vTransnational Meetings helped us to understand volunteerism, transfer network, transfer tools and activities that are in progress in the Lead Partner city of Athienou and other partners.
We started to promote and organise volunteering activities in the town. There are activities of intergenerational cooperation going on between schools and seniors, the ULG members also identified volunteering activities in taking care of environment as needed.
Also, a Facebook group platform (Dobrovoľníctvo v Banskej Štiavnici/Volunteerism in Banská Štiavnica) was set up to connect ULG members and public and promote volunteering activities in the town. Currently, the group/platform includes 69 members.
As it is very important to choose the right way to disseminate information, we promote the activities and the project via local newspapers, municipality´s website and social media.
The ULG also tried and invited local businesses to join the group but there was no interest from their side. However, they donated and supported the activities when they were asked to.
Today, the ULG members organise or participate in various volunteering activities, and they also try to come up with new ones. That is why we organised the first and the second “Volunteering Marathon – Let´s Clean Up Our City!”, in June there is a workshop on volunteerism planned to be held for ULG members by Centre of Volunteerism in Banská Bystrica. One ULG member proposed a new activity connecting lonely elderly people and young generation through regular visiting/phoning them, called “Hello, I am listening!” We are also planning about an activity including a day of board games once a month in the senior home care centre.
ULG members also participate in the transnational meetings which they found very inspiring.
In addition, the Municipality also cooperated in the financial and material support for Ukrainian refugees and also sent medical and material support to city of Lviv, together with Banská Štiavnica, the member of the Organisation of the World Heritage Cities.
So far, we can state that the participation in the transfer network has helped us to promote volunteerism in Banská Štiavnica, to connect people who need help with those who want to help and to get inspired by volunteering activities in partner cities.
Our aim is to root volunteerism in everyday community life!
Henrieta Godová, project coordinator, Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia