EVS unites youth in the Baltic Sea Region

Imagine a network of young people and local communities stretching across the Baltic Sea; a network where the youth from our countries can learn to know each other, and from each other, and can develop friendship. Imagine a network where the youth are offered new learning opportunities; language, intercultural experiences, personal development and professional skills. Sounds great, doesn't it? This was the vision presented by Mr Vegard Hölaas, Director at the Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs, at the General conference in Turku in 2005. All this can be possible through a new project called "EVS in the Baltic Sea region".The project is initiated by Kumulus, a resource centre for local and regional youth policy in the County of Kalmar, in cooperation with UBC Commission on Youth Issues.

The aim of the project is to use European Voluntary Service (EVS) as a tool for cooperation between young people and cities in the UBC. Through EVS, local projects, organisations and communities can establish contacts in other countries - contacts on a personal and professional level that can contribute to their development. The new project aims to establish a centre for the coordination of EVS projects in the Baltic Sea Region. The centre will for example offer training courses focusing on how to develop and run a successful EVS project. It can also offer support to local organisations in the implementation of projects.

The city of Liepaja, Latvia, is one of the cities participating in the project. "This project will open new ways for UBC member cities to learn from each other. The learning will be through young people living in the cities. Involvement in this project will open wider horizons for young people around the Baltic Sea"-says Vilis Bruveris, the Head of Liepaja Youth Centre.

The EVS centre will be based in the city of Kalmar. There will also be a working group with participants from each participating country. The project is Thnanced by the Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs, the County of Kalmar and Kumulus.