Skills in action
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StandUP stands up for kids! Will you? Choose any statement from these texts start a discussion. Follow the ground rules for discussion. A typical volunteer in Ukraine is a teenage girl, with a secondary school diploma and a better-than-average financial status. She wants to help others and make this society a better place. Some 20 percent of her fellow volunteers want to spend even more time volunteering than they already do. In contrast, a typical volunteer in Western Europe is a married woman over 30 with children. Volunteering abroad is also a good way to find a job and gain practical experience. Another difference with the West is even more striking: The practice is neither popular in Ukraine nor firmly encouraged by government. Nonetheless, there are organizations in Ukraine that specialize in volunteer activities to various degrees. Three include: United Nations Volunteers, Dobra Volia and Alternatyva V.
scout Dobra Volia and Alternatyva V are ting scou an eric Am to clubs similar served organizations. UN Volunteers has er oth for lyst as a coordinator and cata er oth y man in reas organizations, whe nations, government or civil society organizations take on these roles.
Volunteering is encouraged on the state level in the USA, but has no widespread following or support in Ukraine. There are some 500 volunteers that work for the Kyiv Volunteer School in Kyiv, most of them aged 14-18 years old. They help children with disabilities, orphans and HIV positive people. national A student, Anna Yanyf, who enrolled in Inter es you etim “Som e: wrot ns ratio Volunteer Day celeb ive pass the life: your in thing some ge need to chan real the for r contemplation in front of your compute take tice, prac into e world, put theoretical knowledg to do for action, and make a child smile. There is a lot le, peop new t mee , help to like ld wou I this country. ” share ideas and do something useful.
Dear Friends and Supporters, Have you ever thought about volun teering your time to a local charity or comm unity organization? There are many diffe rent reasons for you to start volunteering: • to help others • to learn about an activity or organizat ion that interests you • to beat boredom (if you find your self sitting around the house feeling totall y bored, volunteering in an activity you enjoy can be a great way to change thing s) • to overcome a loss you have experienc ed (one of the best ways to help yourself in a time of loss is to help others) • to gain perspective on life (ther e is no better way to understand your bless ings than to help people in need)
One volunteer started the environ mental project. It encourages people to use ecologically friendly bags instead of plastic ones when going to a supermarket. “It’s very hard to love this country and the people who live in it who throw garbage on the streets. We need to start changes with ourselv es.”
Kids in Ukraine need volunteers’ help. You can volunteer at orphanages to teach English, lead children in songs, music, dance, sports, and other activities, teach cooking or handcrafts, act as mentor, and generally just spend time talking and sharing…
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