Raising New Generation of Youth Leaders

This project funded by Visegrad Fund addresses a key condition for the realization of volunteering projects: the availability of skilled youth leaders – organizers, group leaders, and educators. Compared to pre-COVID 19 times, the number of youth leaders cooperating with the consortium has decreased. These trends mirror European trends – the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Association reported 1,027 camp leaders in 2022 (2018: 1,555, 2019: 1,764). Educational opportunities for the leaders were often discontinued in pandemic years as well as volunteering projects themselves. The youth leaders often recruit from regular participants – the decline in number of volunteers led to the decline in number of leaders. As the number of volunteers since the pandemic increases and some of the experienced leaders leave the consortium activities due to common reasons, such as family or career obligations, it is necessary to renew and expand the pool of youth leaders. The consortium identified these entry barriers and reasons for early departure:

potential youth leaders don’t know about the opportunities offered to them,
they don’t get involved because they fear they lack knowledge or skills,
they don’t get involved due to time or financial constraints,
they leave because they lack opportunities for further development.

The consortium adresses these bariers through online and offline promotional activities and an offer of both entry lever and advanced educational opportunities.

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.