There are more than fifty working volunteers (from 14 till 60 years old) in our Foundation who take part in the actions organized and carried out by the Foundation. In July, 2002 the Foundation has joined all-Ukrainian volunteers' network This event took place after returning from the USA of the Head of Board Vladimir Goncharov who had familiarized with activity and experience of American volunteers, had reviewed approaches to volunteerism in the Foundation.

First trainings "How to work in a team" and the common gathering of volunteers was carried out, the Volunteers' group statute was drawn up, responsibilities on activity directions were distributed. We were the only organization from eastern Ukraine which was invited to a meeting of heads of the centers and projects of volunteerism "Over borders-2: transboarder measurement of volunteerism".

On annual volunteers' meeting "Over a cup of tea" actions that is going to be organized and carried out by the Foundation in the near future are discussed. During assemblies in 2004 "Recommendations to a volunteer" were compiled. At the last meeting the direction of support and assistance to development of creative abilities of children with functional restrictions who live in Lenin district of Lugansk was outlined. For now we already have prepared a manual "How to become a volunteer".

Seeing the wish of teenagers to join our actions, we made badges of volunteers' group "Teenager", and have organized a School of volunteers. A team of experts from medical and pedagogical universities, children's city hospital № 1, Center of social services for youth of Lenin district was mobilized for functioning of the School which conduct preparatory studies: lectures, conversations, trainings on which participants obtain new knowledge, the dialogue skills etc.

However Lugansk region is mentioned as a very weak in volunteers' movement, which remains uncoordinated.



In Ukraine public organizations are the basic mechanism by which support citizens can be heard. Under the protection of the 3-rd sector non-profitable organizations assert human rights, democratic reforms, freedom of speech and associations, legal reforms, health care, problems of women and national minorities and a number of other sharp social questions. Public organizations are able and want to involve citizens to support democratic initiatives, but the legislative base of volunteers' activity is required for that.

2001 was the International year of volunteers. This fact emphasizes importance of volunteers' activity of civil society all over the world. Volunteers' activity is decisive during transitive period as it enables citizens to realize their ideas.

According to the data of SOC_ GALLUP (center of social researches), in 2002 only 6 per cent of the population of Ukraine called themselves as volunteers. According to the researches of the Center of innovations and developments of 2002 "the Third sector of Ukraine today", only 8 per cent of the population actively participate in public life, and 25 per cent sometimes join to, - what for other countries is a low characteristic.

The organizations which work in Ukrainian third sector, and also the organizations which render various social services to the population, do not work for wide involving the public on voluntary bases to their activity because the preparation of volunteers demands significant amount of time and other resources. Interrogation of NGOs of Lugansk which was carried out by our Foundation in 2002 showed, that 78 per cent of the organizations recruit volunteers to office work, and only 7 per cent engage volunteers in realization of specific directions of activity, such, as social work, fundraising, public relations, volunteers management, strategic planning, etc.

On the other hand, people that wish to devote themselves to voluntary activity, do not always completely understand the word meaning "volunteer", specificity of activity of the organizations of social direction, or they are just the people who have neither the necessary skills, nor experience, only wish to be engaged in the work.



We are certain that with your help and support we will be able to resolve the problems even more successfully.



Address:
"Teenager" Charitable Foundation
Kv. Schevchenko, 48, office 1,
Lugansk, 91033, Ukraine
Phone/fax: + 380 642 68 80 52




The bank account
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