Združenie Slatinka

Slatinka Association is a civic association, which was established in 1993 from the group of undergraduates and local people in response to the revival of the controversial Slatinka water dam project. The mission of the association is to protect natural values and the environment, especially in the Slatina river valley, direct participation and increased public participation in decision-making on projects and documents with an impact on the environment and environmental education of children and young people in particular. In addition to the problem of Slatinka dam, as the building with the greatest negative impact on the environment in of the Slatina river basin, Slatinka Association in Zvolen and its surroundings is dedicated to the protection and integration of natural sites in an urbanized environment, helping active groups of citizens to participate in solving specific environmental problems in Zvolen and its surroundings. In 2005 we opened eco counselling Zelená Skrinka (Green Cabinet) for environmental consulting. The partners of the activities are mainly locals and young people - students of the University in Zvolen, high school students, and young volunteers. Cooperation with the civic association The Society of Friends of Slatinka is important and it brings together the original inhabitants of Slatinka, their descendants, present and future inhabitants of the village. We also cooperate with the city of Zvolen, the municipality of Zvolenská Slatina and vocational and educational Institutions (Technical University in Zvolen, State Nature Protection Zvolen, Institute of Forest Ecology at Slovak Academy of Science). The activities are designed for the local community regardless of age, social and economic status. They are concentrated in five categories, which are: 1. LET´S SAVE SLATINKA - Sustainable use of the Slatina river valley, water protection and Slatinka village revitalization (including protection of the cultural heritage of the village, maintenance of the educational trail and the former school - today there is a library and an eco-centre) 2. NATURAL LOCATIONS IN THE CITY - integration of the remnants of natural sites into urbanized areas without disturbing their natural values (including the management of one of the most valuable sites in Zvolen - Lanice Park) 3. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION - environmental awareness-raising activities, especially activities for children and young people (including activities for the practical participation of children and young people in community life and decision-making on matters of their interest) 4. ECO COUNSELING „ZELENÁ SKRINKA“ - support for active people who want to protect the environment and participate in decision-making on projects and documents with an impact on their environment (including discussions, educational activities for citizens) 5. VOLUNTEER INFO POINT - Promotion and support of volunteering of young people in the region of Zvolen - Detva - Banská Štiavnica, based on accreditation at the Volunteer Centre in Banská Bystrica. In addition, we do various activities with local people to improve the environment at specific locations in and around Zvolen. Places are selected mainly on the basis of the interest of local people who are willing not only to request outside help, but also to contribute themselves to the improvement of their condition. Other places we beautified temporarily during events such as Earth Day, installation of land art, volunteer brigades for cleaning waste, etc. Many improvements were also made in the village Slatinka (bridge repair, lighting installation and operation, installation of information boards, modification of the village center, adjustment of wells, etc.) Since 2008, the Slatinka Association has been practically continuously implementing activities under the Erasmus + programs, projects of the European Voluntary Service and the European Solidarity Corps. So far, 31 volunteers from 10 countries have been recruited and 4 young people have been sent abroad for volunteer projects. Many of our foreign volunteers are returning to Slovakia repeatedly to our organization, with most of them we maintain s even after the end of the projects. Since 2014, the Slatinka Association has been part of the network of the Volunteer Centre of the Banská Bystrica Region and is accredited as an organization that meets higher standards of work with volunteers. Since 2010 we organize summer work camps for foreign volunteers (in cooperation with INEX Slovakia) and also short weekend volunteer activities aimed at helping the local community in the village of Slatinka and care for the environment. It was these events that were brought to our association by foreign volunteers and they still cooperate with us on their organization.