The session on the prioritization of the UNOY Network was a unique exercise for UNOY to capture information from the young volunteers that work in our member organisation in Western Europe and the Caucuses. As a network organisation, it is important UNOY remains relevant for and accountable to our members and their volunteers.
At the start of the session, Laura, UNOY’s Project and Fundraising Coordinator, gave a brief introduction about the UNOY network, showed the UNOY YouTube clip, guided participants to useful parts of the UNOY website and UNOY’s thematic page on youthpolicy.org and the newly established Facebook group on which we can share toolkits, documents, links and also the final report of the project.
Participants were then divided into groups to brainstorm how the UNOY network can support the work of young peacebuilders. The results of the brainstorm can be found below:
Important issues in your communities or the region:
Spain – Racism, increase in nationalism, economic problems, domestic violence. Unemployment is the major issue facing youth today.
Southern Caucuses – Lack of quality and equally accessible education
Armenia –gender inequality, no freedom of speech, violation of human rights and the lack of awareness of human rights
Azerbaijan– Leisure time; youth have little access to leisure activities such as bars, dances and venues to socialize
The Netherlands – structural violence against migrants and refugees
Armenia & Georgia: how to motivate people to participate in youth organizations and stay active in it. Also problems with how train people and fundraising
What you and /or your organisation can gain from the network? What would you like to see more of?
Organisations
– More trainings and seminars on specific topics such as human rights or gender (referred to by 3/5 groups)
– Partnership opportunities and exchange programs
– Training of trainers and trainings in a specific region
– Online forum for international network and database of bad and good practices that is thematically based
– More training and knowledge dissemination on peacebuilding
– Platform to exchange experience between members
– Support in advocacy
– Give advice to the volunteers and smaller organizations that are involved in Armenia
– Focus on structural improvement of member organisations
– Greater knowledge of and access to more materials
– Assistance in fundraising or fundraising tools.
Personal gains
– Learn about different projects that do exist and we can participate in
– Help to develop new projects, we maybe don’t know how to do it
– Learn about other conflict that exist in the world; they may be similar conflicts and we can cooperate more globally with other NGOs
– Learn about different culture and regions
– Improve language (English)
How can UNOY help support the implementation of your planned projects?
– Facilitate partners and assist in identifying contacts
– Providing knowledge through manuals
– Assist in fundraising
What can you contribute to UNOY:
– Provide the network with information about the conflict in the Southern Caucasus
– Identify the different tools that are used in organizations
– Raise awareness about international trainings so that more people are reached and become involved.
– Promotion of UNOY’s projects in our own network to reach an international spread, especially for bloggers
– Ideas, skills, enthusiasm, an open mind!
Volunteering for Peace 