Volunteering is cool! Promoting Youth Volunteerism in Bosnia

Volunteering is cool! Promoting Youth Volunteerism in Bosnia

To encourage young people to get involved in community projects, the Center for the Development of Youth Activism launched an initiative called “Volunteering is cool!.” Nearly 150 students from 10 elementary schools across four Sarajevo municipalities participated. As the part of the project, the students participate in a voluntary activity at least once a week during the school year. Activities included helping tutor other students, assisting elderly and disabled people in their communities, and participating in educational projects related to voluntarism, human rights and minority rights.

The project culminated in the “Gallery of Voluntarism 2012” which took place on December 12th—International Volunteer Day. Students presented their activities and highlighted their voluntary work in project portfolios. The most impressive volunteering activities were awarded with gifts by project sponsors. During presentations, the students demonstrated an important message, “Small hands put together have no limits.”
Sponsors included LIDER, Global Communities’ microfinance institution in Bosnia. LIDER recognizes the need to actively support young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina in strengthening of their capacities and encourage their civic engagement and participation in their communities.