Ti u akciji

Multiplying effect Serbia - Portugal

2009-11-04T14:23:00.006+01:00

Dear all, /Dragi ljudi,

This is Ana Teresa from Portugal, one of the elements of Ti u Akciji that volunteered in Novi Sad, Serbia in 2008/2009.

Back to the western corner of Europe, I've been engaging in projects in the organisation that sent me to Serbia.

It's with great pleasure that I announce that we'll be dedicating the month of December to a very special cause: Beyond borders! Welcome: Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.

This is a project including several activities promoting these 3 countries, focusing on the fact that from January 1st of 2010 all its citizens will be able to freely circulate in the Schengen zone.
There will be an exhibition clarifying what is Schengen zone and showing the wonders of Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia.

The film "Beyond" will be shown followed by a debate, to stimulate intercultural dialogue and understanding of different realities within Europe.

Some classes of Serbian language and culture will be done by a person from Belgrade that is teaching in Lisbon, at the Faculty of Letters.

Those who will participate will also have the change to try some tastes of those countries, with food and drinks.

All ideas and suggestions to enrich the programme are very welcome.
You can contact me at: ana.teresa@rotajovem.com

Wishing you all the best!
Pozdrav

Ana Teresa

"Beyond"

2009-09-17T15:27:00.002+02:00

FOR ALL THE CURIOUS WHO WERE WAITING FOR "BEYOND"
FOLLOW THE LINKS...

"Beyond", the documentary I shot this summer in Serbia, is finally on YouTube. It is divided in 4 parts (the first got audio problems because of copywrite royalties of the song I put on, but I hope to win the controversy against YouTube itself...in the meantime you can skip the problem just moving in the middle of the video for a while and then coming back to the beginning. I don't know why but it works this way!!) and those of you who haven't watched it yet can finally do it there.

Take care
Carmine

Links:
http://www.facebook.com/l/962af;www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMXgUscZSGU
http://www.facebook.com/l/962af;www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V7EQKsWocw
http://www.facebook.com/l/962af;www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pDGzSPUP1s
http://www.facebook.com/l/962af;www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QItIMfPPy8

Message from Sonja

2009-09-17T15:24:00.000+02:00

After my graduation I decided to start learning Spanish and after my decision friend of mine from Volunteer center of Vojvodina told me about possibility to travel abroad. In a moment I liked the idea . I knew about EVS but I was to occupied with finishing my university that I forgot on EVS. Few days later I met Carmen from Spain and she explained me what is exactly EVS for people with disabilities. I was very interested especially for Spain because I want to learn Spanish. This project would give me the opportunity to spend some time in a foreign country, getting know new culture, broaden my horizons, gain perspectives and knowledge I could later share back home.

I would like the opportunity to further develop my skills and broaden my knowledge by having a challenge of working in a new social environment. Another strong motive for me is the possibility to cooperate with different people with different backgrounds, sharing and receiving experience, culture and points of view.

And I am in wheelchair since 2000. I got sick. And of course I want to talk with other people with disabilities and show them that they can travel and do whatever they imagine and that everywhere is the people willing to offer them a help.

Sonja

Evropa preko puta

2009-09-17T15:12:00.001+02:00

„Evropa preko puta“- „Europe across the street“, was the title of a thematic evening organized by LDA and FOKUS on Thursday 27th of August in the Restaurant Stara Pizzeria. The evening’s program consisted of different movies and a round table on the topic of mobility and possibilities to travel for young people in Serbia. The first movie shown was “Beyond”, a documentary film produced by a group of young European volunteers. Over 40 young people in Serbia have been interviewed about what they think of Serbia, Europe and European Union, about their hopes and fears related to this topic. The film clearly shows that the visas are one of the main problems for young people in Serbia. The second film, a short movie elaborated in collaboration of international and local volunteers is treating the same topic but in a more artistic way.

After this two movies represents of different organizations and programmes that give young people the opportunity to travel or volunteer abroad were discussing the topic of mobility for young Serbian people in a round table. Sonja Kozlina And Afrim Uka are future EVS-volunteers from Novi Sad and they are actually the first Serbian young people with invalidity ever that are going on a longterm volunteering service. Further participants were Igor Marjanović from AIESEC, Hubai Laszlo from hospitalityclub.org, Miroslav Šokčić from couchsurfing.org and Marko Aksentijević, author of the guide for cheap traveling „Priručnika za jeftino putovanje“.

In the end of the evening the german road movie „Im Juli“ (In July), showing the journey of two young people across the Balkans to Istanbul, was projected.

The whole event was certainly a success. The garden of the Pizzeria contributed to a cosy and friendly athmosphere. The movies made people laugh, as there are for sure very funny moments, but they made reflect and even angry as well, as they are talking about a difficult topic for the young people in Serbia, about their feeling of being imprisoned, isolated of the world. Hopefully the round table could motivate some of the young people in the public to try to travel, altough all the difficulties. The copies of the „guide for cheap traveling“ should help themin doing so. As Marko Aksentijević said: „The most important is not to have money, just start your journey and everything will resolve itself on the way“.

Projection

2009-09-10T17:56:00.002+02:00

Evropa preko puta

Veče posvećeno temi mobilnosti mladih i mogućnostima putovanja za mlade

U četvrtak, 27.avgusta 2009., sa početkom u 20.00 časova, u bašti Stare Picerije, održaće se filmsko veče i tribina posvećeni temi mobilnosti mladih i mogućnostima putovanja za mlade.

20.00 časova
Projekcija filmova:

Beyond (2009.)– dokumentarni film (35 min.)
Autori: Irene Bertozzi, Carmine Loru (Ti u akciji)

Ne mogu se ni vratiti, ako ne odem! (2009.) – kratki film
Režija: Gigi Mete, Heron Ferreira (Naotem Zoom)

21.00 čas
Tribina na temu mobilnosti mladih i mogućnostima putovanja za mlade:

Govore: Igor Marjanović (AIESEC), Noemi Helfenstein, Sonja Kozlina, Afrim Uka (EVS), Hubai László (hospitalityclub.org), Miroslav Šokčić (couchsurfing.org), Marko Aksentijević (autor „Priručnika za jeftino putovanje“ grupe 484).

22.00 časa
Projekcija filma:

Im Juli (2000.) - dugometražni igrani film (Nemačka)
Režija: Fatih Akin

Organizatori su Agencija za lokalnu demokratiju iz Subotice i FOKUS Fondacija.
Program je ostvaren u saradnji sa Goethe-Institutom Beograd, grupom 484 i Ti u akciji.

Movies projection in Subotica

2009-09-10T17:55:00.001+02:00

Bookcrossing in Subotica

2009-09-10T17:44:00.003+02:00

A small group of local volunteers and me, EVS-volunteer in Subotica and TiUackiji-member in collaboration with the LDA Local Democracy Agency of Subotica and the FOKUS foundation on Saturday 22nd of August 2009 organized the first BookCrossing-Party in Subotica. In the garden of the Restaurant Bash Kuca the idea and function of BookCrossing were presented and people had the opportunity to register their books directly on place and to open their profile on www.BookCrossing.com. In the e nd of the evening the Bands DUOdenum and Wooden Ambulance were playing. Bash Kuca on this evening became the first official BookCrossing-zone in Subotica and we hope people will regulary use the BookCrossing-bookshelf in this place. It was a lot of work and energy to organize this event, finding books, registering them, making posters, organizing bands agree with Bash Kuca on the official BookCrossing-zone and so one, still I am convinced it was worth it. Over 30 books got registered on the same evening on BookCrossing.com and many people showed their interest. Already some other coffee places and restaurants expressed their interest to become a BookCrossing-zone as well. It’s planned to organize further BookCrossing-Promotion-evenings there in the next time. I am glad to know my friends from FOKUS and LDA will continue the promotion of BookCrossing in Subotica. Noemi Helfenstein (EVS-volunteer from Switzerland in Subotica) PRVA BOOKCROSSING ŽURKA U SUBOTICI održana je 22. avgusta 2009. u bašti Baš kuće, uz muziku akustičnih sastava DUOdenum i Wooden Ambulance. Više od 30 knjiga je registrovano na internacionalnom bookcrossing sajtu i time započelo svoj put do sledećeg čitaoca. Subotica je treći grad u Srbiji koja će imati svoju bookcrossing policu, u Bash kući, gde ćete bilo kada moći doneti i uzeti vašu sledeću knjigu. Zahvaljujemo se štampariji ROTOGRAFIKA, Gradskoj biblioteci i Knjižari "Danilo Kiš" koji su darovali knjige za ovu jedinstvenu akciju. O tome šta je bookcrossing pogledjate ovde Augusztus 22-én este a Bash-ház udvarába került megrendezésre az első BookCrossing rendezvény. A Bash-házban megrendezésre kerülő eseményre számos, különféle korosztályba tartozó érdeklődő látogatott el. Míg a hangulat a buli formáját öltötte magára – fellépett a a DUOdenum és a Wooden Ambulance együttes is – addig az est egyben alkalmasnak mutatkozott az olvasás népszerűsítésére is. Számos kötet indult világkörüli útra illetve pihen most egy kicsit Szabadkán. Köszönjük a segítséget a Danilo Kis könyvesboltnak, a Rotografikának illetve a Városi Könyvtárnak. De mi is az a BookCrossing? A játék nagyon egyszerű: keress egy könyvet a könyvtáradban, amelyet szerinted más szívesen olvasna; ragaszd bele a mozgalom sárga logóját ábrázoló matricát, amin egy jókedvű könyv szaladgál a pálcikalábain; majd pedig hagyd el valahol a kötetet. Ottfelejtheted egy parkban a padon, egy kávézóban vagy a vonaton. Annyi a dolgod, hogy regisztrálod a honlapon a matricán található azonosító (BCID: BookCrossing-ID) kód segítségével. Aki megtalálja a könyvet, szintén regisztrálja, hogy hozzá került a könyv, és miután elolvasta, ő is elhagyja valahol, és így a könyv elindul vándorútjára, amelyet a honlapon követni lehet. http://www.subotica.info/eventview.php?event_id=29523&tag_id=5421

An article from Portugal...

2009-08-25T10:22:00.001+02:00

"INCLUSION?! Are we doing the BEST we can DO?

Dear All!

My name is Daniel Martins, i am from Portugal.

I am just finishing to perform as trainer a TC in Mersin, Turkey, where the main aims of the project was to increase the involvement of Youth with disability and other special needs on the YiA, as well as to promote the programme as a TOOL for Youth Workers, Social Workers and Youth Leaders to more and better work in their organizations, mostly working with disable youth.

Fortunately for me, i got the opportunity to have in a group of 20 participants , 2 are disable (was the first time)- Zeliha the responsible and head of the project, she have a physical disability, and Devrim, blind since he born, 30 years ago.

Maybe some of you have an idea how challenge was it, to arrange the tools, the materials, to manage the motivation of the group and to respect the flow planned for the TC taking in consideration the aims defined.

The reason i am writing for all of you it´s to remind you the some issues we still have to solve concerning with INCLUSION and INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH WITH FEW OPPORTUNITIES as a TOOL for INTERCULTURAL LEARNING and NON-FORMAL LEARNING for ALL!!!

Some question i am keeping in my mind day-by-day i am hard working on this field:

Are we providing all the conditions we can provide to involve ALL? navigating in some of the websites of the National Agencies in our Programme Countries i can´t find out how a blind youth can get the information, the some on the EACEA website, as well as SALTO, something that always surprise me taking in consideration that we (as a member of the pool) are all days around Europe, and not only, promoting the EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, the INCLUSION... for WHO are we providing the INCLUSION? are we the MAIN resource to promote the non-formal education for ALL in Europe or not? Who is ALL for us? Remark for YOUTHPASS, are ALL able to fill it in their own as recognition of individual learning under Non-formal methods? i don´t think so!

Devrim (the blind participant i spoke above in this reflection, he told me after i asked how he want to receive the supports of the TC (i was thinking to record some guidelines in voice track) "Dani, can you provide for me the material of in Word format? because for us (blinds) it´s easily to get the information because exist a software which could read the documents"... WHY we still provide almost all the information in PDF?
Zeliha, the Responsible of this Training Course which have a a visible physical limitation, during the preparation told me that the AIM for her it´s to have projects that involve disable and non-disable in youth, becuase she believes that it´s the only way for INCLUSION of Youth with disability - not so ambitions and doesn´t look hard to get it... but why are we still so in the beginning after almost 10 years with YiA (before on the YP) and LLP with the "flag" of INCLUSION.
...she said - "almost all the projects are disable with disable!! Dani, are this a good way for INCLUSION?"
The truth is... I HAVE NO ANSWER for her, taking in consideration that we are running quickly for 2009 (21st Century) almost living in the MOON .. and still NOT ALL can have access to the LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES (the most simple ones) that we can offer.

It´s not a lesson or training sesion i wanted to do with this reflection, but i am SURE that we can do MORE and BETTER concerning with this. No more than 5% are the youth with disability involved in he YiA and, personally, i have serious doubts that the majority of projects are WE supporting promote the values we defined as EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY for ALL in the perspective of REAL INCLUSION.

Have a nice work.. we still have to much to do!

DaNi"

Once upon a time in Sombor...

2009-08-18T20:01:00.002+02:00

We went to Sombor to show our movie and talk about experience in Serbia...

Have a look on the articles :

-> In today Serbia (http://www.serbiatoday.info/index8_files/Page8567.htm)

“Youth Mobility”

By Ljiljana Samardzic

Sombor, August 13, 2009 (Serbia Today) – “It is the right time that youngsters take hands out of their pockets, stop just criticizing and start doing something”, said Alexander Oparnica, Serbian volunteer from European Volunteer Service (EVS).

The end of Summer is getting closer and program for young people in Sombor is warming up now, unlike for the past 13 years. The traditional event “Summer in Sombor” was cancelled this year, to the surprise of Sombor’s citizens. Why was it cancelled is still unknown. It could be due to the “popular” excuse of economic crises, but it also could be due to irresponsibility of town’s Youth Board, who said nothing officially when large amounts of money were spent on “uncultured” events instead of cultural, educational and entertaining programs for young people, which usually last during the whole summer. But, then again, are young people, citizens of Sombor, guilty for their immobility and unwillingness to stand up for themselves?

In order to prevent future similar tragedies, few nongovernmental organizations decided to give possibility for young people to entertain by the end of summer 2009. The open conversation with a subject “Youth mobility” was held on August 10th with an aim to inform and to stimulate young people to act and to fight for better tomorrow.

As introduction to conversation two amateur films, made by volunteers from EVS, were shown. Titles were creative and represented the main problems in Serbia – “I can’t come back if I don’t go” and “You in action”. In the movies, young people from Serbia expressed their opinion about European Union, becoming its part, globalization, nationalities and alike. After movie projections, participants could openly discuss the same matter – mobility of young people and general problems youth encounter in Serbia. Guests were four volunteers from EVS– Irene Bertozzi (Rome, Italy), Emmanuelle Allais from France, Carmine Loru from Italy and Alexander Oparnica from Serbia.

Miss Bertozzi said that she “never thought that mobility is the biggest problem here. Finding a job, as one cause of immobility, is a problem not only in Serbia, but in other European countries as well. But the difference is that we can seek for job in any other country. So, the current major immobility cause of Serbian youth is obtaining a visa.”

Being in this situation, young people are in pessimistic mood. “The bad point that I saw here is lack of hope for better life. Many people don’t understand that politics is not the only thing that affects your life. It’s not politics that chooses for you, you can choose as well, and you can change your own world here”, said Miss Bertozzi for Serbia Today. It was good to hear that those young people from European countries didn’t find coming to Serbia shocking and that the greatest difficulty was the language.

Based on a wish to activate and stimulate young people in Sombor, local non-government organizations provided an interesting program for 12th August, called the International youth day. “Music on wheels” is one of the planned attractions where young people are invited to come with their bicycles, skates and roller-blades in order to follow the band performing on four locations in town. Afterwards, the exhibition of photographs on the subject “Young People in different ways” will be held. There will be 165 photographs from 39 authors from many Serbian cities, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the end of the program, a literary evening is announced.

This confirms the statement of Mr. Oparnica that “large money funds are not necessary to organize, to do and to succeed. “

-> From So Info (http://www.soinfo.org/viewtopic.php?p=30174)

Tribina na temu mobilnosti mladih u Domu omladine označila početak Somborskog leta za mlade.
Sinoć u dvorištu Doma omladine održan je javni razgovor na temu mobilnosti mladih. Tribina je imala za cilj da se mladim Somborcima obrate volonteri iz Italije, Francuske i Srbije koji su nekoliko meseci proveli u drugim državama, stičući iskustvo, učeći druge jezike i kulture drugih naroda, kao i da se prezentuju dva kratka filma koji se bave sa ovom tematikom. Mladi su imali priliku da pričaju sa stranim gostima o njihovim iskustvima, utiscima pri putovanju u druge zemlje, prednostima i manama života u Srbiji i zemljama Evrope.
O svojim iskustvima volontiranja u Srbiji i Francuskoj govorili su: Bertozzi Irene (Italija, ARCI), Carmine Loku (Italija, ARCI), Emmanuelle Allais (Francuska, Inžinjeri zaštite životne sredine) i Aleksandar Oparnica (Srbija, UG „SOB”).
Na tribini su prikazana i dva dokumentarna filma: „Beyond” i „Ne mogu se ni vratiti ako ne odem”. Prikazani filmovi nastali su kao rezultat saradnje stranih volontera i organizacija u Srbiji, ustanova i pojedinaca. Organizator ove tribine je UG „Somborski Omladinski Boom”.

-> From http://www.somborskenovine.co.rs/e-novine/pdf/br.2877/strana08.pdf

POČELO “SOMBORSKO LETO ZA MLADE”
TRIBINA
“MOBILNOST
MLADIH”
Tribinom na temu “Mobilnosti mladih”, koja
je održana u sredu u Domu omladine, počelo
je “Somborsko leto za mlade”, koje ogranizu-
je sedam nevladinih organizacija koje se bave
mladima i Kancelarija za mlade. Nemogućnost
mladih u Srbiji da često putuju, studiraju i obi-
laze druge države i narode, predstavlja veliki
problem koji je prepoznat u svim strateškim
dokumentima Srbije. Tribina je imala za cilj
da se mladim Somborcima obrate volonteri
iz Italije, Francuske i Srbije koji su nekoliko
meseci proveli u drugim državama stičući
iskustvo, učeći jezike i kulture drugih naro-
da, kao i da se prezentuju dva kratka fi lma
koji se bave ovom tematikom. O svojim isku-
stvima volontiranja u Srbiji i Francuskoj govo-
rili su: Bertozzi Irene (Italija, ARCI), Carmi-
ne Loku (Italija, ARCI), Emmanuelle Allais
(Francuska) i Aleksandar Oparnica (Srbija,
UG “SOB”) . - Mladi su nepobitan činilac za
postavljanje sveta u Somboru i Sombora u sve-
tu – naglasio je Oparnica na tribini.
Prikazana su i dva dokumentarna fi lma:
“Beyond” (2009) i “Ne mogu se ni vratiti ako
ne odem” (2008), koja su nastala kao rezultat
saradnje stranih volontera i organizacija u Sr-
biji, ustanova i pojedinaca.
Velika posećenost pokazuje da je tema pu-
tovanja i obilaska drugih gradova i zemalja
veoma aktuelna među mladima u Srbiji, ali i
ukazuje na potrebu da se organizuju slični pro-
grami za mlade – saopštava Odsek za protokol
i informisanje.

Movie projection

2009-08-04T13:13:00.001+02:00

Bookcrossing action in Novi Sad for June 2009

2009-06-23T11:06:00.004+02:00

The 9th and the 16th of June were the date of 2 actions for bookcrossing for the city of Novi Sad, on the Strand. Yes, we are back with this idea of making Novi sad and Serbia in general, a giant library for free, a part of this international movement, Bookcrossing. But this time, we had the opportunities to give to the people some gifts to thank them for participating to this action. Bring 1 book, get a gift, bring 3 books get a bigger gift.

We decide to keep this action on the Strand all summer. To have a ponctual Bookcrossing zone just for summer time, to let people to get more involved to this idea and let them know what is this action and how to participate. Slowly people began to participate and understand the philosophy of the bookcrossing.

You will have the next action of bookcrossing in Sremski Karlovci...
See you over there

Bookcrossing in June

2009-06-05T09:31:00.001+02:00

What Poland gave me? - Volunteers from Austria, Spain, Slovenia, Ukraine and Georgia try walking in Polish people's shoes

2009-05-21T10:37:00.000+02:00

Gave me a smile of a poor fellow

* Stephan Koubowetz from Austria, 25 years old

I don't want to make bad advertisement to my homeland, but we say that you are thieves, gloomy and dirty. As we say about all other immigrants. Austria doesn't take the inflow of another cultures so well, mainly from Croatia, Turkey and Bulgaria. And from Poland, too. On one hand, some of them don't want to adopt to the conditions in my country and this is what is irritating us. On the other hand, majority of Austrian people is withdrawn and introvert and maybe this is why we get annoyed by the people from abroad. Because we don't cope so good with anything that is new. Even if it is valuable.

That was the impulse, which made me think about Poland, I know from history classes, how much your country suffered during the II world war and I had to learn, who are Polish people now.

Poland thought me, that the neighbor has the right to be different and each one of us should accept his distinction. Let him live, even if he is taking jour job.

I come from a rich country. What was completely ordinary for me, in Poland is considered a luxury. Here people are able to live for the amount of money, that the Austrian kids get as a pocket money from their parents.

Seeing all the poor people in Poland is a big change in my life and a lesson of humility. I have finished technical faculty, after which I went directly to work in a concern producing aluminum elements. I was a project manager and each year I had to fulfill a plan of sale of one of the elements. The boss used to give the limits. It was a stressful job, which didn't give me any satisfaction. I was working 10-12 hours per day and I had no idea what for. And one day I met a Spanish guy, who was working as a volunteer in a centre for children. I saw, how much joy he was getting form his work. In the evenings he was not tired, even though he was running whole day long. I have decided to try my chance. I didn't want to work in my own country, because it would be too easy. I wanted to go somewhere, where people have it more difficult than in Austria.

Immediately after coming to Poland I saw dirty streets and plastic bags flying everywhere around. The night made the impression even stronger. In the beginning I couldn't understand, why people don't care for the tidiness. It was a shock for me. I felt like grabbing a broom and starting to sweep. Now I don't even pay attention to it anymore.
In Garbowek (part of Gdynia), where I am working, every day I meet a man collecting metal cans. Probably it is his only income. He is dressed up very simple, every day wearing same clothes. And every day I see him smiling. I thought, if he is happy, I definitely can be happy, too.

I can see that despite the discomforts you are not losing your spirit. Less sometimes can mean more. Kids, with whom I work in the centre, usually have access only to crayons and some paints, but it is enough for them. To create, you don't have to have Barbie dolls.

I've learned one important thing in Poland - to listen to other people. It is difficult, but worth it. Because sometimes it is enough for them to make others happy.

I don't have children, but if I had and one day they would come to me and said that they want to live in Poland, i would answer: why not? I fell good here.

Stephan Koubowetz in a volunteers in the Centre for Youth Cooperation in Gdynia, he is working with children in the Centre of Social Prevention and in Socio-therapeutical Day-Room "Mrowisko" ("Ant hill"), he doesn't speak Polish

Gave me silence on the bus

* Fatima Jimenez Gomez from Spain, 30 years old

Poland gave me a new life.

In Spain I used to work really hard. Sometimes I was getting depressed, because people under my charge, after detoxication and curation were coming back to the streets. I was not able to understand, why they refuse to live normal life and prefer to chose the bottom. I was collapsing. All my work and faith in possibility of helping other people were breaking down. One day somebody tells me, that he wants to have a home, next day he refuses the help and runs away.

Seeing, that I am facing a crisis, a friend mentioned a possibility of going for EVS to me. I have decided to consider it a new challenge for me. And thanks to Poland I got my rest. Here I gained a new view for my life and finally I understood, who am I and what I actually can do for another person.

I work with physically and mentally disabled people. Helping Hand is a facility for disable people, who's close persons either died, or they need care themselves. I help them to wash themselves, dress up, I exercise with them, clean their noses, organize their time.

I have learned, that goodness doesn't need any words. Before that I used to talk a lot, I was explaining, telling stories. And it didn't work. Now often it is enough, that somebody looks at me, and I know what he needs.
But I miss touching. I have noticed that you are afraid of touching strangers or newly met people. I am used to hugging others. In Spain I cuddle with my homeless, we exchange kisses. And here, in the centre, people approached me with fear. When I was trying to hug one of the first person who was under my care, she simply run away. It was a huge fear, that I have never seen before. I had to work quite a lot to break through it. Even today I sometimes have to watch out with touching others. And it is not only about people from the centre, but all the others that I get to know all the time.

Long time has to pass, before sometimes will clap my shoulder. You are smiling, but the smile is not being followed by a gesture.

Poland made me more quiet, I appreciate silent busses and tramways. Here everything is subdued. The buildings, the weather, the nature, and people as well. But I appreciate it, because when I stay silent, I have time to think about myself.

Fatima Jimenez Gomez from Spain used to work with homeless people and drug addicts in the streets, in Poland since 5 months, she is volunteering in Society for Promoting Voluntarism in the centre for mentally and physically disabled people Helping Hand, she knows few words in Polish

Gave me a Christmas wafer frm the supermarket

* Maja Selan from Slovenia, 30 years old

When I came here for the first time, I had an impression that I am in Romania. Same kind of buildings, same sad people, even the language seemed similar.

But I guess you are distinguished by a specific voluntary spirit, not noticeable in any other country. In Slovenia I haven't met so many people eager for selfless help.

From the beginning I am working in the project "Understand the refugees", with which we are going from one school t another. We teach to young people the tolerance towards other nationalities and races. I think you really need this. Especially that since Poland entered European Union there are more and more immigrants here. And it is god, that we, foreigners, are leading the project, not Polish teachers. Kids can see, that we are not that scary. More and more schools ask us to come and present our simulation game.

The game allows the participants t learn, what can force the refuges to leave their countries and what kind of emotions they have to face, staying here without their families. It also encourages to think of possible solutions to the problems that the refugees face. The problems mainly concern integration with foreign culture and people living in Poland. Young people develop in themselves more positive approach towards immigrants. They get rid of xenophobia, which is often a problem amongst their parents.

What confuses me about Polish people is your loose relation to religion, even though you claim t be one hundred percent catholic.

Not often I can see people following the Ten Commandments. The wafer one hand represents to you something holy, and on the other hand you can buy it in the supermarkets. Then you go to consecrate it in the church. A circle like that.
Or you go to one shop. The selling lady is doing absolutely everything to please you. You go to another one, and you are treated very badly. Because f that mood swing, I can never know, what I will encounter. I can leave home in a great mood, and in five minutes somebody will spoil it. Through the first months I just felt like telling everybody: live and let live!

Poland thought me real, sincere openness - everybody is different and I should be ready for any possible behavior scenario. I can even laugh at in now.

Maja Selan comes from Ljubljana, she finished social pedagogic, since 15 months she is a volunteer in Robert Schumann's Foundation, she speaks Polish really well

Gave me a look from the top

* Hrystia Pavlutska from Ukraine, 21 year sold

Coming to Poland, I considered it an ideal country.

I used to think: Poland, wow, big world. A lot of my fellow-citizens come to work in your country and they always come back with only compliments on their lips. I've decided that I also want to see that country, which is only few hundred kilometers from my yard.

I took dean's leave for one year and here I am. I knew that you consider us the poor neighbor, but I have never felt like one.

Already the first trip reveled to me that the Polish ideal has some defects. I was going together with my Italian friend to one school in Lebork. At night we came to Gdynia and it occurred, that there are no train, that could take us further. In the information shelter nobody could explain to us, what have happened.

We visit different schools in Poland. We tell children about our people, customs, history. We try to change your ways of thinking, that is conserved even in the jokes about the "stupid Russian". Because for a lot of you we are simply Russians.

When I travel, I usually sleep at the local teacher's place. I have noticed that Western Poland knows much less about Ukraine then the Eastern part. I sometimes meet the statement, which used to bother me a lot. When People hear that I come from Lvov, they sigh with relieve and explain, that after all it is a Polish city, so I am Polish, too. After hearing something like this, I asked them, how would they feel if they would hear from a German, that Wroclaw is a German city, so they are German, too.

I was trying to explain, that ex. Bohdan Chmielnicki was considered a traitor by Polish people, but for Ukrainians he will always be a hero. And that they shouldn't be outraged by this. Thanks to all those conversations I managed to se myself - Ukrainian girl - with your eyes. I have understood, that I can be proud of my own nation.
I am trying to explain t young Poles, that Ukrainians are also normal people. For two years, together with my friends, we organize on a border crossing Dołhobyczów-Uhrynów a concert "Europejski Most - Granica 803" - European Bridge - Border 803 (the number of the border pole standing there). Three bands from Poland and from Ukraine perform. We are no worse than you are, because young people during the concerts is having same great fun anywhere.
My stay in Poland thought me to look differently on my own country. I understood my own country. Ukraine is conventionally divided into two parts. Eastern, where the extractive industry rules, considers us, Western Ukrainians, as lazy people. According to them we just sit in the pubs and smoke cigarettes. On the other hand we think of them as of a bit retarded.

It is a bit similar to the situation in your country. You also have nonchalant opinion about people from Eastern Poland and you make fun of their accent. And only in Poland I have noticed, that I am no better than that. I look from the top on those, who have less luck in life that I do, as after all I could have been in their place.

Hrystia Pavlutska since September 2008 is a volunteer at Roberta Schumann's Foundation, student of the applied linguistics, she travels around Poland with the program "Invite a volunteer to your school", she speaks Polish

Gave me appetite for children

* Gvantsa Grigalashvili from Georgia, 20 years old

I wanted to come to country, where the culture is at least a bit similar to my culture. Western Europe would be to big change for me. Africa haven't even slipped through my mind. Too hot and too big cultural differences. And Poland seemed somehow similar to Georgia. Warm people, helpful. "So familial", I thought.

And suddenly a surprise, because I have noticed, that young people want to get independent from their parents as soon as possible. They don't want to learn from their experiences. They don't want to listen. Sometimes it even happens, that parents don't know that their son is living with some girl.

This observation made me realize, how Georgian culture is important for me. We are very familial nation, strongly connected to tradition. Inseparably. Girls my age, and even 16 years old, are often married and it's not weird for anybody. Here it would be a great shock, because I can see, that pregnant teenagers arouse indignation.
And in Poland I understood, that I want to live like that, too. That I want to have a family for sure, give birth to a lot of children, depend on my husband. Because in my country a woman can depend on her husband and at the same time work with satisfaction. Multi-generational families live together under one roof and it's unthinkable for children to move out without a clear need. And in Poland every married couple has to have a house of their own and leave their parents as soon as possible. Polish girls want to have children later and later. You usually have one or two children. In my country about families so small we say that they are poor.

In Poland I understood how important it is for me to be Georgian. Georgia is not only a place on a map, in which I was born, but my reference point for everything. With a neighbor like Russia we are able to keep our independence and we don't allow them to interfere in our internal policy.

I like Poland, I have a lot of friends here, but it would be difficult for me to live here.

Gvantsa Grigalashvili - student of international relations, volunteer in Center of Youth Cooperation in Gdynia, she speaks Polish a bit, but she prefers to speak in English

In Poland there is around 360 international volunteers.

We have 70 non-governmental organizations, that host volunteers. Depending on the project, they work from 2 till 12 months. Biggest amount of them work in homes for elderly, centers for social care, taking care for physically disabled people, deaf-mutes, organizing free time for children from poor families. Organization in which the volunteer works, provides accommodation, food and medical care.

EVS Picnic yourself to Europe!

2009-05-21T10:36:00.000+02:00

How many EVS volunteers you need to eat a piece of cake? Thursday action in Belgrade was a perfect opportunity to get the answer for the question. We have stayed to share information, our experience and few kinds of cookies with everybody interested! Our choice of place for the picnic was rather unusual. Centre of Belgrade, no grazing land around, instead of that self-made paper flowers and great company! Not only old Ti u akciji members, but also Javier (Bucarest, he thought us hw to make the paper flowers:) and Justyna (EVS volunteer in Educativni Centar in Krushevac), fresh energy for our future actions! But that is not the end of the list! Big-big thank you to Govinda, our friend from Sofia, who was a great support and to Sinisha “Duh”, who provided us with very original soundtrack for our action!

Of course there would be no action if not all the people, who expressed interest in our “picnic on the concrete”. Thank you for devoting few valuable minutes to listen about European Voluntary Service and summer workcamps! We hope to hear from you again, soon!

THANK YOU to VEGA, organization which took our action under its wings again!

Ecological Centre in Sremski Karlovci

2009-05-21T10:35:00.000+02:00

There are no EVS volunteers coming if there are no organizations to host them. Starting from this obvious statement, Ecological Centre from Sremski Karlovci invited Ti u akciji (supported by Javier, Spanish volunteer staying for his project in Bucarest) for an info session.

We came a bit earlier to have our picnic-lunch (warming up before EVS Picnic day after) sitting in the meadow, in the quiet surrounding, with the fresh breeze from Danube as a main attraction. After eating, we took a walk around the main points of Sr. Karlovci, among them Dvorska Bashta, to check the effects of the cleaning action that took place few weeks ago. It was performed by the participants of “Youth for Nature” Youth Exchange, organized by Ana Teresa. Fortunately the action has a long-lasting effect.

After short visit to the local playground, the time had come to start main point of our visit. The info session was attended by few participants, fortunately very motivated and already familiar with Youth in Action Program. We tried some non formal education, introduced the participants to the culture shock theory and ways of using it for mutual benefit of the organization and the volunteer. Our idea was to focus on the perspective on EVS volunteer coming to the organization (not only to make our work easier;), but mainly to stress the perspective that is sometimes not considered important enough by organizations hosting volunteers). We keep our thumbs crossed for the EVS project in Karlovci and already are looking forward for next meeting! Especially if again it would be followed by the delicious pancakes prepared by Miki from the Eco Centre.

Volonter i Grad

2009-05-21T10:33:00.001+02:00

EVS volonter (latini: ludak). Sta moze da uradi za tebe? I zasto je doseo/la od toliko daleko da uradi ovo? Ima vise od 1,5 milijona odgovora na ovo piranie. Ali naucni fakt kaze, da EVS volonteri su vec ovde… moze cak cekaju bas za uglom. Jos jedan naucni fakt je, da ako te EVS volonter ujede, ima veliku sansu da i ti postanjes jedan/a od nih... Nema smisla da nosis svuda beli luk – EVS volontere vole ga! Nemoj da trazis bledu licu i velike, gladne oci – EVS volonteri izgledaju tacno kao i svi drugi na ulicama! Umesto da se skrivas, bolje da dobijes vise informacija o njihovima navicima, obicajima, sekretnima jezicima, svakodnevnoj hrane i picu. Posle kratkog vremena, verovatno ces imati dosta smelosti da licno pitas nesto EVS volontera a moze i sam/a nesto da kazes i pocnjes da se zanimas EVSom. Imas priliku da uradis ovo na primer u Zivoj biblioteci koja je spojenje nieformalnoj edukaciji i neformalnog rozgavora. Opustena atmosfera i solja puna caja su najbolje druzstvo za dobijanje vise detalja o mogucnostima i postupakima koje vode da i ti postanjes volonter u inostranstvu. Otvori Zivu knigu na ma koj strani i nadji idealnu pricu za sebe. Ako prvo hoces da dobijes vise detalja, pogledaj tiuakciji.blogspot.com.

EVS Volunteer (Latin; lunatic). What can s/he do for you? And why would s/he come from far-far away to do it? These questions have more than 1,5 million possible answers. But the scientific fact is, that EVS Volunteers are already here… maybe even waiting just behind the corner. Another scientific fact is, that if you get a bite from EVS Volunteer, you have big chances to become one of them… No sense to carry the garlic around – the EVS volunteers like it! Don’t look for pale faces and big, hungry eyes – the EVS volunteers look just like any other person in the street. Instead of hiding, try to get some more info about their habits, customs, secret languages, common food and drinks. After short time, get the courage to ask them questions and maybe even express your own opinion and interest. A chance for doing so is ex. a Living Library which is a fusion of non-formal education and a non-formal conversation. Relaxed atmosphere and a cup of hot tea are perfect companions for getting to know more details about possibilities and procedures leading to becoming a volunteer abroad. Open the living book on any page and find your perfect lecture. For more details check tiuakciji.blogspot.com.

WHERE THE WILD VOLUNTEERS ROAM ?

Novi Sad je sta EVS volontere vole najvise… bas nakon Fruske Gore! Svaku mogucnosc iskoriste ga idu u dovljinu! Ponekad ucastvuju u akcijama za ciscenje, katkad pridruze se na seminaru, ali najvise EVS volontere vole de idu zajedno sa prijateljama da nadju jos jedno najomiljeno mesto u FG! EVS volontere su prilicno pristojni, ne zale se previse, rade na vode, rakiji i kolacima. Tako kad ides na Frusku Goru, razmisli, moze vredno je da uzmes nekoliko EVS volontera za soboj? Nikad ne znas, kada mogu ce biti zgodni!

Novi Sad is what EVS Volunteers like the most… just after Fruska Gora! Any possible occasion they set out to go into the wild! Sometimes they participate in a cleanup action, another time they join a seminar, but most preferably EVS go together with their friends to discover another favorite place in FG! EVS Volunteers are rather fit, don’t complain a lot, run on water, rakija and cookies. So if you are going to Fruska Gora, think, maybe it’s worth to take some of them with you? You never know when they might have come handy.

What is EVS (European Voluntary Service)?

2009-04-08T12:02:00.002+02:00

Who can go for EVS?

For an EVS project, according to the Youth in Action rules, can go a person who:
- is between 18 an 30 years old;
- doesn't have to have any qualications or experiences, doesn't have to know any foreign language (as far as Hosting Organization does not require this)
- the only criteria is a strong motivation, age and a citizenship of one of the countries participating in the project (or - for volunteers from outside of the Program Countries - holding a temporary/permanent registration card).

What do I have to do to go for EVS ?

- Contact a sending organization in Serbia
- arrange a meeting with them or with us, Ti u akciji
- after common decision of co-operation, we start looking for a partner to host a volunteer (Hosting Organization)
- if a Hosting Organization accepted your application, it's a time to fill-in a grant application. Hosting and Sending Organizations, together fill-in the agreement and decide to which National Agency to apply - in the sending or in the hosting country.
- Each Hosting organization can apply with a project within 5 deadlines: 1st of February, 1st of April, 1st of June, 1st of September, 1st of November. This means that they have to find a volunteer about two weeks before each of the deadlines. Sometimes they found someone already long time ago, sometimes someboy is already at the project and they don't have capacity for more volunteers at the moment. Situation can be different in every organization.
If you decide to look for a vacancy on your own, it's good to chose more projects, e.g. 5, 10 or even 20. Then either a coordinator from a sending organization or you can send e-mails to each organization asking if they are currently looking for a volunteers. If the answer is positive, we send CV and motivation letter to the organization an wait for the result!
- From the deadline when the project is send to the National Agency till the beginning of the project at least 3 months have to pass (so if the project was applied with the deadline of 1st of Februray, it cannot start earlier that the1st of May). This period can be longer, but never shorter.

How long an EVS project lasts?

EVS projects last between 2 and 12 months. You can participate in an EVS project only once. Exeptional are short-term projects (between 2 weeks and 2 months) - after participating in a short-term project you can still apply for a long-term project. This option is available only for youth with less opportunities!

Where to find the projects?

EVS projects start on-going through the whole year. The database with the projects, or rather with the Hosting Organizations, is available on the internet: ec.europa.eu/youth/evs/aod/

What about the food and accommodation?

EVS volunteers have food money, accommodation and personal pocketmoney provided. The work at the project is voluntary and not a job for earning money. Pocketmoney is calculated according the students' standard (so from time to time you can afford a cinema, pub, swimming pool, museums or galleries, but on our shopping list you won't have expensive restaurants, braned stores or guide tours - for a volunteer it boring anyway!)

How do I get to the project country?

Your travel costs are paid within the project money. Before applying with the project you need to estimate the travel costs and choose the means of transport.
There are different ways of traveling: on foot, by bike, hitchhiking, with a bus, a taxi, a train or a plane. Travelling by plane is fast, easy and not so expensive. Unortunatelly planes use a lot of energy. Plane fumes are one of the main reasons of a global climate change and the air traffic contaminates enviornment more than any other mean of transport. So before booking your plane ticken, check - maybe it's worth to travel with a different mean of transport.

Is the project only work and nothing else?

Of course NO! The important part of every project is getting to know the country and the environment, in which you stay. Also learning a local language and customs. After a day of work and during the weekends you will have a lot of time to play, sightsee, swim, dance, discuss, play football, sing, write letters, learn local sayings... Some of the volunteers even fall in love or find a pemanent jobs.
There are many different EVS projects. They can concern, e.g. working in a centre fo refugees (teaching English or organising free time activities for the habitants), or on an organic farm connected with educating children about living in peace with nature, or working with disabled people, helping them to participate in cultural, sport and social life.
Being an EVS is one of a kind opportunity to taste the real life in another country and getting to know wonderful people, which is also hard and important job.

Am I insured during the project?

YES! - every EVS volunteer is insured for the time of the project together with time of the travel within the AXA group insurance.

For further details about EVS you can always contact us at ti.u.akciji@gmail.com and find many other information with the website www.maldiuakciji.rs

2009-03-17T16:32:00.002+01:00

On the 11^th of March, in one of the offices of the South Bačka Administrative District, Ti u Akciji group has been invited by the district governor Darija Šajin to take part in a meeting about possibilities of voluntarism and youth policies in the area of South Bačka, along with many NGOs from the ten municipalities of the district and from Croatia (Volonterski Centar from Osijek and Šalter from Vukovar).

We began introducing in a funny way all the members of the group, then we continued talking about the history of Italian Civil Service and about how the Youth in Action Program and more accurately the European Voluntary Service work, to finish with the presentation of all the activities of Ti u Akciji implemented in the last three months, with a particular focus on Living Libraries and Book Releasing Parties.

We had also the chance of talking about our future ideas and of broadening the range of our acquaintances which could be useful to plan new events in other parts of Vojvodina. Let’s hope.

Sajam Omladinskih Ideja

2009-03-13T14:50:00.002+01:00

Living Libraries in Kruševac and Leskovac

2009-03-13T14:21:00.004+01:00

And we continue our trip around Serbia...

Our second stop was in Kruševac, our "Ti u akciji" collegue living there, Bouke, organize with the help of her organization, Edukativni Centar (and our participation), workshops and Living Library in the high school of Kruševac.
Unfortunately, the weather of this day was cold and the heating wasn't working in the high school, so we were missing some participants.
But we were there with the participants from this high school. As most of them don't have 18 years old yet, we spoke less about EVS project but mainly on how to create a Youth Exchange.
And as well, some workshops to connect the activities to the "non-formal" learning methods (learning by doing and participating).
We are waiting now the proposition of this youngsters to create and write with them a Youth Exchange.

And then, we arrive in Leskovac. The session was held in Edukacioni Centar with as well youngster from different high schools in the city.
We had very active participants and the session hung up with new ideas for the participants to create new projects now and after maybe EVS.
We had mainly games to get to know each others and the cultural diversity, it was an opportunity as well to exchange about culture and languages between all of us.

Thanks to all the participants as well...

Living Library & Book Release Party II in Belgrade

2009-03-13T14:04:00.005+01:00

Yes, yes… the world does not end on Novi Sad! After all, every third potential Serbian volunteer lives in Belgrade! That is why Ti u akciji simply could not refuse to an opportunity of gathering in Belgrade. Our host was VEGA organization, in which Vicky is lucky to be an EVS volunteer. The organization is situated in Arka Barka Hostel and we were just astonished with the place. The building is floating on Danube, so just imagine… afternoon at Danube, with a great view to Kalamegdan Fortress by night!

Fortunately more people came to join us in admiring the great view and enjoying hot tea. Of course it did not end on staring through the windows. Soon we started workshops on Intercultural Learning and Living Library, completed with short movies from different Youth in Action projects. We gained a lot of new readers in our Volunteers’ Library. All of the Living Books were being read very carefully and with a lot of interest. Hopefully we got some readers, who will want to come back to the lecture and try to use the information in practice. In other words: GO FOR EVS! 8 letters of a one, good advise!

Suddenly from a Library we moved to a party place. It was time to start second edition of Book Releasing Party! People were coming, bringing books, taking some other books instead, more people were coming… It got really crowded in the floating hostel. Ti u akcji just took opportunity to sit, relax and watch everything going smoothly, with joining the dancing activities from time to time! Mardi Gras was close, after all!

THANK YOU to Vega for letting us to use the space and for facilitating the party. THANK YOU to all of our old and new friends, who joined us for the Library and Book Releasing! We are looking forward to see all of you again, soon!

Living Library in EHO

2009-03-13T12:38:00.013+01:00

A session were held, on the 19th of February, in the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization (EHO) in Novi Sad (www.ehons.org) who are actively involved in building a cohesive civil society in Serbia by working in the following areas: poverty reduction, development of interchurch cooperation and promotion of human rights.

We met in the organization, the participants who were interesting in the programme and our contact Tamara (and for the translation from English to Serbian) who received us and prepared the session with the youngsters with fewer opportunities. It was a real pleasure to meet them and to explain that they have the possibility to participate to the Youth In Action programme as everyone else. Indeed one of the priority of this programme is to encourage projects with a thematic focus on inclusion.

"One of the participant, who has a physical disability told us that he came because he was the first time that someone told him that he could volunteer and help the others as well."

We began the session with a name game to get to know each others, to get a good atmosphere and an active participation within the group.
During the session, we explain what is the Youth In Action programme, European Voluntary Service project and Youth Exchange project. The Youth Exchange was explained because some of the participants were under 18 years old. The EVS project is mainly for youth above 18 years old.
We explain how to build a Youth Exchange project, that the ideas are coming from the youth. And that we can build wide and different projects.

We are trying to send in short term, 2 EVS volunteer in Spain with fewer opportunities. We will apply for them in the Spanish National Agency to the deadline, 1st of April. For all of this work, thanks to Carmen, one of "Ti u akciji" member working mainly about inclusion.

And thanks to the participants who participate to the Living Library.

Living Library in Radio Cafe

2009-03-13T12:37:00.004+01:00

On the 17th of February, in Radio cafe, we had one of our Living Library in Novi Sad.
First of all, thanks to Radio Cafe for providing to us the space and materials to made our promotion of the Youth In Action programme and voluntarism in general.
Our public for this Living Library was mainly students and their interests for traveling and volunteering abroad were, we hope, satisfied. We were focusing on European Voluntary Service (EVS).
We began our session by showing a movie made by EVS, to let them get a better idea of what can be the wide activities that made nowadays around Europe the EVS volunteers and countries of course.

Thus, to understand what is Youth In Action programme and EVS, we made as often an interactive questionnaire. The participants were divided in 3 groups to make them challenging each others and participating actively.

And finally, the Living Library as usual, thanks to Milovan from Volunteer Centre Vojvodina to participate with us. Milovan was doing an EVS in Sweden, so he explained his experience as EVS volunteer abroad; meeting with a new culture, dealing with a new language, new organization with their own activities, etc.
It was important for us to show that this programme is real and youth Serbian already participate and went abroad within it.

Thanks to all the participants...

The Book Releasing Party, II edition in Belgrade !!

2009-02-17T10:42:00.005+01:00

Living Library in Belgrade

2009-02-17T10:37:00.002+01:00

This is an invitation to a Living Library Workshop on voluntarism and intercultural learning, aimed especially for young people who are interested in volunteering abroad!
For details about place and time see the poster below.

So, what is a Living Library exactly?

Living Library is an interactive way of learning. That is, speaking with Living Books-persons who are there to answer to your curiosity on a subject they have some experience! The Living Books in this case will be current long-term volunteers in Serbia who will be leading the workshop.

During the workshop through games, energizers and discussions we introduce the participants to the idea of intercultural learning and voluntarism.

Informal atmosphere and a cup of hot tea are perfect companions for getting to know more details about possibilities and procedures leading to becoming a volunteer abroad. Every Living Book says a different story: about Youth Exchanges, coping with cultural shock, human rights and peace education, workcamps, environmental protection and many more. Just come, join us for a tea, open a book on whatever page you wish and find your perfect lecture! See you there!

Next Living Library

2009-02-11T12:07:00.002+01:00

BOOK YOUR TIME FOR A BOOK

2009-02-10T11:58:00.002+01:00

"So, what is it all about?" someone asked. "Well, it's a network for exchanging books. You leave your book in any place you like, so that someone can find it, read it and release again. Then another person finds it, and so on, so the book lives the life of it's own." one of Ti u akciji members is repeating the fixed and memorized by heart explanation. "Hm, it won't work here. You've chosen wrong place for action like that." answers the skeptical participant of The Book Releasing Party.

Will it work or not? – it's too late for that discussion, as the BRP is going with full steam already! On our own backs we brought more than 100 books to Stara Frida to put them on the tables all around the place. Each book has a hand written note inside, explaining what BookXing is about and informing, that the book can be registered at www.bookcrossing.com. Our books freshly joined the programme, but we hope that soon we will get surprised when checking their itinerary! So wherever you go, please, remember to take one paper friend with you, to let it live the journey of it's life! Don't let them get lost in the depths of your drawer, let them be free!

The party lasted until 3 a.m. For this we would sincerely want to thank to our friends, old ones and new ones, who joined us for this event. Of course Stara Frida team deserves a great hug and thank you for lending us the space and for staying with us until the last book! And let's not forget Environmental Engineering Group that helped a lot with promotion of the event.

We were working a lot through days before the BRP, and this meeting was a great opportunity to relax and simply enjoy watching the books disappearing. Books in Serbian, Hungarian, English. We even had one book from Greek BookCrossing community! Novels, poetry, guides, handbooks, for children, for adults, about life, love, about everything and about nothing. It's just impossible not to find something perfectly suitable for yourself! Maybe one day we'll meet some of the books again. In the coffee house, city park or a bus, or maybe it's the last time we saw each other. But still it was a pleasure for us to be a part of their story!

Of course none of this could happen without people and institutions who shared their books with us! Great thanks to Hellena, Ida and Milovan from Volunteers' Centre of Vojvodina as well as Students' Culture Centre of Novi Sad (especially to Pecinko) and Matica Srpska (Rasha in particular!). And one anonymous donor, who brought Macbeth directly to the party. We are really grateful for your support!

And hopefully it was just first of the whole series of similar events. All over Novi Sad, in Sremski Karlovci, Futog, Becej, Subotica, Sombor, Temerin, Zrenjanin, Kikinda... list is getting longer and longer! So remember: READ and RELEASE!!!

The Living Library in Centar za razvoj karijere i savetovanje studenata

2009-02-05T11:52:00.015+01:00

First of all, THANKS TO THE CENTAR ZA RAZVOJ KARIJERE I SAVETOVANJE STUDENATA for providing us the space and STUDENTI KULTURNI CENTAR for helping us to contact the Centar za razvoj Karijere i savetovanje studenata.

Then thanks to all the participants of the Living Library for their interest and their active participation.

It was a nice time that we spent together exchanging about the Youth In Action programme and non-formal learning.

We began the session by knowing each others with a name game to get to know the name and to create a nice atmosphere in the group to continue the session...

Some short movies were displayed about Youth In Action (YIA) programme, about Youth Exchange (YE) and European Voluntary Service (EVS), movies made by the youth... to get acknowledge on the different activities of the programme.

And as well, some queries about YIA programme, a funny way to understand more about it. The participants were divided in 2 groups to answer the queries, we use this way to have an opportunity to give them some information about the YIA programme and the EVS.
A short presentation of the YIA programme to detail it and to answer the queries...
All these games were made to interact and learn from each others.

And then the Living Library where we were all, "Ti u akciji" members a differents, then see below:

Living Library is a fusion of non-formal education and a non-formal conversation. An invitation for a small group or eye to eye discussions between participants and Living Books (that means long-term volunteers leading the workshops). Informal atmosphere and a cup of hot tea are perfect companions for getting to know more details about possibilities and procedures leading to becoming a volunteer abroad. Every Living Book says a different story: about Youth Exchanges, coping with cultural shock, human rights and peace education, workcamps, environmental protection and many more.

The Book Releasing Party !!

2009-01-26T16:28:00.003+01:00

BookCrossing is earth-friendly, and gives you a way to share your books, clear your shelves, and conserve precious resources at the same time. Through our own unique method of recycling reads, BookCrossers give life to books. A book registered on BookCrossing is ready for adventure.

Leave it on a park bench, a coffee shop, at a hotel on vacation. Share it with a friend or tuck it onto a bookshelf at the gym -- anywhere it might find a new reader! What happens next is up to fate, and we never know where our books might travel. Track the book's journey around the world as it is passed on from person to person.

Join hundreds of thousands of active BookCrossers daily in our many forums to discuss your favorite authors, characters and books in every genre throughout history right up through current releases.

Join BookCrossing. Help make the whole world a library and share the joy of literacy. Reading becomes an adventure when you BookCross!

All these information come from the official website of the bookcrossing, http://bookcrossing.com/

Next Living Library

2009-01-23T13:38:00.003+01:00

EVS Journal Crossing

2009-01-23T13:35:00.003+01:00

Remember our on-arrival training in Sarajevo? That's when idea of "Ti u akciji" was born. To be more detailed it was during one of our lazy lunches!

We came back to Serbia, met some more people fitting our profile;) (two volunteers from Italy doing their Civil Service) and had the first meeting in Belgrade! Our common aim was to promote EVS and Long-term Volunteering and that was enough to develop our project! Living Library, Bookcrossing, EVS Slava, Urban Playground, Internet contact platform for EVS volunteers - these are some of our ideas.

Another one is the EVS journal that for some readers you may hold right now.

So what is it about? It's simply a paper, where you can share your EVS experience and pass it over to another volunteer. This way we can all get connected and leave a trace of our projects! It's very simple! Just write as much as you wish about yourelf, your project, your surrounding, past, present or future... Don't forget about the others! Let the journal live its life and pass it to another volunteer!

We would like to keep an eye on the journal's journey, so if you receive it, please, come on this blog and leave us an info about it!

1st edition on the living library on the 20th of december

2009-01-20T20:31:00.006+01:00

TI U AKCIJI invited some participants to join the first edition of workshops on Intercultural Dialog (ICL) and Living Library about volunteering in American Corner in Novi Sad.

European Voluntary Service volunteers from Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Poland and Greece hosted the meeting about encountering new Cultures and how this connects with voluntarism.
Two Italian Civil volunteers were participating and organizing as well.

Youth In Action programme

2009-01-15T18:24:00.010+01:00

Youth in Action is the Programme the European Union has set up for young people. It aims to inspire a sense of active European citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union's future. It promotes mobility within and beyond the EU's borders, non-formal learning and intercultural dialogue, and encourages the inclusion of all young people, regardless of their educational, social and cultural background: Youth in Action is a Programme for all!

Every year, thousands of projects are submitted by promoters in order to get financial support from the Programme; a selection process aims at granting the best projects.

(...)

The Youth in Action Programme aims to respond at European level to the needs of young people from adolescence to adulthood. It makes an important contribution to the acquisition of competences and is therefore a key instrument in providing young people with opportunities for non-formal and informal learning with a European dimension. (...) As an important instrument in reinforcing active citizenship, it also supports the Framework of European Cooperation in the youth field and the Commission’s Plan D for Democracy, dialogue and debate .

(...)

The general objectives stated in the legal basis of the Youth in Action Programme are to:

-> promote young people’s active citizenship in general and their European citizenship in particular

-> develop solidarity and promote tolerance among young people, in particular in order to foster social cohesion in the European Union

-> foster mutual understanding between young people in different countries

-> contribute to developing the quality of support systems for youth activities and the capabilities of civil society organisations in the youth field

-> promote European cooperation in the youth field.

Who can participate in the Youth in Action Programme?

Young people and youth workers naturally constitute the main target population of the Programme. However, the Programme reaches these individuals through promoters. Conditions for participation in the Programme therefore relate to these two actors: the ‘participants‘ (individuals participating in the Programme) and the ’promoters‘ (in most cases, legally established organisations). For both participants and promoters, conditions for participation depend on the country in which they are based.

Eligible participants

Are you young person aged between 13 and 30 years old or somebody active in youth work or youth organisations legally resident in one of the Programme or Partner Countries?

If so, you can be a participant of a Youth in Action project, depending on the Action and sub-Action concerned. (...)

Non-formal learning

The Youth in Action Programme provides important opportunities for young people to acquire skills and competences. Therefore it is a key instrument for non-formal and informal learning in a European dimension.

Non-formal learning refers to the learning which takes place outside formal educational curriculum. Non-formal learning activities involve people on a voluntary basis and are carefully planned, to foster the participants' personal and social development.

Informal learning refers to the learning in daily life activities, in work, family, leisure, etc. It is mainly learning by doing. In the youth sector, informal learning takes place in youth and leisure initiatives, in peer group and voluntary activities etc.

Non-formal and informal learning enables young people to acquire essential competences and contributes to their personal development, social inclusion and active citizenship, thereby improving their employment prospects. Learning activities within the youth field provide significant added value for young people as well as for the economy and society at large.

Non-formal and informal learning activities within the Youth in Action Programme are complementary to the formal education and training system. They have a participative and learner-centred approach, are carried out on a voluntary basis and are therefore closely linked to young people's needs, aspirations and interests. By providing an additional source of learning and a route into formal education and training, such activities are particularly relevant to young people with fewer opportunities.

(...)

Projects funded by the Youth in Action Programme have to adhere to the non-formal learning principles. These are:

-> learning in non-formal learning is intended and voluntary

-> education takes place in a diverse range of environments and situations for which training and learning are not necessarily the sole or main activity

-> the activities may be staffed by professional learning facilitators (such as youth trainers/workers) or volunteers (such as youth leaders or youth trainers)

-> the activities are planned but are seldom structured by conventional rhythms or curriculum subjects

-> the activities usually address specific target groups and document learning in a specific, field oriented way.

All informations and more are available on the following link http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/doc74_en.htm in general and in the programme guide in particular.