ASSOCIATION FOR VOLUNTEERISM VOLONTERSKI CENTAR SKOPJE

VCS was founded in 2006 and since then has implemented around 60+ Projects from the “YiA” and “Erasmus+” Programs, in addition to other projects funded by local, national and international donors. The overarching objective of the organization is to connect, engage and empower young people by way of volunteering, enabling them to gain skills and competences to shape their communities. A key goal of the organization is to promote European values in our multicultural societies, by providing platforms for active youth participation and engagement. VCS has been a sending/hosting organization for 15+ years and has directly affected the skills development of many young Europeans. For reference, over 300 young people from all across Europe have taken part in our EVS/ESC mobilities, and an estimated 8.000+ people from across Europe have been involved in our various projects thus far. VCS offers opportunities for youth participation at various local and international platforms, such as: seminars, trainings, study visits, youth exchanges, ecological and social actions, etc. VCS was directly involved as a key stakeholder in the development of “Law of Volunteerism” in Macedonia. It’s currently in the national Committee for the implementation of the law, directly monitoring and supervising the development of relevant national youth policies, and actively participates in public discussions and consultations pertaining to the topics of young engagement and empowerment. VCS was involved in the working group in the Parliament on the “Law for Youth Participation and Youth Policies” that was brought in January 2020. In the law it is regulated for the first time in Macedonia, what is youth work and who are youth workers. At the same time, VCS was actively involved in the discussion with youth before the law was implemented and afterwards on monitoring its implementation. Volunteers Centre Skopje has set the following objectives for the organisation in the next years: - improve the conditions of all the people who live in Macedonia’s in general, and of the young people in particulal; - develop youth work pracites and peer educations as well as encouraging innovation and digitalization in youth work; - promote tolerance, inclusion, peaceful communication and coexistence among all groups by fostering cross-border cooperation between ours and neighbouring countries; - honour our traditional heritage while adopting EU values; - support active citizenship; - develop rural areas to open employment possibilities for young people, and inspire them to engage in entrepreneurship themselves. Being competitive at the labour market, as well as taking on an entrepreneurial role will empower youth living in rural areas, support their personal and social development ultimately improving their situation. - raise awareness about the environment, climate change and promote sustainable living. The main target group for VCS is local and international youth between 14 and 30 years old. The majority of the activities of VCS refer to several main areas: • Supporting informal and non-formal education through intercultural learning and international mobility activities; • Strengthening civil society, citizenship and democracy in rural areas; • Supporting the active role of youngsters in being active members of their communities; • Youth work and digital youth work • Cross-border cooperation; • Facilitating multiethnic, multilingual, multicultural and multi-religious exchange; • Promotion of culture and art; • Underpinning gender equality and human rights; • Promotion of European values and principles; • Raising awareness about environement, climate change and promoting sustainable living. The activities include: youth and youth workers’ mobility (youth exchanges, training courses…), promotion and facilitation of cross-border and international cooperation, debates, campaigns, promotion of Erasmus+ and ESC in local context, hosting and sending volunteers abroad.