1. Youth FOR healthy way of life
Leader: Tatiana Mirsalimova
Time of functioning: since 2003
This is the most developed program which has its methodology, special system; literature is created. The program was developed due to GOP and support from National YMCA.
What is it about? Every year young people are invited to the program, come through education in the sphere of HIV prevention. Then after attestation they start running their own seminars to their peers. We call these youngsters—multiplicators because they transmit their knowledge to peers in interesting and interactive form.
Main progress: since 2003 about 140 young people were educated as multiplicators. More then 700 seminars were given to youngsters. Every year in the frames of this program city actions, round tables, different kinds of performances are organized and run by young leaders. Grown up leaders later become trainers and take other responsibilities in the organization. Many leaders were grown up by this program! Due to this program we have strong cooperation with such governmental structures as “the City palace of creativity for youth” and “City department of HIV prevention”.
Weak sides: with time young leaders enter the universities and change their lifestyle and many leaders stop working in the programs. Some of them get tired and there are no many opportunities for further education and developing for grown up leaders. We are afraid that with the finishing of GOP we will lack recourses for education of new leaders.
2.TenSingLeader: Viktoriya Surkova
Time of functioning: since 2000
That is one of the oldest programs which saw a lot of leaders, styles and has always been a soul of the organization.
What is it about? TenSing of Vitebsk from the beginning carried the traditions of European tensing. It was about singing, dancing, drama. Later they started making performances on the topic of healthy lifestyle. Together with Youngsters FOR healthy way of life they organized Days of Health: showed thematic performance and then gave the seminars. Now Tensing looks more like a theater but it has always been carrying the deep understanding of YMCA mission and all Tensing ideas are always meaningful and actual for society.
Main progress: Tensing is functioning from 2000. It grows up leaders who with time take other responsibilities. For the last two years they won first prizes in the City Amateur Theater Contests. Due to the program the cooperation with School # 21 takes place.
Weak sides: again many people are leaving the program when finishing the school. Sometimes it’s difficult to find finances for decorations, costumes and travel cost for giving performances.
3. Social Work
Leader: Kristina Mirsalimova, Zhenja Pochepko and Maxim Mishyrniy
Time of functioning: since 2007
That is one of the youngest programs which started functioning with the wish of our volunteers to visit orphans’ shelters and give some love and attention to such children. Now it started developing more with the help of the project “Let’s tell about us to the world ” which is directed to the work with disable children.
What is it about? We have got two groups of volunteers (from other programs): one attends disable children; the other visits children in orphans’ shelter. The people from these groups intercross. Also our volunteers organize classes for difficult teenagers.
Main progress: This program was started from a wish of the volunteers from other program to help these children-they saw the need for this work and organized this work themselves. This work helps us to cooperate with a club for disable children “Island of hope” and children’s shelter.
Weak sides: this program involves most people from other programs. Sometimes being involved into two programs takes too much time and energy. We plan to create a separate group which will develop only this program involving other volunteers from time to time only. There is no system in this work and now it’s not working for the developing of the whole organization.
4. Thematic DiscosLeader: Lena Litvinchuk
Time of functioning: since 2007
This program appeared as a separate one not long ago. That was always a part of work of Youth FOR healthy way of life. But then too many ideas appeared and we found a leader who took this work with great enthusiasm.
What is it about? The group of teenagers organizes and runs discos. The main feature is that they are not just simple discos. They are thematic, interactive, and full of useful information, contests and games. These discos mostly support Youth FOR healthy way of life by running HIV preventive shows.
Main progress: This program is becoming more and more famous. Different schools have started inviting us with our HIV preventive discos. So, this also works for our image.
Weak sides: the methodological material is not created yet. We lack in others experience and need to create too many things by ourselves. Partnership experience is needed. Sometimes there is a lack of prizes for discos participants, which can make the shows more interesting and the contests more attractive.
5. Educational CirclesLeader: Olga Lukina
Time of functioning: since 2008
This program appeared due to the interest to the Swedish method of educational circles. There was an opportunity to teach leaders. As a plan we want to transfer it as an adult education program.
What is it about? Young people get together in a group of 8-10 people and discuss different topics. Due to the particularity of this method they learn to be leaders, to communicate, to take responsibility and they widen their knowledge in different topics.
Main progress: By this time we have educated 5 leaders of the educational circles. 5 circles took place, 5 are planned. The leaders age going to take part in project management seminar and then in project contest. New leaders are planned to be educated. We are a part of the Resource Program of Educational Circles run in Belarus. Olga Lukina coordinates this program in Vitebsk region.
Weak sides: it is not yet working for the developing of the whole organization. The partnership experience would be welcomed.
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