OUR PROGRAMS

YMCA should have strong and trained leaders to organize active work.

Since 1995 Belarusian YMCA has arranged seminars and training for leaders, but initially there were no system of such activity.

In 2000 we launched a new big national program "School of Leader". The main goals of the program is to train leaders to work in Belarusian YMCA and create a system of step by step training of democratic and socially active leaders with the involvement of trainers from Belarus and other YMCAs.

The system of School of Leader is as simple as that: there are 3 trainings a year for the same participants. The number of participants varies from 20 to 25, their age - from 16 to 21.

In 2002 we decided to carry out the School of Leader in 2 phases: communicative trainings in local organizations and 2 trainings for leaders on a national level.

The concept is that first trainings for potential and existing leaders are conducted in local YMCAs and more active are chosen to take part in the next phase. Then there are 2 trainings on a national level for those who managed to finish the 1^st phase successfully. It gives an opportunity to involve more young leaders from local organizations in educational process. On the other hand, 2-levels system provides young leaders with high-quality knowledge.

Of course, the main goal of the program is the creation of the system of training and professional development of employees, members, volunteers and young leaders of every local section. We draw in training national and international specialists and experts. Thereby, the program is aimed to reinforce the inner potential of the organization.

In 2009 School of Leader embraced a new ecological topic. The topic "Leadership and ecological style of life" was elaborated on the basis of Swede program "EcoLogics!" The program enables participants to make an integral idea about themselves, the society and environment. It directs them towards the search of ways of solving a problem, setting aims and collaboration to settle them. Positive experience of the use of the program to train youth leaders in other NGOs gives an opportunity to exploit the program for training multiplicators and leaders of the Peer Education Centers of the YMCA.

Ten Sing, a vigorous mixture of song, music, dance, theatre and spiritual advance, became a very popular program in the Belarusian YMCA.

First tensing-teams emerged in Volozhin and Lida and subsequently grew one of the strongest in Belarus. In 2000 Ten Sing came to Vitebsk and Bobrujsk, in 2004 - to Brest and Molodechno, and in 2008 - to Minsk.

The goal of the program is to develop and realize creativity of the teenagers and the youth. The participants study in 4 studious which are dance, drama, band and choir, where they make bright performances. They also take part in different concerts in Belarus and abroad.

Belarusian Ten Sing team several times participated in European Ten Sing Festivals and was awarded at festivals in Prague in 2003 and 2008. The Belarusian YMCA tensingers gained brilliant image and got the right to vote in the European Ten Sing Committee.

In 2006 the Belarusian Ten Sing team performed at the Ten Sing Festival in Denmark (Arhus). The principal goal of the Festival is to create a relevant atmosphere for youngsters, so that they could meet, have a good time and make the performance of music, dance and drama which they feel and which is important for them. You may appreciate photos from the Festival!

The great success of the Prague Festival in 2003 inspired the executive board of the EAY to plan a new festival in 2008 which took place once again in Prague in August. This time the topic of the festival was the "Real Life". Real life doesn't have boundaries!

The program "Youth for the healthy way of life" is a long-term educational program, which allows young people to join the international movement against the spread of HIV and other phenomena that have a negative influence on health.

The creation of the program became our greatest success. Over 23000 youngsters have taken part in the program since its launch. The program works in the YMCA since September, 2001 and provides for the carrying out of informational, educational and cultural events and campaigns.

The aim of the program is to elevate teenagers and youngsters' awareness about the problem of the dissemination of HIV and application of psychoactive substances. These measures are to ensure the protection of their life and health.

The programme is based on peer education method, when trained young people share their knowledge with peers.

There are Peer Education Centers at every local branch of the YMCA which conduct a series of informational and educational activities on the problem of HIV and application of psychoactive substances among the youth and teenagers in the educational institutions and sanative summer camps. The methodical base of Peer Education Centers consists of its own learning aid and other NGOs' methodical materials.

Traditionally, on 1 December in every town is held the action "Youth of the world against AIDS", and on 17 May — the Memorial Day for those who died from AIDS. These actions include concerts, dramatized shows in schools and culture centers, dissemination of brochures on the prevention of HIV. Moreover, we carry out such actions as "Sports against AIDS", Healthy Days etc.

The program "Youth for the healthy way of life" complemented existing in our organization directions of activities: "TenSing" and Scouting and expanded opportunities of the youth participation. The program develops and improves our activities on the promotion of healthy lifestyle among youngsters.

In addition to the peer education method we organize thematic shows and musicals in Vitebsk, Molodechno and Lida; thematic and preventive discos in Brest, Vitebsk, Volozhin and Molodechno. We also suggest broadening the subject area of Peer Education Centers with trainings on the prevention of drug abuse, drinking, smoking and helping young people to cultivate responsible behaviour.

Originally Scouting emerged as a program in every local YMCA in Belarus, and scout camps became traditional. Each year we organize scout camps, where scouts can compete, train, receive a class and just have a good time.

The program "Scouting" gives young people an opportunity to obtain some vital skills through work in scout patrol.

It is a movement with rich traditions and world name, which allows participants to learn the basics of the first medical aid and survival in extreme conditions, train an ability to communicate with peers and cooperate in small groups. Numerous sporting events favour physical development of participants.

In addition, the program has striking social pattern: the motto of scouts is "There is no day without good deed!"

Each summer, starting from 1999, the Belarusian Scout Jamboree has been held. It is a large camp for around a hundred people from local Belarusian YMCA's and guests. Scouts from Russia, Lithuania, Switzerland and Germany have already taken part in our Jamboree, and we hope to broaden and international circle of this big camp.

One week before the Jamboree scouts become real friends. Each day has its own peculiarities and unforgettable experiences, full of events, games and fun. And even bad weather retreats in the face of scout enthusiasm that is why Belarusian Jamborees are filled with sun and joy.

It was thought from the beginning that the YMCA is a big international family, and participation in international youth projects proved it once again.

The best leaders of the Belarusian YMCA participate in trainings on leadership on a regular basis, organized by the European Alliance of the YMCA.

Members of local sections worked as volunteers in different common projects: for example, such as day-camp for children (1997, Romford, England), Ten Sing Euroteam (1998-2001, Europe), the project "Reconciliation" (1999-2000, Volozhin, Ivenets, Hamburg, Hannover, EXPO2000) and other smaller projects. Moreover, members of the Belarusian YMCA go for a long term to YMCAs of other countries to work: England, Sweden, Switzerland etc.

Tensingers from the Belarusian YMCA several times took part in European Ten Sing Festivals, where they gained brilliant image and got the right to vote in the European Ten Sing Committee. Well-deserved success the Belarusian Ten Sing achieved in the MegaEvent at the EXPO-2000 in Hannover.

The scouts of the Belarusian YMCA participated in the European Jamboree in France, Hungary and in a number of international camps.

The program "International Youth Cooperation" has been working in the organization since 2004. With the scope of the program young people from Belarus take part in youth meetings abroad, in programs "Volunteers for Europe" and "Work in YMCA Summer Camps". In addition, a lot of youngsters from other countries can visit Belarus and meet their Belarusian peers.

The principal goal of the program is to develop and broaden international links, based on interpersonal contacts, to open young people's mind in the realm of culture, history and features of life-style.

The idea of the 1^st YMCA festival in Belarus emerged in Ten Sing and was quite promptly supported by the leaders of the organization. Local sections of the Belarusian YMCA, Kirovsk and Petersburg responded to the call. We have found sponsors and volunteers and that was the start. The first festival was Ten Sing Festival of the Belarusian YMCA, held on

30 March - 1 April 2001 in Lida. There were achievements as well as faults, but the festival was fun, loud, and crowded, with a number of ideas, which were immediately put into practice. There were shops, mini-concerts, and gala-concert, but the principal thing is that there was a feast. Someone learned new skills, many people made friends, every one saw what Ten Sing and Festival is.

The concept of the Festival as a kind of a meeting, feast and work was appreciated, and we decided to conduct the YMCA Program Festival in Belarus the following year. At this Festival every YMCA program had an opportunity to prove itself, advertise and gather supporters.

The Program Festival was held on 9-12 May 2002 in a scenic forest in Minsk region. The Festival reunited our friends from Russia (Moscow, Petersburg, Kirovsk), the Ukraine, Lithuania, Sweden and Switzerland. The Festival began with a concert: every local organization presented itself. Then the program of the Festival included shops, guests' concert, Bible evening, guitar song party, ecological action on cleaning the forest and games. No one had a free minute. The gala-concert concluded the Festival.

The primary goal of the Festival was an opportunity to see all YMCA programs in action, and communication between members of the YMCA from different programs and different countries. And this goal was achieved.

On 13-16 May 2005 on the basis of the Children Health-Improving Centre "Nadezhda" the Second National Program Festival "Rainbow over Belarus" was carried out. The motto of the Festival was "Let peace and love enhance!", and the event itself was held in the year of commemorating the 5^th anniversary of the national YMCA movement activity in Belarus and the 10^th anniversary of the first local YMCA registration in the country.

The Program Festival gathered over 150 people from Belarus, Russia, the Ukraine and Sweden, and became a large stage for old and new friends' meetings, summing up and planning future activities, discussing current problems and representing innovative ideas.