10 Country Partners on board!
The Foundation for Democratic Youth welcomes our 10 European Country Partners from the following countries: Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Moldova, Netherlands, Romania, UK. Those organizations who still haven't applied should hurry up if they want to join this prominent group, because preparations will have to start soon. Youth Service America gave us very positive feedback about the quality of the applications.
EYSD TIPS
Registering your event
One of the most important features of Global Youth Service Day is that it is measurable. Each year, the number of young people who decide to do some voluntary action on this day increases. We in Europe have so far not been the biggest contributors to these numbers, but this year, it is going to change! That is why we would like to ask all Country Partners to make sure that all youth projects are registered on the GYSD website, at this link:
Let's make European Youth Service Day a noticeable event in Europe, as well as globally.
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Media outreach
Working with the media, the tricks and techniques of getting journalists to listen to the message and transmit it properly differs in every country and at times can be really hard. But when planning an event (and building a brand), a little media buzz can be extremely useful.
Here are a few tips:
- When dealing with the press, try to have a short and clear message;
- Convincing a few public figures to act as "ambassadors" of the cause might be a good way to generate attention;
- Don't forget that 2011 is the European Year of Volunteering.
COUNTRY PROFILE / PROJECT IDEAS
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2009 FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD (from the Global Youth Service Day 2008 & 2009 Final Report)
Although right now, we are busy forming a European tradition, it might be useful to turn towards other parts of the world and see how other countries celebrate Global Youth Service Day. Here are a few examples from places outside Europe.
In Afghanistan, students and teachers partnered with Youth in Action Association and local Rotary and Lincoln Center members to celebrate Global Youth Service Day in Jalalabad. More than 85 students with the Global Connections and Exchange (GCE) program presented skits, followed by group discussions and workshops about narcotics, narcotics, education, volunteer work, time management and ethics. Activities culminated with an awards ceremony sponsored by Jalalabad education officials.
In Bangladesh, students participated in environment, health, traffic safety and technology projects. Schools in Dhaka, Jessore, Comilla and Chittagong organized a trash pick-up project as they cleaned their school, classrooms, and nearby communities. At
the Pahatali Girls’ High school in Chittagong, a teacher and students went house to house providing information about basic health care such as personal hygiene, nutrition and handwashing. In Gazipur, students of Rani Bilashmoni Boys High School re-
paired the zebra crossing in front of their school.
In Kenya, National Lead Agency Kenya Slum Youths Development Organization (KESYDO) organized an awareness campaign around the Millennium Development Goals, highlighting the role young people can play in the country's development.
In Pakistan, six organizations across the country organized events for Global Youth Service Day, including events that combine the celebrations of volunteerism with a focus on environmental awareness and celebrations of Earth Day.
In Palestine, West Bank Community-Based Learning and Action Centers in Jenin, Nablus, Hebron, and Salfeet organized GYSD projects. Projects included offering free medical check-ups for bloodpressure, diabetes, blood type and heigh and weight measurements in underserved villages, tutoring programs, recycling campaigns, school repair, and public health education campaigns.
In Rwanda, Disney Minnie Grantees organized a mentoring program for fellow students with HIV/AIDS and an anti-bullying campaign in their school.
GYSD QUOTE
In Taiwan, President Chen Shui-bian spoke to youth volunteers, saying "A single individual who spends 1,000 hours doing good deserves respect, but if 1,000 people each spend one hour as a volunteer, the benefits to society are even broader and more enduring.”