Promoting youth participation through voluntary service
in/with Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia,
organised in Kyiv, Ukraine, 22 - 27 September 2005

This seminar wished to fill in the organisational void lacking but extremely needed in the region, and to help more young people from the region participate in our activities.

The ultimate goal was a stronger collaboration with partners from Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and Russia in the next decades and the creation of a network together with serious partners and with concrete interest.

More specific objectives of the seminar were:

· To promote International Voluntary Service as a tool for Peace and intercultural learning,

· To promote sub-regional cooperation in Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Russia,

· To foster closer cooperation between this region and member organisations of CCIVS,

· To involve more young people from the region to participate in the activities of CCIVS and its members.

From a longer-term perspective CCIVS seeks to strengthen its role as an all-encompassing platform of voluntary service organisations, also on continental level within Europe, as part of its Plan of Action 2004-2007. Whereas regional co-operation between Western- and Central-Europe has been able to develop over the last years, other regions have not fully benefited from the networking attempts in this sector.

Our vision is two-folded: to enhance the inclusive (democratic participation, involvement of youngsters with less opportunities) aspect of Voluntary Service organisations on their national/local level, and from there on to raise the involvement of these organisations in international voluntary service structures.

Report of the seminar (English)