In this page you can find summaries of the activities and events organised by ICYE in the past. Should you be interested in receiving the full activity report or further details please contact the organiser.

YOUTH UNITED AGAINST VIOLENCE Training Course for Youth Workers from EU and LA countries - Antigua, Guatemala - 09-15 February 2007 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office in cooperation with CCPVJ - Coalicion Centroamericana para la prevencion de la violencia Juvenil (Honduras) and APREDE – Asociacion para la prevencion del delito juvenil, Guatemala Final activity report [1.7 MB] ICYE International Office, the Central American Alliance for prevention of youth violence - CCPVJ and APREDE - Asociacion para la prevention del delito, jointly ran a training course for youth workers in 5 EU and 5 Central American/Carribean countries from 9th to 15th February 2007 in Antigua Guatemala. The course was entitled "Youth United against violence" and was supported by the Youth Programme of the European Union. It aimed at building up the capacity of youth organisations and of agencies/networks specialized on youth violence prevention and to enable them to cooperate with each others in providing volunteering and non-formal learning opportunities to young people, with particular focus on the European Voluntary Service programme. The programme included inputs by experts, transfer of know-how, discussion groups and workshops as well as a project visit to a youth centre involved in violence prevention campaigns in Guatemala City and testimonies by former youth gang members. An official reception at the Ministry of Culture in the National Palace was followed by a field excursion to "La Linea" a neighborhood badly affected by youth gang violence. Participants from EU and Latin American countries expressed their concern regarding the increase of violence particularly in Central America and their motivation to cooperate with each others in providing challenging and meaningful non-formal learning opportunities to socially excluded young people by implementing EVS projects related to this field of work.

Empowering and Motivating Young Volunteers Training Course on Volunteer Management in International Youth Organisations - Chisinau, Moldova - December 07-13 2006 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office in cooperation with ADVIT Moldova Final activity report [7.8 MB] The aims of this training were twofold: on one hand to enable partner organisations in EU and in EECA countries to improve the quality of youth mobility activities, especially in relation to the management of volunteers under the EVS programme scheme, and on the other to share knowledge and expertise on how to recruit, retain and recognize volunteers within their distinct national/local structures and contexts. Staff and volunteer youth workers from 11 EU and 6 EECA countries were trained on: Strategies for involving local/national volunteers in the work of international youth organisations as well as on best practice in managing national/local volunteer networks Volunteer Management in EVS - “Maximizing the impact of EVS on the volunteer’s personal development and on the local host and sending communities” Strategies for supporting the re- integration process of international volunteers back home and for fostering their motivation to become actively involved in the sending organizations work / in the local community. Equally, this seminar was an opportunity to assess the impact of voluntary service programmes in the respective host communities and develop strategies for raising their status by promoting visibility and recognition of volunteer work. The programme included inputs by experts, transfer of know-how, discussion groups and workshops as well as project visits to two EVS host organisations: a child care centre (Small Group Home) and to a refugee centre (Main Direction of Refugees), providing first hand information by the respective volunteers and hosts and multiple learning opportunities for the participants.

Exploring the potential of volunteers in HIV and AIDS education and prevention Training Course for youth workers in EU and SEE countries - Birmingham, United Kingdom - 23-29 September 2006 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office in cooperation with Freshwinds, Birmingham and ICYE UK, London Final activity report [6.04 MB] ICYE International Office, Freshwinds and ICYE UK jointly ran a training course for youth workers in the EU and SEE countries from 23rd September to 29th September 2006 at Freshwinds Birmingham headquarters. The course was entitled - Exploring the potential of volunteers in HIV and AIDS education and prevention. It brought together youth workers of ICYE member and partner organisations as well as representatives of HIV/AIDS prevention and care agencies to prepare them for their tasks in an upcoming EU-SEE multilateral EVS project on HIV and AIDS as well as to empower them to network and to develop partnerships around innovative projects. Delegates convened for an icebreaking session on Sunday, starting with sightseeing around Birminghams extensively modernised city centre, and continuing into a cultural evening before the main business of the week commenced on Monday. The programme started out with a presentation and discussions about HIV and AIDS prevention and care on a global level focussing then on the context-specific situations in the participants countries, particularly in the UK, in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. Participants greatly appreciated the opportunity to visit three different HIV and AIDS prevention and care projects in the Birmingham area and to talk to the respective project coordinators. The programme furthermore included training modules on the practical aspects of developing and managing EVS multilateral volunteer exchange projects as well as brainstorming and planning sessions on new project initiatives. The Birmingham TC was particularly successful in developing new - and strenghthening the existing - partnerships between the present EU and SEE organisations which have agreed on a number of concrete follow-up activities. Furthermore the participating organisations agreed on commonn quality standards for implementing the EU-SEE multilateral EVS project in the field of HIV and AIDS prevention. This EU financed project which will start in March 2007 will enable the participating organisations to exchange 11 volunteers for a duration of 9 months.

Youth volunteering in sensitive contexts Training course on Refugees, Migrants and IDPs in EEAC and EU countries - Baku, Azerbaijan - 4-10 February 2006 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office in cooperation with AYAFE, Azerbaijan Final activity report [7,66 MB] The project aimed at building up the capacity of EU and EEAC youth and refugee/IDP/migrant organisations by enabling a transfer of know-how in view of their engagement in current and future bi- and multilateral EVS projects. The programme included inputs by experts, transfer of know-how, discussion groups and workshops as well as project visits to refugee and IDP Centres in Baku and surroundings providing first hand information and multiple learning opportunities. The participants shared experiences about the work with refugees/IDP’s and migrants in each others countries with a particular focus on the context of IDP’s and refugee issues in the Caucasus region. They also acquired soft skills for their future tasks in hosting and sending EVS volunteers in sensitive contexts. The training course prepared the ground and supported the implementation of a multilateral EVS project run from September 2006 to June 2007 by the ICYE International Office and its partners in EU and EECA countries, whereby 14 volunteers will be working in refugee, migrant and IDP communities.

Youth in Action / Juventud en Acción EU - LA Seminar on youth participation, active citizenship and local governance - Porto Alegre, Brazil - 4-10 February 2006 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office in cooperation with ABIC Brazil The seminar "Youth in Action - Juventud en Acción" took place in Porto Alegre, Brazil from the 4th to 10th of February 2006 and brought together 25 youth leaders from 7 European and 6 Latin American countries: Austria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Bolivia, Brazil Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay. The main aim of this seminar was to foster youth mobility and volunteering as a means to enhance positive youth action with emphasis on youth work models which empower young people through their active participation in local development. It was a follow-up to the seminar held in Sambo Creek, Honduras in June 2004 now involving new partners in 5 South American countries. The participants were youth workers/youth leaders and local authority policy makers from European and Latin American countries, to discuss policy and practice related to youth participation with particular emphasis on Latin American Local Governance models and the EU White Paper on Youth. The activities included an exchange of experience regarding best practice in fostering youth participation and active citizenship; training on aims and procedures of the YOUTH programme (Action 1 and 2) as well as an assessment of the impact of YOUTH projects run between the present EU and LA organisations over the past years. Participants reflected upon priorities and needs of youth work in their countries and developed innovative forms of cooperation between their organisations. By doing interviews and visiting public youth-serving agencies and local youth NGO's, participants were able to gain insight into youth work practice and the situation of young people in Porto Alegre. On March 8th, 2006, the Mayor of Porto Alegre, Jose Fogaça, received the international group in the Porto Alegre Municipal Palace. Foto: João Fiorin / PMPA The Mayor thanked the participants for their visit and informed them about the recent creation of the Secretariat of Youth which supports initiatives and programs directed to youth which can be carried out in partnership between the municipal agencies and local youth NGO's. In the following meeting with the Municipal Secretary of Youth Mauro Zacher participants were able to ask questions and to discuss how young people are/can be involved in decision-making and community development processes. Mr. Zacher underlined the importance of the work of organisations such as ICYE and ABIC for the benefit of local youth and offered his cooperation for any future undertakings. He mentioned the plan to hold a global youth gathering in Porto Alegre, following the spirit of the World Social Forum for which he warmly invited the ICYE Federation.

South Balkan Youth Dialogue - EU SEE Study Visit to Macedonia and Albania - Skopje, Bitola, Ohrid, Struga, Pogradec, Tirana - September 19-25, 2005 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final activity report [1,5 MB] The study visit, supported by the Youth Programme of the European Union, was an activity implemented by the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) in cooperation with the Macedonian and Albanian partner organisations: YCS, YMCA Macedonia, Youth Forum EYE Struga (Macedonia) and Albanian Society in Development (ASD). It aimed at enhancing the co-operation on youth work and youth policy between EU countries youth workers and Albanian and Macedonian representatives of youth NGOs, voluntary service organisations, public institutions and local authorities, with a particular focus on youth exchange and voluntary service opportunities provided by the EU YOUTH programme. By organising an itinerant study visit in the above mentioned countries and involving youth from different ethnic, religious and social backgrounds, the project provided participants with a safe space for dialogue as well as intercultural learning opportunities. Numerous project visits and meetings with local institutions such as the Municipalities of Butel, Bitola and Pogradec, as well as, a Roma Children Center run by Balkan Sunflowers Albania were used to promote participation of youth minority groups in activities enhancing interethnic tolerance and understanding in the South Balkan countries. On September 23rd the group was warmly welcomed by Mr Bujar Leskaj, Albanian Minister of Youth, Culture, Sport and Tourism, who offered his cooperation and expressed his full support for future EU Youth Programme activities in benefit of the Albanian youth. Presentations by Macedonian and Albanian youth NGO's such as YCS YMCA MACEDONIA, YOUTH FORUM EYE, PRO KULTURA BITOLA, ALBANIAN YOUTH COUNCIL, ACTION PLUS, MJAFT as well as UNV Albania enabled participants to learn from examples of best youth work practices, and to enhance cooperation and collaborative agreements around opportunities provided by the YOUTH programme, laying emphasis upon youth work models which empower young people through their active participation in local development.

Training Course on fostering positive youth Action and partnership between EU and SEE countries - Berlin, Germany - June 8-13, 2005 - With the support of the Youth Programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final activity report [1,6 MB] The main aim of this training course was to enhance young people’s participation, leadership skills and their engagement in civil society by providing a common training and networking opportunity to representatives of voluntary organisations and NGO’s and agencies active in civic education and youth participation programmes. Given the complexity of issues affecting young people and civil society in EU and SEE countries, this training course was needed to prepare the ground for future theme-related European Voluntary Service projects between the two regions. Both the training and the exchange of young volunteers aimed at supporting the work of respective host projects in promoting youth active citizenship as well as demonstrating the need and potential for cooperation in an European context. Against this background, this training course brought together 19 youth workers from 4 SEE countries and from 7 EU countries to: train them on aims and procedures of the EVS programme as well as preparing them for their roles and tasks as sending, hosting and co-ordinating organisations in envisaged multilateral EVS projects empower their organisations in EU and SEE countries to network and engage in partnerships and forge new forms of co-operation raise the quality of multilateral EVS projects by enabling transfer of know-how and sharing of experiences regarding participatory methods of youth work.

EU-CIS Training Course on Youth Programme Partnership Building and Project Management - Minsk, Belarus - March 3-9, 2005 - With the support of the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final activity report: [1,1 MB] Representatives of youth organisations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, England, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine, participated in a training course on partnership building and project management to further stimulate the development of theme related EU – EECA (Eastern Europe and Caucasus) volunteer and youth exchange projects under the YOUTH Programme of the European Commission. The course focused on capacity building, transfer of know-how on partnership-building and project management, and cooperation in social inclusion projects, dealing with empowerment of youth with less opportunities.

EU-SEE Training Course on Youth Programme Partnership Building and Project Management - Vukovar, Croatia - December 9-15, 2004 - With the support of the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final activity report: [6,5 MB] This Training event consisted of two training projects on the European Commission YOUTH Programme, and aimed at fostering partnership building and project management for the development of voluntary service and youth exchange projects between youth organisations in South Eastern Europe and the European Union. To ensure effectiveness as well as to stimulate development of cooperation among youth NGO’s in these two European regions, the courses were designed to address separately the needs of youth NGOs, respectively in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia and Montenegro, and in Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Kosovo. Twelve youth NGOs from the European Union also attended these courses and provided backstopping and support for the transfer of know-how on partnership-building and project management of relevant YOUTH Actions. At the end of the training, participants felt that they had acquired useful practical skills to foster the development of quality exchange projects between EU and SEE countries, which resulted also in a number of collaborative agreements between participating organisations.

EU-SEE Training Course on Youth Programme Partnership Building and Project Management - Sutomore, Montenegro - November 10-16, 2004 - With the support of the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final activity report: [6,56 MB] This Training event consisted of two training projects on the European Commission YOUTH Programme, and aimed at fostering partnership building and project management for the development of voluntary service and youth exchange projects between youth organisations in South Eastern Europe and the European Union. To ensure effectiveness as well as to stimulate development of cooperation among youth NGO’s in these two European regions, the courses were designed to address separately the needs of youth NGOs, respectively in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia and Montenegro, and in Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Kosovo. Twelve youth NGOs from the European Union also attended these courses and provided backstopping and support for the transfer of know-how on partnership-building and project management of relevant YOUTH Actions. At the end of the training, participants felt that they had acquired useful practical skills to foster the development of quality exchange projects between EU and SEE countries, which resulted also in a number of collaborative agreements between participating organisations.

“YOUTH IN ACTION” - EURO-LATIN AMERICAN Seminar on Youth Leadership and active Citizenship - Sambo Creek, Honduras - 26 June through 2 July, 2004 - With the support of the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office Report on the seminar: Report 1 [1.32 MB] Annexes 1-6 [1.39 MB] Young people want to take part in decision-making and youth participation can lead to more democratic decision-making processes and positive changes for society as a whole. This seminar, which was held in the Caribbean environment of SAMBO CREEK, Honduras from June 26th to July 2nd, 2004 brought together one youth worker/youth leader and one local authority / policy makers from distinct European and Latin American countries, to discuss policy and practice related to youth participation. They reflected upon and learnt about the situation of youth participation in each others’ countries, increased their knowledge on different ways to enhance youth leadership and active citizenship, including youth mobility and non-formal learning experiences. The European Commission’s White Paper on Youth and the resources provided by the Youth programme were presented and discussed as ways to encourage young people to make an active contribution to the development of society. Particular emphasis was placed on the ways and means to enhance youth participation by young people who do not have access to associative life and non-formal learning experiences. The programme also included presentations on the situation of youth and youth participation in Honduras, a project visit to Las Mangas, a youth led self-sustainable environmental awareness project and a reception by the Maire of “La Ceiba”.

Training Course on Youth Volunteering in HIV/AIDS prevention projects in EU and Central and Eastern European Countries - Heiligensee, Berlin, Germany - 5-11 June 2004 - With the support of the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final activity report: [265 KB] The group of 25 participants consisted of both former EVS volunteers and representatives of host organisations working in the area of sexual health promotion and the prevention of HIV/Aids with a focus on youth volunteering. The training course aimed at fostering bi- and multilateral cooperation in EU and Central and Eastern European Countries through capacity building, focusing on the practical aspects of developing and managing international voluntary exchange projects suited to the particularities of the HIV/AIDS prevention sector. This was done by a transfer of know-how on how to develop and manage International Voluntary Service projects combined with HIV/AIDS prevention peer education campaigns, considering more in-depth the variety of prevention strategies related to the respective risk groups. Networking and Fundraising for programme opportunities in East – West voluntary exchanges was another focal point along with the development of innovative forms of cooperation among HIV/AIDS and Youth NGOs in EU and CEE countries considering the differences of HIV/AIDS prevention work in both parts of Europe. The programme included a variety of interactive methods, project visits and space for the participants to share their experience with each other thus generating multiple and tangible results in form of new project initiatives and proposals among the NGO’s represented.

ICYE-EASTLINKS information project in South Eastern Europe - December 1, 2003 - February 28, 2004 - With the support of the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office This information project was an integral part of the two-year ICYE - EASTLINKS Large Scale Project strategy to support South Eastern European (SEE) youth organisations and enhance their assertiveness and pro-active involvement in youth mobility and voluntary service activities across Europe. The project aimed at complementing existing SEE information dissemination, networking and partnership building efforts, such as those carried out by the SEE Resource Centre in Ljubljana, Slovenia and the SEE Youth Network. The production and dissemination of information fostered SEE youth organisations' knowledge about YOUTH programme aims and procedures, as well as provided opportunities to share youth work expertise and know how between participating youth NGOs and official bodies. This was especially important for young people in SEE countries of the former Republic of Yugoslavia, who looked at closer co-operation with the European Union as a way to overcome the traumas of war as well as to promote the role of civil society in the democratisation process their countries are engaged in. Following planning, information and training sessions, main project activities included: the establishment of national focal points and local antennas for the production and dissemination of information material (i.e. posters, leaflets and CD-Rom) in local languages targeting local SEE youth organisations; the setting up and maintenance of an SEE YOUTH Programme related information database; creating a project's web site; and providing assistance to youth organisations on aims and procedures of the YOUTH Programme. The main beneficiaries of this project were youth workers of selected youth voluntary service organisations with previous experience in youth mobility and voluntary service activities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia (FYROM) and Serbia and Montenegro. For a complete overview on all project activities and results, as well as for links to all project partners and supporting organisations please visit the SEEYOUTH.INFO website: http://www.seeyouth.info

"YOUTH AND EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY" - EU - SEE Training Course on Refugees, Human Rights and Reconciliation - Berlin, 17-22 February 2004 - With the support of the YOUTH programme of the European Community - Organisers: ICYE International Office Documentation on the project's implementation and assessment of results [32 KB] Pictures of the training course. Click here! The EU - SEE Training Course on Refugees, Human Rights and Reconciliation aimed at enhancing the skills of youth workers involved as host, sending or coordinating organisations in the implementation of EVS projects and afforded participants the opportunity to establish good working relationships and a greater understanding at a regional and an international level. The programme of the training course included a number of modules that focused on the human rights and the refugee situation in Europe and in the SEE countries. It consisted of presentations on the situation of human rights in the EU and SEE countries and of campaigns and projects supported and initiated by participating organisations. It also included presentations by Ms Fatima Smajlovic, UNV - BiH on the "Background of ethnic and religious conflicts in the Balkan countries, the war and the resulting challenges for peace and democratic development", and by Dr. Christian Staffa, Executive Director, Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste e.V. on "VOLUNTEERISM as a way of contributing to reconciliation". In addition, the participants had the opportunity to visit different organisations working in the field in Berlin such as the Süd-Ost Europa Kultur e.V., the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Madgalena Youth Centre for migrant youth. The training course enabled participants to get a deeper insight into the aims and procedures of the EVS programme (i.e. rights and obligations of volunteers, rights and obligations of mentors, sending and host organisations, as well as on the support/training needed to ensure good integration of the volunteer within the country specific context) and to gain skill for the better implementation of projects on the part of sending, host and host coordinating organisations (communication, monitoring, distribution of tasks, support structure, timetable, financial management, reporting and documentation). Along these lines, a partnership agreement and activity plan was agreed upon for an efficient functioning of the ICYE EU - SEE Multilateral EVS project on Refugees, Human Rights and Reconciliation. The working groups which also focused on the prevention and resolution of conflicts related to the voluntary service experience made participants aware of the various factors that could lead to problems and crisis situations. Brainstorming on follow-up activities and projects produced successful results in the form of an outline of three project proposals which are being considered for upcoming project applications by ICYE and SEE partners. As most participants were unfamiliar with the city of Berlin, a sightseeing tour rounded up the programme. A gracious reception at the ICYE International Office (with a variety of delicious cakes and coffee) assisted the participants in matching faces with the voices they had been used to hearing on the telephone. The evening out ended at Al-Rai, a Magrebian restaurant, which broke the 6 day routine of lunches and dinners at the seminar venue. The enthusiasm and commitment of the participants made for fruitful discussions which bridged barriers of languages and cultural backgrounds. The positive interaction between participants also led to a give and take which was necessary for building a strong network between youth NGOs and specialised refugee and human rights organisations which in turn provides the basis for a successful cooperation. The Intercultural evening was a good example of the participants' creativity and humour as they presented specialities from their country in the form of enacted TV spots. This initiated a jovial atmosphere which set the stage for intermingling, singing and dancing through the night. A warm thank you to all participants for their contributions in making the training course a worthwhile endeavour and in achieving EVS goals of creating greater understanding within Europe.

Euro-Latin American Training Course for youth workers on financial planning and management of YOUTH projects - Approved and supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office The International Office of the ICYE Federation ran a training course financed by the European Commission to address issues of financial accountability and transfer of related skills in planning, monitoring and meeting reporting requirements of Action 1, 2 and 5 of the YOUTH programme of the European Commission. The results of this course are: - increased knowledge by participants of YOUTH programme funding rules and procedures; - acquisition of planning and management financial skills; and - participants’ ability to apply and transfer information about financial reporting requirements.

Eastlinks & ICYE: Volunteers and Local Communities beyond the East-West European Divide - Eastern-Western Europe - Started in February 2001 and ended in March 2003 - Approved and supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office and Eastlinks Secretariat As result of a two year long and very fruitful co-operation, ICYE and Eastlinks deemed it necessary to consolidate and articulate their transnational partnership to promote and further develop youth mobility and international voluntary service activities between EU and pre-accession countries in Central and Eastern Europe in the form of a Large Scale YOUTH project. The Eastlinks network, founded in 1997 with the support of the European Commission and UNESCO is considered as the most articulated and experienced network of voluntary service organisations in CEE countries. Its member organisations and their representatives are increasingly being looked upon as valuable resource and partners for the development of EC Youth Programme. In order to meet the emerging needs of young people in relation to intercultural learning, volunteering and informal education opportunities in both, EU- and future member countries, ICYE and Eastlinks are intending to strengthen their operational and networking capacity at regional and sub-regional level. In particular, a plan of action was adopted to: organise two major networks' meetings and a series of sub-regional meeting in the Baltic countries, South eastren Europe and the EU; enhance the exchange of good practice between relevant community projects and youth NGOs across Eastern and Western Europe; build on ICYE and Eastlinks' expertise so as to act as resource for community project, and promote and document examples of successful experiences to influence practice and policies around youth mobility and voluntary service activities.

Training courses for sending/host organisations' responsible persons and volunteers, to support the implementation of the ICYE-Eastlinks pilot project "EVS multilateral Project on HIV/ AIDS Prevention in EU and CEEC" - For host projects' responsible persons: 23 to 28 July 2002 - Kijv, Ukraine - For volunteers: 15 to 21 September 2002 - Berlin, Germany - Supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office Final Report on the Course in Kijv Report [772 KB] Annex [104 KB] Final Report on the Course in Berlin Report [509 KB] Annex [48 KB] According to WHO recent statistics the rate of HIV infections in CEE countries is one of the highest in the world. To illustrate this it suffices to mention that in the Ukraine, for example, every month there are about 2000 new infections, being the average age of the infected population between 15 to 25. Similar scenarios can be found also in other countries such as Estonia and the Russian Federation. This project, which follows on the UNESCO suppported Regional Conference on AIDS Prevention and Voluntary Service Organisation orhganised in September 2001 in Tallinn, Estonia, is an integral part of the ICYE-EASTLINKS Large Scale Project, adding to its scope one urgent and important issue facing young people across the EU and CEE countries. These training events aim at supporting the implementation of a long-term European Voluntary Service exchange of volunteers - supported by the European Commission - whereby for the first time HIV/AIDS prevention projects in EU countries and Estonia, the Russian Federation and Ukraine will be working together. The training course for representatives of projects will aims at ensuring a smooth running of the EVS multilateral exchange by providing training on how to support volunteers and enhance East-West cooperation. The training for Volunteers who will participate in the EVS long-term project aims at helping volunteers to develop personal soft skills to cope with complex situations likely to arise when working around HIV/AIDS prevention and support. Both the training and the exchange of motivated young volunteers aims at supporting the work of respective host projects, as well as at demonstrating to the wider society the importance of contributing to the fight against AIDS beyond mental and national borders.

Euro-Latin American Youth Exchange on Indigenous People, Human Rights and Youth - Concepción, Chile - 7-16 December 2001 - Supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office and ContactChile This exchange activity aimed at offering an opportunity to European and Latin American young people to meet, discuss and share experiences around issues such as social exclusion, violation of human rights and educational opportunities affecting indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities. In particular, participants learnt about resilience strategies employed by indigenous groups against acculturation, struggle for self-determination; they were exposed to various types of activities run by and for indigenous groups, and human rights organisations at large; promoted the participation of youth representing indigenous people in youth mobility and international voluntary service activities. As part of the exchange process, participants learnt to appreciate differences and commonalities of issues affecting indigenous groups/ethnic minorities in Europe and Latin America, as well as the importance of young people's commitment to promoting respect and more just relations between dominant and minority cultural, social and economic groups. The outcomes of this project will be monitored with a view to providing support towards increasing the participation of young people of indigenous groups and other ethnic minorities in ICYE programmes as well as future Youth Exchanges and EVS activities.

ICYE-EASTLINKS Training Seminar to improve quality delivery of EVS Programme activities between EU and CEEC countries - Budapest, Hungary - 20-27 October 2001 - Supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office, Association of Non-Profit Human Services of Hungary (ANHSH), Eastlinks Secretariat The aims of the training seminar were twofold: on one hand to enable ICYE and Eastlinks network members to improve the quality of youth mobility activities, especially in relation to the EVS programme, and on the other, to share knowledge and expertise to ensure the meeting of the minimum quality standards as spelled out in the YOUTH Programme guidelines. These aims were accomplished through the training of staff/youth workers on the distinct phases of the establishment and implementation of EVS long-term voluntary service exchanges, and on intercultural learning and team building techniques. Equally, this seminar aimed at identifying and assessing the needs of ICYE and EASTLINKS members in relation to fundraising, lobbying, advocacy and training for trainers. By adopting a peer-to-peer training approach, this seminar secured a homogeneous level of knowledge and expertise between the more experienced and new networks' members (i.e. in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia). The outcomes of this project were: enhanced quality and innovation of the EVS programme between EU and CEEC; multiplyer effect of the training within the participating organisation and local communities involved; enhanced role of voluntary service organisations in CEE countries; proposed training opportunities on fundraising, lobbying , advocacy and training for trainers; and identification of benchmarks of a Quality Assurance System for East-West-East international voluntary service.

"Young People building a new South Africa" - Euro-African Exchange on Youth Participation in the 21st century - Nelspruit, South Africa - 18-26 November 2000 - Supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office / Mpumalanga Youth Commission In this one-week exchange project which was co-organised and hosted by the Mpumalanga Youth Commission youth workers of European and African youth exchange organisations met to discuss and exchange examples of good practice in relation to various forms of youth work which aim to promote young people’s active participation in society. In particular, group discussions and visits to distinct South African youth groups focused on fostering a better understanding of the problems and challenges faced by local Youth in the post -Apartheid society.

EVS and Youth for Europe assessment & training seminar to strengthen Euro-Latin American networking and support systems - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - 10-17 September 2000 - Supported by the European Commission - Organisers: ICYE International Office / SIIJUVE-ICYE Mexico In this activity participants from European and Latin American countries gathered to evaluate past ICYE Euro-Latin American EVS and Youth for Europe activities. In addition to that the new YOUTH program 2000-2006 was introduced to the participants and several training sessions were held on it. The seminar was also a forum to discuss and formulate recommendations to the EC as well as elaborate a mid and long-term plan for future Euro-Latin American activities within the framework of the EVS, Youth for Europe and Support Measures programmes.