Programs

Leadership & Volunteering

Directions: Youth leadership, Volunteerism, Active Citizenship
Objectives:
  • Promote positive impact on youth work at local level and integration of youth in to society at large
  • Increase capacity and effectiveness of young people to address local issues encouraging their spirit of initiative and active participation in the development of the local community
  • Promote more engaged, empowered and knowledgeable young people actively collaborate with local organizations in solving local issues
  • Provide a platform for exchanging experience, skills and information, and developing leadership and life skills
  • Provide opportunities to meet outstanding young leaders from different sectors of the society and peers from other countries
  • Encourage and facilitate initiation and implementation of small community projects
International Projects:
Local Projects/Actions:
Ongoing Services:
Description:
All activities of the SYC are directed to involvement of young people in community, promotion of their active participation, development of youth volunteerism and leadership. Many projects would not come true without the dedication and efforts of our volunteers!
The role of young people is crucial in the development of civil society, through their participation, activeness and involvement. Efforts to encourage youth service/participation are one of the best ways to ensure youth are viewed by the community and by themselves as resources and solutions rather than problems and victims. In today's globalization, fast moving and complex society, education for citizenship is increasingly important. If we know our rights, duties and responsibilities and understand the nature of democratic behavior, and if we have practiced some of the skills of participation and joined in reflective discussion, then we are much more likely and much better equipped to play an active role in the wider community. As future leaders young people has a great potential to promote as important actors and not just factors in social change processes.
In the process of development, Armenia has various difficulties and problems to solve; in such situation young people are somewhat discouraged and often take passive role. The situation is particularly relevant in small towns, where there are few opportunities for employment, leisure, self-expression and self-development. Young people who are willing to initiate, organize, invest own efforts for the community development are not few. Still they do not have possibilities to acquire needed skills and to input their energy. As a result many young people, especially young professionals leave our town (Stepanavan) not only for abroad, but also to bigger cities of Armenia. Many young people and high school students have difficulties connected with decision making, team work, obtaining necessary information, professional orientation, time management, leisure and future planning. Internet as a huge and important resource of information is not accessible for almost all young people in small towns. This situation leads to low civil involvement and activeness of youth, irresolution among them.
The contribution of youth leaders in youth activeness and their full involvement in the society is big. Educating, providing necessary skills, knowledge to youth leaders; showing possible ways of realization of their ideas, projects will promote their initiation, confidence in their own strengths, self-mastery and self management skills and will facilitate professional orientation. Young leaders can involve peers in the implementation of their projects, and assist in peer education, acting as multipliers. Afterwards as active leaders in their schools, institutions, in towns they will assist in the development of activeness among youth of town in large.

Environmental Action

Directions: environmental education, environmental campaigns
Objectives:
  • Promote environmental education among young people and children related to water resources
  • Raise awareness about the local and regional issues related to water resources in the community
  • Promote positive impact of youth work at local level and youth active participation in the preservation, management and monitoring of local water resources
  • Increase capacity and effectiveness of young people to address local environmental/water issues
  • Promote more engaged, empowered and knowledgeable young people actively collaborate with local organizations in solving environmental/water issues
Methods: water monitoring tests, training, media campaign, seminars, publications, peer education, international events (sending and hosting), other
International Projects:
Local Projects/Actions:
Description:
For more information about water situation in Armenia and South Caucasus visit:http://www.daiwater.com/projactivities.htm 
http://www.gwpcacena.org/en/pdf/armenia.pdf


Social Development

Objectives:
  • Promote the increase of youth capacity for social development of the country
  • Organize projects to address different community issues
  • Increase training and information accessibility
  • Create a youth resource and counseling center
International Projects:
Local Projects/Actions:
Ongoing Services:

Information Access

Description:
Objectives:
  • Promote information accessibility in regions of Armenia, particularly for young people
  • Increase possibilities for information technology use and development for young people
  • Collect and spread information that will promote enhancement of active citizenship and participation, development of self-actualization and self-development among young Armenians living in regions of Armenia
Methods: networking, publications, training, meetings, library services, counseling
Local Projects/Actions:
The social-economic situation of present-day Armenia has influenced all layers of the population including the youth. The problems of youth are particularly vivid in regions of Armenia, there is a big difference between possibilities and information accessibility between youth of the capital and in regions. Youth in regions have fewer opportunities for employment, leisure, self-expression and self-development, to be active, to participate in different projects. Furthermore, young people in regions are discouraged and take passive role.
The importance of having youth develop good critical and creative thinking abilities has to do with the foundations needed for a democracy and with the tools needed for independent and life-long learning. Many young people and high school students have difficulties connected with decision making, team work, obtaining necessary information, professional orientation, time management, leisure and future planning. Meanwhile, employers state lack of adequate human resources with corresponding employability skills. There is lack of youth at risk programs to provide youth with a broad range of life and marketable skills and basic education to address this increasingly critical challenge, which will enable them to also understand, articulate and model the fundamental values which are foundational to social life and a democratic system of government.
Internet as a huge and important resource of information is not accessible for almost all young people in town. (Internet price is too high in regions, as there is a need to pay extra interurban telephone cost of 20 AMD per minute, $4-$5 per hour). All these lead to low civil involvement and activeness of youth, irresolution among them. SYC tries to find ways to make information more accessible to young people living in regions of Armenia through e-info, networking, and educational programs.

Cultural Exchanges

Objectives:
  • Provide possibilities for young Armenians to share their own culture with their peers and to explore different cultures
  • Provide a better capacity of participation in social interaction, and the recognition of the common heritage of humanity and the advantages of cultural diversity for solving local issues
  • Develop and promote friendship, mutual understanding, tolerance, respect, harmony and dialog among youngsters from different countries
Methods: summer camps, international events, exchange programs, publications, other
International Projects:
Description:
Each of us is unique and this makes the world a wonderful place to live in. Dances, songs and art are universal languages of communication which will be used for development of mutual understanding and respect, tolerance and dialog and cultural dimension of citizenship among young people throughout the world. We aim to develop tolerance towards cultural, national and racial differences.

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