chance to have a 30 minutes dialogue with the people they were interested in. Around 30 people had access to direct information about their stereotypes and gained more knowledge while “reading” the Books available in the Living Library. The titles have been varied: American, Blond girl, Top-model, Priest, Muslim, Politician, Vegetarian, Volunteer, Jew and Golden Youth. Working as a normal library, the “living”, the event served as a tool for opening dialogues between people, and in doing so provided an informal setting in which to ask questions and discuss stereotypes or prejudices.

The reading process took place and a calm and very open atmosphere and the most important outcome of the day was the simulation of the readers’ curiosity and the creation of trust atmosphere for a vary diversified group of people.

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You don’t like to read? “Loan” a living book! Living Library creates a space for dialogue between people with different interests, attitudes and beliefs.
Date: November 30, 2010., Tuesday
Time: 14.00 – 18.00
Location: Donetsk National Technical University, 3 Corps, the audience 3.336

Join us in Debate Center!! If you have some free time and you want to spend it in a constructive, yet pleasant way, than you can choose from the activities that the volunteers suggest you every Thursday and Sunday. Let’s see the offer..First, you can choose to join us for the movie evening every Thursday, from 6pm. Why? Because we have great movies. Because you can come with your friends or alone and enjoy the company that you can find here. Because you can not only watch a movie, but also discuss it and share your impressions in the end. Because it’s free :)). Because you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and cozy atmosphere. And not least, because if you have a movie or an interesting topic you can be the one who organizes the evening.

The Sundays meetings are more active and variated. You can choose from different games, role plays, pub quizzes, debates, or you can choose to get involved in organizing a social event.

If it sounds interesting, we are waiting for you in Debate Center!

You can always find updated information on these activities here

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The project took place from 28th of August to 7th of September in Tsakhkadzor village in Armenia.
30 people from 6 countries (Armenia, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Georgia and Czech Republic) met for 11 days in order to develop ideas about time management and creative ways of spending our free time. The workshops and activities were designed to promote cultural diversity among participants and to present alternatives for addiction to drugs, alcohol and Internet.  The results of these activities have been delivered to youngsters in Tsakhkadzor and Yerevan, but they will also be delivered for youngsters in the hometowns of the participants in order to raise awareness about the importance of free time management. ‘Your time, yours possibilities’ youth exchange is a part of Youth in Action Programme of the European Union.

It took place between 11th-18th of September in Crimea and gathered youth workers/ leaders who are directly involved in working with young people/children, in a  working environment focused on deepening the understanding of facilitation and developing basic competences in facilitation of learning process. With this aim in mind, the workshops and activities that had been provided to 21 participants from 6 countries (Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus) created a framework for facilitation based on non-formal education and self-directed learning and brought a theoretical background of facilitation into a practical framework.

The training course was financed by the Youth in Action Programme of the European Union and helped  the participants to improve the professional competences, which will help them to facilitate activities with young people with learning orientated approach.

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

During a week in May 2010 the team of winners of the EU funded project EU-Ukraine awareness rising competition for secondary school students in Ukraine “Europa Nostra” visited ‘the capital’ of the European Union – Brussels.

Team of students of the 11th form of school-lyceum from Velyki Mosty, Lviv region won the competition and had possibility to discover themselves everything they had already knew from books while preparing for the competition. The students had a chance to see openness and transparency of the European institutions visiting the European Commission; discovering what European mobility means crossing the borders of other state – Luxembourg – not only without visa but even without presenting passports; feeling diversity of Europe – where on a square meter of the Grote Markt (central square) in Brussels you can here several dozens of languages and see people from all around the world. “We saw hundreds of faces of different nationalities, religions, citizenships”, – Natalia Tserkunyk says. – “Cities where we were – Krakow, Brussels, Antwerpen, Bruge, Luxembourg – impressed us with openness, beauty, hospitality – all what we call europeaness”.

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

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The project aim is to educate young voters of Donetsk region and to develop their active civil position towards participation in Presidential elections 2010 through trainings and debate.

Young people are mostly passive towards participation in elections as they don’t really trust the process of elections, are not familiar with the electoral information, are not able to critically assess the information flows, do not understand the value of elections and do not believe in the value of their votes. As the result larger electoral passiveness is expected during the upcoming elections. The research “Situation of young students in Ukraine” published by the State institute for youth research in the end of 2008 demonstrates that only 5% of young people in Ukraine are interested in socio-political processes and are willing to participate in civil life. At the same time over 22% of young respondents interested in political process are disappointed with politicians and don’t believe that any changes are possible and almost 11% of students do not believe that their opinion can influence any decisions. At the same time over 63 per cents of young people who are not interested in politics are disappointed with the political process and nearly one third of youngsters are sure that their opinion in political sphere is not valuable. Hence only 38,6% of young people were going to vote during the next elections. The research also indicated extremely low level of trust of young people towards different political and state institutions, especially those of the national level. In this situation there is a thread for the whole process of democracy development in Ukraine.

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Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.

Sorry, this entry is only available in ukrianian.