Circular economy and the employability of disadvantaged youth

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On 2-10 July, Lilit Kharatyan, Kristine Hovhannisyan and Knarik Husikyan, volunteers of Armenian Progressive Youth NGO took part in a seminar organized by our partner AMSED NGO in Strasbourg, France. The topic of the seminar was “Circular economy and the employability of disadvantaged youth”. The program of the seminar included many interactive methods of non-formal education such as conferences and round tables, simulation activities, open space workshops and visits to local associations.

Speaking about the training sessions, our volunteer Lilit Kharatyan mentioned, “I went to Strasbourg with a basic knowledge about circular economy, however, nine days of active working paid itself off. Experts from all over the world shared their knowledge on the subject and gave comprehensive information which I can utilize later on. Additionally, we were introduced to good practices from different countries, success stories and paths leading towards them. Non-formal education methods on their turn made the sessions more interesting and entertaining. Upon completion of the seminar, our efforts, performances and achievements were evaluated and recorded in the Youthpass.

The participants were delighted with the road they passed during the seminar. Reflecting on her individual growth, Knarik Husikyan says the following: “The project itself was a great experience. Overall, the project assisted my personal and professional development and my active participation in the society. It gave me such a good opportunity to encounter with people from different backgrounds. Also, I have gained knowledge about concepts and ideas regarding democracy, citizenship and civil rights. Thanks to the project, I learnt to appreciate the importance of creative expression of ideas, experiences and emotions, as well as, how to deal with ambiguity and how to get involved in new cultural experiences.”

Since the seminar hosted participants from 14 different countries, along with giving the participants an exceptional opportunity to get acquainted with the modern tendencies in circular economy, it ensured the intercultural exchange between representative of different countries. Sharing her experience regarding intercultural communication, Kristine Hovhannisyan tells: ” I am very sociable person by nature and for me, it was such a great opportunity to get acquainted with different people. It gave me a chance to have a better intercultural competence which involves understanding different cultures, languages, customs, religions, as well as, social, ethnic and educational backgrounds. Also, thanks to the project, I have made many lifelong friends and I am really excited for that.”

“Everyone Matters” Fellowship Program in Berlin, Germany

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1 year and 4 months ago, Armenian Progressive Youth NGO launched the long-term project “Everyone Matters! Development of Inclusive and Participatory Youth Work Practices in Eastern Partnership countries”. As a part of the project, four of APY staff members, Henrik Sahakyan, Anna Tovmasyan, Nelly Paytyan and Artashes Papyan took part in a Fellowship Program in Berlin, Germany. This phase of the project was designed to provide a chance for civic organizations operating in Eastern Partnership countries including Armenia, Georgia, Belarus and Ukraine to have a week-long Fellowship in EU-based Civil Society Organizations operating in Germany, Belgium and Sweden for knowledge and cultural exchange. Prior to the fellowship program, APY organized training courses for youth workers in Armenia, as well as, a huge conference which took place in Tbilisi, Georgia.

As a part of Fellowship Program, few members of APY spent a week in social impact startup named TeachSurfing. Henrik presents the organization with the following words, “Basically, the organization itself is a platform which connects Trainers (the TeachSurfers) willing to transfer their knowledge and skills and Organizations such as schools and NGOs who are in need of trainers. The whole activities of the organization including the workshops and training courses are organized on a voluntary basis”.

Henrik also said, “Surprisingly, there are currently 57 host organizations in Armenia registered to TeachSurfing. Although I was familiar with TeachSurfing before due to our partnership, I got a chance to take a closer look at the organization, participate in its daily activities and make a better connection with its members. In general, I felt quite impressed with the idea, mission and the activities of the organization.”

He further elaborates his experience that he had in this one week, “During the program, I worked on the analysis of their social media channels of TeachSurfing in parallel with my role in APY. I have reached out their social media platforms, made a SWOT analysis and presented my findings. Since common and frequent usage of social media channels, social media management is one of the key components that is essential for the success of any kind of business today, whether for profit or non-profit. Promoting the organization and reaching a broader audience is more achievable through social media and resultantly, strong social media presence is quite significant for international organizations such as APY and TeachSurfing.”

 
Since APY is on the edge of strategic and missionary changes, Henrik believes he can make significant contributions to the organization with the assistance of his recent experience: “In the upcoming weeks, we will have teamwork rate meeting to evaluate our past and current activities. Additionally, in October, 2019, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of our organization and we are planning to develop a new organizational strategy and widen our target audience. I believe I can transfer the knowledge that I gained during this fellowship programme in our meetings and initiate to adapt work practices that I have encountered to enhance our organization.”

Anna Tovmasyan, the Project Manager of APY, also participated in a week-long Fellowship Program. She describes her experience within the program as following, “During the project, I tried to provide a link between organizations in Armenia, which could establish partnership with TeachSurfing by sending official emails. During the research, I found out that there are 57 organizations operating in Armenia, and my main goal was to spread the info on the platform among Armenian partners.”

She describes her most important intakes and her future plans for the organization: “The most impressive thing that I encountered during this program was the appreciation of volunteerism in European Union countries. In EU countries, volunteers are willingly devoting their time and efforts for self-fulfillment and for the sake of helping others. In comparison, the notion of volunteerism is not quite developed in Armenia yet for both organizations and volunteers, however, we would like to change that and bring a new attitude toward volunteerism. In addition, we are planning to strengthen our partnerships with organizations who would be willing to host TeachSurfers and organize a workshop related with project management in the future.”

Tools for promoting youth entrepreneurship

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AISI Youth Alliance has successfully implemented the Training Course “Tools for promoting youth entrepreneurship”. The training reunited 30 youth workers coming from Armenia, Georgia, Italy, Moldova, Spain and Ukraine. The event took place between 18 of February and 3 of March in Telavi, Georgia.

The main objectives of the training were to develop participants competences for facilitating individual and group learning processes and skills needed to design training programs based on the principles of non-formal education and to create methodologies for workshops that provide youngsters with entrepreneurial competences.

The training was an intense and transformational experience for everyone involved: participants, trainers, organisers.

The training was facilitated by experienced trainers in youth work and experts in the field of entrepreneurship. The main themes approached during the sessions of the training are:  Designing educational programs for youth; Creative problem solving; Business simulation games; Developing non-formal educational methods in the field of youth entrepreneurship; Development of skills for successful interaction and teamwork; Development of skills for effective communication in learning environments; Development of skills to use non-formal learning and interactive teaching methods as tools for training.

During the first part of the training, participants have developed their skills as trainers in the field of non-formal education. The training started by building a common ground on what is non-formal education and the features under which this type of education takes place. Next, participants have discovered group dynamics principles and how the learning experience takes place. Participants had the chance to explore the different learning theories and learning styles.

Furthermore, participants have discovered a variety of non-formal educational methods that can be used when organising learning activities for youth. Each participant practiced their ability to deliver a speech trough a creative session where they had to prepare speeches on a given topic. It was a nice surprise to see the amazing public speaking skills that participants have and the emotions they were able to transmit to the audience. The participants discovered as well how to improve their creative thinking skills and different techniques meant to unleash ideas, as well as techniques used to generate new ideas for businesses.

In the next part, participants have developed their competences in the field of entrepreneurship. They have acquired new knowledge on what it means to be entrepreneur, basic knowledge of finances, business models and other specific knowledge in the area of business and entrepreneurship.

The third part of the training challenged participants to put in practice their new acquired competences and to create non-formal education methods that aim to provide entrepreneurial competences to youngsters. In the next months, participants will be trainers at local level in their countries and they will deliver workshops for young people based on the methods they created.

During the training, participants also met with the representatives of Telavi and Kvareli municipalities from Kakheti region of Georgia. During the official meeting, participants asked questions to the officials to find out what are the plans of the local authorities to support entrepreneurship at local level.  Participants shared the situation concerning youth entrepreneurship in their communities and shared the common challenge present in their communities: the brain drain. The current project aims to brings solutions to this problem on a long term by enhancing young people entrepreneurial potential and enabling them with the skills needed to develop a business that uses the local potential.

Apart from the educational part of the training related to the topic, the participants discovered Georgia and its culture. Participants learned how to cook “Khincali” and “Churchkhela” two of the most known Georgian traditional foods and sweets. They also attended a “Supra” – Georgian traditional dinner where they tasted amazing foods and felt the local spirit and hospitality. Participants created new friendships among them and enjoyed a good atmosphere.

Day by day participants have changed and improved themselves as trainers and as persons. At the end of the two weeks everyone there was a better person, with new ideas and inspiration to continue improving at personal and professional level. The power of non-formal education and on this type of trainings lays in the holistic transformational experience offered.

The training course “Tools for promoting youth entrepreneurship” is one of the main activities of the KA2 project “Young Entrepreneurs for Community growth” coordinated by AISI Youth Alliance and implemented in partnership with youth organisations from five other countries: Poruch from Ukraine, Cilento Youth Union from Italy, Creatorii from Moldova, ADEFIS Juventud International from Spain and Armenian Progressive Youth from Armenia.

Young Entrepreneurs for Community Growth represents a Capacity Building in the Field of Youth project, Eastern Partnership Youth Window projects co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission.

Զբաղվածության դպրոց | Ընդունվում են մասնակցության հայտեր

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Զբաղվածության դպրոցի նպատակն է Երևանում և հարակից քաղաքային ու գյուղական համայնքներում բնակվող Սիրիահայերին և տեղաբնակ անձանց տրամադրել հմտությունների և կարողությունների զարգացման հնարավորություններ:
Դպրոցը խմբային դասընթացների, քննարկումների, գործնական վարժությունների, ինչպես նաև դասընթացավարի կողմից անհատական խորհրդատվության միջոցով խթանում է մասնակիցների անձնային և մասնագիտական զարգացումը՝ խրախուսելով նրանց ակտիվ ներգրավվածությունը աշխատաշուկայում:

Դպրոցն իրականացվելու է Երևանում: Մարզերից եկող մասնակիցների ճանապարհածախսը կփոխհատուցվի:

Դպրոցին մասնակցելով՝ դուք կզարգացնեք աշխատանք գտնելու ձեր հմտություններն ու հնարավորությունները:
Դպրոցն ավարտելով՝ կստանաք մասնակցության վկայական:
Դպրոցին կարող եք դիմել` լրացնելով հայտադիմումը հետևյալ հղմամբ՝ https://bit.ly/2uPJuIX։

Ծրագրի նկարագիր

«Փնտրի՛ր գործ, գտի՛ր գործ» զբաղվածության դպրոցը տեղահանված և տեղաբնակ խոցելի խմբերի աշխատանքային հմտությունների զարգացմանն ու աշխատաշուկայում վերջիններիս մրցունակության բարձրացմանը նպատակաուղղված հնգամսյա ծրագիր է: Ծրագիրն իրականացվում է Հայ առաջադեմ երիտասարդություն ՀԿ -ի կողմից, Action Against Hunger միջազգային մարդասիրական կազմակերպության հետ համագործակցությամբ, ԳՄՀԸ (GIZ) -ի աջակցությամբ իրականացվող «Տեղահանված և տեղաբնակ խոցելի խմբերի տնտեսական և սոցիալական ներգրավվածությունը Հարավային Կովկասում» (EPIC) ծրագրի շրջանակներում:

Ֆինանսավորում

«Տեղահանված և տեղաբնակ խոցելի խմբերի տնտեսական և սոցիալական ներգրավվածությունը Հարավային Կովկասում» (EPIC) ծրագիրն իրականացվում է Գերմանիայի միջազգային համագործակցության ընկերության (GIZ) կողմից՝ Գերմանիայի Դաշնային Հանրապետության տնտեսական համագործակցության և զարգացման նախարարության (BMZ) պատվիրակմամբ:

Ձեռնարկատիրության դպրոց | Ընդունվում են մասնակցության հայտեր

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Ձեռնարկատիրության դպրոցի նպատակն է Երևանում և հարակից քաղաքային ու գյուղական համայնքներում բնակվող Սիրիահայերին և տեղաբնակ անձանց տրամադրել հմտությունների և կարողությունների զարգացման հնարավորություններ:
Դպրոցը խմբային դասընթացների, քննարկումների, գործնական վարժությունների, ինչպես նաև դասընթացավարի կողմից անհատական խորհրդատվության միջոցով խթանում է մասնակիցների անձնային և մասնագիտական զարգացումը՝ խրախուսելով նրանց ակտիվ ներգրավվածությունը ձեռնարկատիրական ոլորտում:

Դպրոցն իրականացվելու է Երևանում: Մարզերից եկող մասնակիցների ճանապարհածախսը կփոխհատուցվի:

Ծրագրին լիարժեք մասնակցություն ցուցաբերած և լավագույն բիզնես գաղափարներ ներկայացրած մասնակիցները կստանան մինչև 550.000 ՀՀ դրամի սահմաններում դրամաշնորհ սեփական բիզնես գաղափարն իրականացնելու համար:

Դպրոցին մասնակցելով՝ դուք կզարգացնեք ձեր ձեռնարկատիրական հմտություններն ու հնարավորությունները:
Դպրոցն ավարտելով՝ կստանաք մասնակցության վկայական:
Դպրոցին կարող եք դիմել` լրացնելով հայտադիմումը հետևյալ հղմամբ՝ https://bit.ly/2TWn1Ut։

Ծրագրի նկարագիր

«Փնտրի՛ր գործ, ստեղծի՛ր գործ» ձեռնարկատիրական դպրոցը տեղահանված և տեղաբնակ խոցելի խմբերի աշխատանքային ձեռնարկատիրական ներուժի զարգացմանը նպատակաուղղված հնգամսյա ծրագիր է: Ծրագիրն իրականացվում է «Հայ առաջադեմ երիտասարդություն» ՀԿ -ի կողմից, «Action Against Hunger» միջազգային մարդասիրական կազմակերպության հետ համագործակցությամբ, ԳՄՀԸ (GIZ) -ի աջակցությամբ իրականացվող «Տեղահանված և տեղաբնակ խոցելի խմբերի տնտեսական և սոցիալական ներգրավվածությունը Հարավային Կովկասում» (EPIC) ծրագրի շրջանակներում:

Ֆինանսավորում

«Տեղահանված և տեղաբնակ խոցելի խմբերի տնտեսական և սոցիալական ներգրավվածությունը Հարավային Կովկասում» (EPIC) ծրագիրն իրականացվում է Գերմանիայի միջազգային համագործակցության ընկերության (GIZ) կողմից՝ Գերմանիայի Դաշնային Հանրապետության տնտեսական համագործակցության և զարգացման նախարարության (BMZ) պատվիրակմամբ:

Capturing my EVS adventures

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On the very first day when I arrived in Yerevan, I was so confused that I could not even understand what was going on around me. Then, I got home and met my roommate (for the upcoming month) who helped me to adapt with the Armenian lifestyle and gave me some recommendations of “must dos” in Yerevan. Therefore, this is where my adventures in Armenia has started.

On the next day, I went to the APY office and met the staff members with who I was going to work for the upcoming two months. I engaged myself in the PR and Communication Department of APY as I am specialized in Filmmaking and Videography.

During the first week I along with my colleague at APY started the preparation phase of the movie screening that I wanted to do in Yerevan. I was willing to organize screenings of movies directed by Turkish or Armenian directors related to Armenian-Turkish relations. During the upcoming weeks, we had several movie screenings and I was so happy to see so many young people interested in Armenian-Turkish dialogue.

Thereas, with the assistance of the APY volunteers and staff members I started to shoot the movies that I had in my mind for a long time. The first movie was meant to be an anti-smoking campaign that speaks about the damages of a cigarette. The movie is very short but there is a huge idea behind it. The second short movie speaks out about another sensitive problem: the gender-based abortions. In the movie I tried to express the inhumanity and cruelty behind the idea of whether your child should be born or not based on her/his sex.

During my stay in Yerevan, I tried to learn some Armenian to make my communication with the locals a little bit easier. I think I was the happiest person at the time when I could spell and write my name and profession in Armenian correctly. I also learnt some expressions that I could have used in everyday life. My favourite expression in Armenian is “Ես հայերեն չեմ հասկանում”, as I was supposed to use it the most.

I am so thankful to APY for giving me the opportunity of not only having my EVS experience in Yerevan but in the regions of Armenia as well. During my EVS experience, I visited Goris, Ijevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor where I had meet university students, share with them my volunteering experience and make connections.

Now I for sure can stay that I had the life-changing experience of my life full of discoveries and personal and professional growth.

“Two months – one story” My EVS Experience in Armenia

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Being an EVS volunteer in Armenia has thought me a lot considering my Turkish origin.
I believe that I have been supported and inspired by many people in my host organization since they were always taking care of me in Armenia.
During my first week, me and my colleagues from APY participated in the Volunteerism Armenia Conference 2018 in UWC Dilijan. The conference was dedicated to the International Volunteer Day (December 5th) and Armenia Earthquake Memorial Day (December 7th).
The main purpose of the event was to present their accomplishments, and collaboration with other organizations in different cities of Armenia, as well as to inform the community about volunteerism, volunteering programs, to enable the volunteers to make their work more visible to the public. We also had the opportunity to present APY’s work and its volunteering programs. I had a chance to learn more about some other organizations’ activities in Armenia (Tree of Life, The Armenian Red Cross Society, etc.). Those two events showed me again the importance of volunteerism in Armenia and beyond.

Since I arrived in Armenia during the first days of December, I had a chance to experience Christmas ceremonies happening in Yerevan. Our office is located close to the Northern Avenue, where they have an open-air New Year market for almost a month and during the evenings, you can attend concerts performed by children. I felt myself lucky as I have also participated in many Christmas and New Year parties and dinners organized by APY with its staff members and volunteers. During these informal meetings, I met lots of people who gave me some advices concerning my stay in Yerevan. Everyone warned me to buy everything before the January 1st because almost all the shops are closed until the 7th of January. It was far away the best advice as the city turned into a ghost from the January 1st 😀

One of the most unforgettable memories from my EVS experience was the project called “Clean Environment | Resource Management”. The goal of the project was to create an outlook for children’s ecological consciousness. I spent my two days with APY’s other volunteers in Aparan to meet with children and to discuss with them ecological issues. I believe that I will never forget the moment when they planted a seed, put their names on the vase and took them to home. They were so happy and interested while planting the seeds and watering them for the first time.

After the arrival of the other volunteer, Arzu, we started to take Armenian Language Lessons. After we have learnt some basic words, we were so much eager to use them in our daily conversations. And once when Arzu wanted to buy a new camera (but since she was going to stay in Armenia for two months, she didn’t want to buy it at that moment), it was really hard for us to explain the seller our situation. Then, we remembered what we have learnt and said: “երկու ամիս մնալու եմ” (I’ll stay here for two months). It might not be the best explanation but it worked. So we felt like we already could speak Armenian.

I wish I’ll have the opportunity to come back Armenia and continue discovering it more thoroughly.