Training for coordinators of new volunteer centers was held at Stara Planina

In the period from June 15th to 20th, 2021, representatives of 5 volunteer centers from Serbia and 5 from Bulgaria participated in training on volunteer management, as well as on coordinating volunteers in emergency situations.

During 6 days of work, youth workers, representatives of 5 associations from the border region of Serbia and Bulgaria, had the opportunity to go through all the topics they need in order to master the methodology of working with volunteers and volunteering in emergency situations with trainers Marjan Cvetković and Vojislav Vujić. . During the training, through lectures and workshops, they covered the following parts of the methodology for volunteering in emergency situations – What is volunteer work, types of volunteer programs; Volunteer services at the national and local level; Volunteer management; Volunteer management in emergency situations; Establishment of VC for volunteering in emergency situations; Elements of disaster risk reduction and emergency management systems; Types of disasters and their potential impacts (fires, floods); Search and rescue and what volunteers can do; First aid and what volunteers can do; Psychosocial support of volunteers; Community assessment and analysis of potential risks.

After the training, these youth workers have the task of organizing a call for volunteers in their cities, namely Kuršumlija, Bor, Vladičin Han, Aleksinac and Majdanpek, after which they will pass on their knowledge to the volunteers, and then participate with the volunteers in two joint actions in Zaječar and Vidin, where they will have joint activities with volunteer centers from Bulgaria, which will concern prevention and dealing with emergency situations.

In addition to the mentioned 5 volunteer centers selected as part of the project Volunteers move borders in emergency situations, 5 volunteer centers selected in 2017 as part of the project Volunteers move borders from Zaječar, Niš, Pirot, Knjaževac and Leskovac will participate in these activities. Also, 10 volunteer centers from the border region of Bulgaria, also selected in the mentioned 2 projects, will participate in the activities.