creative and innovative ways to promote international volunteering and youth projects in ICT

With such motto a group of 26 volunteers from all over Europe will meet in Kharkov from 23rd till 29th of January 2010 for an international training course. Traditional methods to promote volunteer and youth projects, as meetings, presentations at universities, posters and leaflets, showing films are no longer attractive. Often being on a meeting we see participants who prefer to spend time on diverse online social networks, than communicating to a real people around them. But it does not mean that young people are no longer interested in international experiences, doing something useful, travel and alternative lifestyle – what workcamps and international youth projects are offering. Some have tried to analyze the situation and see which methods of promotion are still working, and Internet seems to be one of the most effective tools for this. The diversity is very big – from diverse forums, blogs as livejournal and other, to social networks as facebook and vkontakte. Are we entering an age of virtual volunteering? How can we face this challenge and make good use of it?

This became an inspiration for SCI-Germany and SVIT-Ukraine to develop this project, which is supported by German National Agency for Youth in Action programme.

The program topics will cover 3 main blocks:
- usage of Internet for promotion of international youth and volunteer projects, which methods of promotion are used now, what works and what not, sharing experiences and best practices, creativity and innovation in online promotion (flash, youtube etc.)

- ICT for learning and sharing experiences on diverse issues. Virtual space to share information resources of SCI organizations on such issues as sustainable development, human rights, peace and international understanding, combating racism and xenophpbia, social inclusion and other. Sharing experiences of EVS projects and youth exchanges, transfer of knowledge between organizations and individual volunteers (for instance, online networks of former and current EVS volunteers in SCI projects, mentors, leaders of youth exchanges etc.)

- Developing possibilities for virtual volunteering – developing projects together using ICT, thematic groups, possibility to use blogs and wikis, create groups on facebook, google documents, other online tools and applications; possibilities for young people people with fewer opportunities to volunteer online (especially wheel-chair disabled).

For more information and news from the training - check our web-site