Report of the training on volunteering
May 14/15, 2005 Kriviy Rig, Ukraine

The Volunteer Training Seminar, was held in a framework of the “Ukrainian NGO Community Reaching-Out” program (2002-2005) of the Dutch environmental foundation Milieukontakt Oost-Europa. This program aimed to strengthen co-operation among NGOs and between NGOs and authorities, to encourage NGO development and networking. The training was organized by Alternative-V Irina Golubeva and Irina Bodnar, SVIT Julia Myasyshcheva and Maxim Agadjanov and MKOE representative Kateryna Malkova, with involvement of SCI resource person Abel Polese, and hosted by SVIT/cultural-creative society AYa. It took place in Krivy Rig in May 14-15 2005.

The training had following aims:

•     to discuss practical aspects of information management of voluntary service organisation;
•     to provide participants with information and skills to organize effective information exchange and management in their groups;
•     to provide participants with information about structure inside the organization, links with the branches, circulation of the information;
•     to discuss and exchange experience of participants coming from different regions and NGOs.

1.    The activities
The prep team (including the resource person) met up in the morning of the 13 to prepare the seminar. Because of previous work together, the programme was settled quickly, task divisions were already clear and responsibilities easily allocated.

Each trainer had half day to manage. As a resource person I was granted the right to give an input when needed, but had no session by myself. As a result I took up: expectations and fears, evaluation of the seminar, assisted facilitation (only when needed) and contributed with the SCI point of view or my personal experience to 3 of the 4 working sessions.

The experience of two previous seminars was useful in this sense, as I was able to better understand the need of my colleagues and intervene without bothering them.

Though some time problems due to some late arrivals and an excursion, the planned work was carried out completely and participants resulted satisfied. Curiously, participants’ level of attention was lower during the first day, when a relaxing climate was dominating. This was probably the effect of the incoming spring and is not to be considered totally negative as it implies that participants were feeling comfortable at the seminar.

Overall, all the planned issues were touched and participants received some precious inputs, as the evaluation session showed

2.    The participants
The number of participants was lower than expected, this probably affected concentration but made the group easier to manage. The fact that some participants were already in at least another similar training eased communication with them.

Also participants from the region tend to be more serious and attentive than average participants from Western Europe, facilitating trainers’ tasks. No participant skipped any part of the training (except for the latecomers), which is positive especially in the light of the length of the event.

The group was immediately formed and subgroups were avoided. There was a curious situation as a participant from Moldaova was unable to communicate in any local languages but translation was provided constantly (when the session was not in English) and the participant was looked after some volunteers with a good level of English. Therefore, although unable to understand 100% of what was going on, the risk of exclusion was avoided.

A delicate moment occurred the first day, after the BRIDGE exercise, as strong attitude of some participants resulted in bad mood for some others. Fortunately this did not have any consequences on the evening or the next day

3.    The prep team and the resource person
The prep team was composed by people who had known each other for years. This resulted in a total absence of conflict and into another phenomenon that I will call here “total democracy”. With total democracy I intend the absence of a leading personality, fact that can be interpreted positively in general, though risky.

Outstanding was the will to help each other and make the other feel comfortable. Nobody tried to work less, nobody took advantage of the relaxed atmosphere. In a prep team there is normally a trainer who takes the initiative or that leads the prep team meetings; the lack of such person in this meeting can be seen somehow as innovative, though it should be understood that it can lead to anarchy if the trainers working have no previous experience.

Another positive point is that two trainers were selected from former participants, fact that can guarantee sustainability of the programme. It is positive that trainers acquire experience, but it is also suitable to open some room for “youngsters”. I see positively that Maxim and Irina were “promoted” to trainers after some seminars. They might be less experienced but they did a good job and such achievement shall be considered for an eventual follow-up of activities.

The climate of the prep team was idyllic, we were able to have fun (as in this kind of activities should be) but also to carry out the planned duties. We laughed a lot but we also worked seriously and I felt no friction between any members of the prep team.

A positive thought also goes to Artem who, although not part of the prep team, took care of the technical aspect quite professionally, ensuring the material condition for a good training

4.    General remarks about the program
The impression on the programme is positive. Not only 4 trainings were organized and several dozens of volunteers trained. Alternative and SVIT were able to get new campleaders and trainers for future trainings. At the trainings also new ideas to work on came up (i.e. I had a discussion with Julia on possible follows up during this last training) just by the fact of meeting up in a different context.

Another aspect important for me is to learn to work with a resource person, which is not always easy. This was a good experience for me to learn how to fit into a programme previously drafted and to which I just had to add some input, but also important for the organizing partners which learned better how to coordinate with an external person that is only partially included in the prep team as it comes in a moment when the overall framework is already defined.  

Prepared by Abel Polese