Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Summer 1999 International Youth Volunteer Camps
Centre for Local Development
Background
The Centre for Local Development Association is a non-governmental organization. It was established in Bouhovo in 1998 and works to improve the quality of life by personally involving the citizens. The idea for the international youth volunteer camps originated from the need to attract youth volunteers and to motivate their involvement in finding solutions to city and regional problems.
The Centre for Local Development Association is a non-governmental organization. It was established in Bouhovo in 1998 and works to improve the quality of life by personally involving the citizens. The idea for the international youth volunteer camps originated from the need to attract youth volunteers and to motivate their involvement in finding solutions to city and regional problems.
Practice
Two international youth volunteer camps were held in the summer of 1999:
Camp at the 117th Secondary School in Bouhovo, July 18 31, 1999
Nine foreign students from France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Slovakia came for the camp. They were housed in school rooms converted to two dormitories, a meeting room and a bathroom. The facilities were provided by the Professor Moutafchiev School, 117th Secondary School and the Centre for Local Development. The school rooms for the art and music classes were also made available to the participants. Food was provided at the Dezomie Restaurant, close to the school.
Unlike the YDA s practice with regard to such events, local youth volunteers were also included in the camp. CLD had additional meetings with them, to inform them about the work, the agenda and the conditions at the camp. Youth volunteers signed volunteer contracts stipulating their rights and duties. The Centre for Local Development had English classes for local volunteers. On request of the foreign participants, and with their assistance, the initial agenda was changed.
To improve the school environment, the volunteers: painted 233 fence sections, one gate and two main doors; the metal parts of four basketball boards, a tennis table, a volleyball court and other similar installations; the concrete footing of the fence; cleaned the grass from the sports courts and marked one football and two basketball fields, sprint tracks and a handball field; pruned trees, cut and cleaned branches and shrubs; restored and painted a scale model of the Zhelyo Voivoda Hut in the city park.
The work allowed the volunteers to improve their foreign language skills, to learn about new cultures and to establish long-lasting friendships.
Mourgash 99 Environmental Camp
The Local Development Center used its experience with the first camp to organize a second one. The agenda was well-developed, it was clear what, when and how will be done and the materials were delivered on time. At this camp, twelve youth volunteers from Japan, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden worked together with local volunteers.
During the camp, the volunteers: cleaned the area within a 70-meter radius from the hut; collected and loaded waste for transportation to the Sofia landfill; cleaned the paths and covered them with pebbles; repaired and varnished the benches around the hut; prepared the facade for repair; varnished the external paneling and painted the gaps in the footings; ground-coated, washed and painted the corridors, ceilings and the stairway at all three floors, as well as four bedrooms and the kitchen; cleaned and painted seven doors and all 48 windows; restored the tourist routes marks 25 kilometers away from the foothills of the Mourgash Peak.
This time, the young people had the chance to get to know each other better at national evenings that brought a lot of fun, food, information and emotions.
Cultural events were scheduled for both camps. The young visited many museums and historic monuments. The foreign participants loved the visits of the Rila Monastery and Koprivshtitsa and the Bouhovo youth felt more proud with their national heritage. The guests were able to learn more about Bulgarian traditions, folklore and dances at the folk celebrations at the village of Seslavtsi.
Two international youth volunteer camps were held in the summer of 1999:
Camp at the 117th Secondary School in Bouhovo, July 18 31, 1999
Nine foreign students from France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Slovakia came for the camp. They were housed in school rooms converted to two dormitories, a meeting room and a bathroom. The facilities were provided by the Professor Moutafchiev School, 117th Secondary School and the Centre for Local Development. The school rooms for the art and music classes were also made available to the participants. Food was provided at the Dezomie Restaurant, close to the school.
Unlike the YDA s practice with regard to such events, local youth volunteers were also included in the camp. CLD had additional meetings with them, to inform them about the work, the agenda and the conditions at the camp. Youth volunteers signed volunteer contracts stipulating their rights and duties. The Centre for Local Development had English classes for local volunteers. On request of the foreign participants, and with their assistance, the initial agenda was changed.
To improve the school environment, the volunteers: painted 233 fence sections, one gate and two main doors; the metal parts of four basketball boards, a tennis table, a volleyball court and other similar installations; the concrete footing of the fence; cleaned the grass from the sports courts and marked one football and two basketball fields, sprint tracks and a handball field; pruned trees, cut and cleaned branches and shrubs; restored and painted a scale model of the Zhelyo Voivoda Hut in the city park.
The work allowed the volunteers to improve their foreign language skills, to learn about new cultures and to establish long-lasting friendships.
Mourgash 99 Environmental Camp
The Local Development Center used its experience with the first camp to organize a second one. The agenda was well-developed, it was clear what, when and how will be done and the materials were delivered on time. At this camp, twelve youth volunteers from Japan, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden worked together with local volunteers.
During the camp, the volunteers: cleaned the area within a 70-meter radius from the hut; collected and loaded waste for transportation to the Sofia landfill; cleaned the paths and covered them with pebbles; repaired and varnished the benches around the hut; prepared the facade for repair; varnished the external paneling and painted the gaps in the footings; ground-coated, washed and painted the corridors, ceilings and the stairway at all three floors, as well as four bedrooms and the kitchen; cleaned and painted seven doors and all 48 windows; restored the tourist routes marks 25 kilometers away from the foothills of the Mourgash Peak.
This time, the young people had the chance to get to know each other better at national evenings that brought a lot of fun, food, information and emotions.
Cultural events were scheduled for both camps. The young visited many museums and historic monuments. The foreign participants loved the visits of the Rila Monastery and Koprivshtitsa and the Bouhovo youth felt more proud with their national heritage. The guests were able to learn more about Bulgarian traditions, folklore and dances at the folk celebrations at the village of Seslavtsi.
Results
Apart from the welldone job, the joint work left long-lasting memories in both the Bulgarian and the foreign participants. The international volunteer camps have established themselves as a friendship forum and a desired form of communication between the youth. Now Bouhovo has many new friends all over the world!
An added benefit was the establishment of the Dream for Change youth center. The center has 15 members and a lot of volunteers who work together to implement youth initiatives.
In the winter of 1999, the French volunteers from Dijon came again. Together with the volunteers from the youth center and CLD, they participated in an initiative under the motto Let s meet the new century .
The new international volunteer initiative, Summer 2000, was prepared and initiated. The partners in this project are the Local Development Center in Bouhovo and Partners for Local Development from Devin and Madan, with their respective youth organizations: Dream for Change, Bouhovo; Step by Step towards the 21st Century, Devin; Phenomenon 2000, Madan, as well as foreign volunteers under YDA. The project is being implemented with the cooperation of the local authorities of the three municipalities and is funded by USAID through FLGR s Effective Partnerships Program.
Apart from the welldone job, the joint work left long-lasting memories in both the Bulgarian and the foreign participants. The international volunteer camps have established themselves as a friendship forum and a desired form of communication between the youth. Now Bouhovo has many new friends all over the world!
An added benefit was the establishment of the Dream for Change youth center. The center has 15 members and a lot of volunteers who work together to implement youth initiatives.
In the winter of 1999, the French volunteers from Dijon came again. Together with the volunteers from the youth center and CLD, they participated in an initiative under the motto Let s meet the new century .
The new international volunteer initiative, Summer 2000, was prepared and initiated. The partners in this project are the Local Development Center in Bouhovo and Partners for Local Development from Devin and Madan, with their respective youth organizations: Dream for Change, Bouhovo; Step by Step towards the 21st Century, Devin; Phenomenon 2000, Madan, as well as foreign volunteers under YDA. The project is being implemented with the cooperation of the local authorities of the three municipalities and is funded by USAID through FLGR s Effective Partnerships Program.
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