Annual Report 2020 by Volunteers Centre Skopje: VOICES magazine

annual

report

2o2o 15

years of VCS!

content

2 About us 4 Our team 6 What is what (Erasmus+, ESC, EYE...) 8 VOICES magazine 10 Projects we participate in 32 Our activities 34 We care about environment 36 Local actions & events 38 International Volunteer Day 2020 40 Support for others 42 Daycare Centre for street children 44 What did we miss? 46 Partners 2 - Annual Report

v olunteers c entre s kopje

2020

year in vcs

Possibilities. For everyone. youth organization since 2006 in skopje, macedonia focusing on youthwork volunteering international projects local & activities trainings & exchanges voices magazine strong partnerships Volunteers Centre Skopje is a non-governmental youth organization created in 2006 by former EVS volunteers. The main goal of the organization is to give non-formal educational possibilities to young people, in different fields, on local and international level.

ANNUAL REPORT - 3

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4 - Annual Report

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Project coordinator

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volunteers & interns

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Andrej Naumovski

Director

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Nikola Stankoski

Selina Niemi

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Josip Gegaj

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Multimedia coordinator

Editor of voices

Ewelina Chańska

Òsca r

Goran Adamovski

ANNUAL REPORT - 5

what is what? European Solidarity Corps (ESC)

helps young people take part in projects that benefit communities, either abroad or in their own country. ESC project (former EVS) is a partnership between two or more NGOs and a volunteer, to whom the programme is fully covered.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

internship of the young students in foreign companies related with their profession. VET mobility aims to strengthen the practical knowledge and skills of the students through performing practical activities in companies, institutions and private businesses.

French Civic Service (FCS)

is a voluntary and civic commitment of young people from 16 to 25 years old. The purpose of civic service is to serve the public interest through commitment on projects that cover various areas: culture and leisure activities, international development and humanitarian actions and many more.

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE)

is an exchange programme, which offers to aspiring entrepreneurs the opportunity to work alongside an experienced entrepreneur in another participating country and strengthen the skills they need to develop their business. 6 - Annual Report

Internship

is a period of time during which a student works for a company or organization in order to get experience of a particular type of work.

PROJECTS

funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. Youth Exchanges, Training Courses, ESC volunteers, seminars, kickoff meetings...

we hosted ESC volunteers FCS volunteers VET students EYE interns intern from countries we sent ESc Volunteers and people to projects in countries

12 2 6 2 1 7 14 19 15 9

In 2020 VCS was involved in over 20 projects all across Europe. We have sent participants to ESC projects, training courses, youth exchanges, seminars and study visits, and in all these projects we worked with great partner organisations to empower young people from Macedonia and across Europe. 2020 PROJECT COUNTRIES: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Lithuania, Montenegro, Portugal, Turkey. ANNUAL REPORT - 7

read more www.voiceskopje.org 8 - Annual Report

VOICES

magazine

international & local volunteers planned wrote Designed distributed 12 editions 47 writers 153 articles in 3 languages VOICES is a magazine, created by an international team of volunteers. It is providing a wide range of topics, interesting points of view and current issues from all around the world. Writers and designers working with VOICES magazine are volunteers through different European programs or young people interested in the field of journalism. The magazine is published every month as an online edition and four times per year as a printed edition.

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roadmap4youthactivism.info 10 - Annual Report

European Youth at the Frontlines of Active Citizenship KA3 project with 5 countries 5 organizations 25 participants 25 local projects in 2020 the project had Kickoff meeting training course europe day virtual meet up individual project implementations A project aimed to prepare the next generation of young Europeans to be a force to be reckoned with in the political landscapes of Europe. The young people can challenge each other and indirectly impart knowledge of policies and best practices that can later be multiplied. The project countries: Macedonia, Spain, Denmark, Cyprus, Romania ANNUAL REPORT - 11

read more www.vcs.org.mk/eu-aid-volunteers 12 - Annual Report

Towards Effective Humanitarian Volunteering building capacities of 7 organizations about

certification, dissemination preparedness, abilities to respond to humanitarian crises, effective and sustainable volunteers management

in 2020 the project had 9 zoom trainings provided by adice, adra sk and adra cz VCS is the first and only organization from Macedonia, which participates in the certification process. The certification for EU Aid Volunteers will raise the level of the VCS working capacities and will put it on the map of organizations that are capable and ready to be hosts of EU Aid Volunteers from all over Europe, and include them in practical projects in the country. ANNUAL REPORT - 13

vcs.org.mk/volunteerism-is-alive-and-itshere-in-macedonia/ 14 - Annual Report

Vocational education and training 6 vet students from spain 2 months in Macedonia internships with International trade marketing event management sport animation tourism By providing an opportunity to work in International environment, compare and exchange best practices, the VET program aims to strengthen the practical knowledge and skills of the students through performing practical activities in companies, institutions and private businesses that are interested in development of the future career of young people. Upon completing their practical work, the interns gain credits and certificates for successful completion of their internship in another country in the field related with their education. This year from October to December our students were placed in following companies and institutions: Macedonian HR Association, Talent Business Incubator, Arbo Travel, school Zlatan Sremac. ANNUAL REPORT - 15

read more epto.org/content/peeract 16 - Annual Report

PEER ACT

Upscaling peer-to-peer education for promoting common values KA3 project with 6 partnership countries 70 participants 3 training groups project outcomes promoting eu values peer-to-peer solutions “Peer certified” by epto Project is aimed to scale-up the implementation of the “A world of difference –AWODTM” anti-bias training programme within the EPTO certification process to new communities in Romania, Portugal, Macedonia, Slovenia, Serbia and Spain. At the end of the training participants will receive the EPTO AWOD Manual for peer trainers and become “Peer Certified”, which allows them to facilitate longer workshops promoting non-discrimination, tolerance, solidarity and equality in youth environment in the partnership countries.

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read more twost.eu/ 18 - Annual Report

TWOST

TRAINING WITHOUT STEREOTYPES KA2 project with 7 partners Preventing gender based discrimination online evaluation tool in 2020 project had online meetings every first thursday of the month Project is aimed at preventing genderbased discrimination towards youth. The project addresses in particular cross-sectorial cooperation, allowing for greater synergies across all fields of actions concerning young people, with a special focus on access to rights, autonomy, (e)participation and the active citizenship of young people, avoiding gender self-segregation phenomena and promoting common values of mutual respect between genders and without prejudice to their sexuality. ANNUAL REPORT - 19

read more vcs.org.mk/shake-it-shakeit-or-just-move/ 20 - Annual Report

PROJECT SALT

SHAKE A LEG TOGETHER! KA2 project with 5 countries 5 Organizations Topics about Health & Healthy Lifestyle Facebook Challenges in 2020 project had Kick-off meeting in Izmir, Turkey 27-28.02. “Shake a leg, together!” is a project about healthy and active lifestyle. With this project we aim to reach as many people as possible in participating countries and encourage them to take up any sort of physical activity, to inform them about its benefits and to help making physical activity an attractive hobby. Project includes participating countries: Macedonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkey.

#getonmoveon ANNUAL REPORT - 21

read more vcs.org.mk/kickoff-meeting-for-aproject-volunteering-connectingcommunities/ 22 - Annual Report

volunteering connecting communities KA2 project with 5 partner countries 14 months duration 500 youth workers involved during 14 months project had Kick-off meeting in skopje seminar in sarajevo training course in durres activities at the local level VCC aims at: increasing youth potential in civic education, especially in volunteerism, through capacity building actions targeting youth workers who work with young people with fewer opportunities in local and European level; increasing the quality of youth work through the exchange of experiences and building up sustainable partnerships among partners and other NGOs and institutions. Partner countries are Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Serbia. ANNUAL REPORT - 23

read more voiceskopje.org/2020/02/04/ neighborhood-in-youth-center-ineurope-part-3-bremen/ 24 - Annual Report

neighborhood

of youth centers

in Europe

project with 8 partner countries 3 study visits 3 specific objectives

visiting youth centers Sharing experience, knowledge & practices The project aims to improve youth centers programs with final objective reducing the percentage of youth that are leaving the school early. During study visits in Antverp, Belgium (November, 2019) and Bremen, Germany (February, 2020) the aim was to be shared experience, knowledge and knowhow among the representatives of youth centers and youth organizations of Macedonia, Belgium, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia and Germany. Each of this country is on its way to foster the youth centers and to make them a place where youth can be engaged in different activities. Third activity Seminar for developing youth centers programs in Struga, Macedonia - was postponed due to global pandemic. ANNUAL REPORT - 25

read more sega.org.mk/en/library/ item/121-2020-09-15-12-40-01

26 - Annual Report

Alternative Report on the implementation of the Convention on the rights of the child project about the rights of the child in cooperation with coalition SEGA extensive survey in 25 municipalities 111 schools centers for social work civil society organizations VCS was part of the project: “Alternative Report on the implementation of the Convention on the rights of the child” conducted by the Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA and supported by the Children’s Foundation Pestaloci. The project is an extensive survey in 25 municipalities, including schools (111), centers for social work and civil society organizations. The focus of the research was on access to education, right to participate and associate, right to non-discrimination as well no-violence. The research resulted in an Alternative Report submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in direction of providing specific recommendations for improving the application of children’s rights at all levels. ANNUAL REPORT - 27

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youth and european values project implemented by coalition sega with 2 activities training on the application of EU methodology for integration of European trends and practices panel discussion with a working title: “Youth and Europe” VCS was part of the project “Youth and European Values” implemented by the Coalition of Youth Organizations “SEGA”, and supported by the General Secretariat of the Government through the Program for financial support of associations and foundations. During the implementation of the project, two activities were realized. The first in March 2020 in Struga was a training on the application of EU methodology for integration of European trends and practices, and the second was a panel discussion with a working title: “Youth and Europe” held last September in the Municipality of Kisela Voda. ANNUAL REPORT - 29

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R EGIONAL PROJE C T KULTURKONTAKT COOPERATION AUSTRIA project with regional focus work based learning 3 trainings in january Macedonia Kosovo Albania VCS is continuously collaborating with KulturKontakt Austria, implementer of projects funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Research. The projects are regional, with Kosovo and Albania, in collaboration with Macedonian Ministry for Education and Science and the Center for Vocational Education. They aim to strengthen the capacities and competences of VET high schools for better, improved professional collaboration with the economic community through implementation of Work Based Learning and promotion of school coordinators as a link between the schools and the companies. VCS is the coordinating organization and logistical support of the subjects involved in the projects. ANNUAL REPORT - 31

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our ACTIVITIES international & local volunteers planned & organized Open stage events pub & online Quizes workshops in high schools online language lessons eco-cleaning actions

Every year VCS organizes several activities, in order to promote the intercultural, capacity building of youth workers, volunteerism and opportunities for young people from the city of Skopje and outside. The activities aim at encouraging young people to be more active, upgrading their knowledge and skills and of course creating new local and international friendships.

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we care about

environment VCS teams up with za pochista makedonija pakomak elkolekt what do we do cleaning actions recycle raising awareness

In VCS we care about environment. We were organizing, taking part and promoting several cleaning actions in Skopje and outside of the city. We cooperate with non-formal group Za Pochista Makedonija to join the forces and to make our living environment cleaner and better place, as well as to raise awareness about this issue. We recycle. In cooperation with Pakomak and Elkolekt we can save natural resources and create a better world around us by recycling plastic, metal, paper, electronic and cardboard waste. ANNUAL REPORT - 35

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local

actions & events our VCS team supports local actions & initiatives takes part in various events in 2020 wizzair skopje marathon ngo fair

Another year we were part of Wizzair Skopje Marathon. We supported the action and organizers with strong team of our local and international volunteers. Our volunteers helped through giving the refreshments and moral support to all participants. We took part in NGO fair, organized by Civica in City Park. There was open space for networking with other organizations and people and for promoting our magazine Voices and Erasmus+ possibilities to young people.

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“

There are studies how volunteering makes people healthier, happier, makes them feel that they have sense of purpose in life.

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From volunteers to leaders international volunteer day 2020 zoom event participants from all ages discussed about volunteerism vcs 15 years journey empowering youthwork Every 5th of December on International Volunteer Day VCS organizes different type of actions. This year, it was also an important anniversary for the Youth NGO Volunteers Centre Skopje as its15th birthday. In a nutshell, the event was a very inspiring session. We got an in-depth insight into the dawn of the VCS adventure. Participants were able to crystalize what is the essence of volunteerism. Despite some of them never met beforehand, we noticed very quickly we are sharing the same spark which motivates us to foster solidarity and dialogue both locally and across borders. ANNUAL REPORT - 39

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support

for others our VCS team supports collaborates helps lice v lice Magazin lastovica daycare centre for street children VCS supports vulnerable groups. We buy Lice v Lice magazine (Face toi face). Half of the amount remains for sellers who are representatives of the most vulnerable in society, and the other half for printing and activities that improve the lives of marginalized groups. During the 2020 we continued collaboration with the association Lastovica that has a Daily care center for autistic children, with volunteers from Turkey who worked on a long-term ESC project assisting in their daily routine.

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daycare centre for street children our VCS team supports helps donates through organizing workshops & daily activities playing with children donatiNG food & clothes

VCS collaborates with and supports Daycare centre for street children in Shuto Orizari. Our ESC and Civic Service volunteers are involved in everyday activities in the centre, where they help children in school tasks, organize workshops, provide physical and fun activities and support the teachers. Except helding various activities with children, our organization also organizes donations of food, clothes and school supplies. ANNUAL REPORT - 43

what did we miss? covid-19 outbreak effected the whole world. People moved from travelling and big crowds to online events and meetings. Many of our projects were postponed...

44 - Annual Report

2020 VCS was supposed to... ...host in macedonia 4 training courses

about Rainbow Youth, ESC, Preventing Radicalization of Young People through Youth Work and shake a leg, together

1 youth exchange

about no hate speech

1 seminar

of project neighborhood of youth centers in Europe

3 peer act project trainings 1 conference of ka3 roadmap project

6 esc volunteers

...send people to training courses, youth exchanges, seminars, esc projects... ...organize monthly events workshops volunteering actions teambuilding activities

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Partners we have partners among youth organizations restaurants & bars companies & agencies in skopje Macedonia All around Europe Volunteers Centre Skopje cooperates with a number of partners in Macedonia and all over Europe to implement joint projects, youth exchanges, training courses and to support each other. The regional office of the coalition SEGA is located at VCS. SEGA is a coalition of NGO‘s in Macedonia that promotes cooperation and support among its members. Also, VCS is supported by the City of Skopje, Kisela Voda municipality and collaborates with American Corner Skopje, Arbo travel agency and many more, and most of our projects take place in hotel Solferino in Struga. ANNUAL REPORT - 47

join us! See you in volunteers centre skopje!

If you didn’t yet, join us in our activities, learn, discover, make new friends, expand your knowledge, develop your potentials and skills and enjoy.

+389 2277 2095

Volunteers Centre Skopje

vcs_contact@yahoo.com

VOICES mkd

Emil Zola 3/3-1, 1000, Skopje

vcs.skopje

www www.vcs.org.mk

voiceskopje

www www.voiceskopje.org

contact_vcs

www.issuu.com/vcsvoices

Volunteers Centre Skopje

Annual report 2020 Content: Ewelina Chańska Selina Niemi Andrej Naumovski Josip Gegaj Goran Galabov Goran Adamovski

Translators: Andrej Naumovski Josip Gegaj Goran Galabov Goran Adamovski

Design: Ewelina Chańska Selina Niemi

Publisher: Volunteers Centre Skopje

Director: Nikola Stankoski