The President of the NGO Mladiinfo Montenegro Milica Zugic participated in the online conference “Resilience and Sustainability of the SEEYN and OSCE Youth Sector” organized by the NGO Youth Network of Southeast Europe in cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, within the series “When Young People Save the World” which was held on May the 15th 2020.
Some of the questions discussed by those present during the conference were: In what ways are youth organizations relevant in times of crisis? What can they contribute? What challenges for organizations has the pandemic brought? Which old ailments have become more visible? How to involve youth and organizations in the long-term response to a pandemic? Ideas for strengthening the youth sector?
The conference was moderated by Mirela Rajkovic, Executive Director of the Southeast European Youth Network.
Participants had the opportunity to express their opinions, give constructive inputs, discuss the situation in the world during and after the pandemic. The conference provided an ideal opportunity for dialogue and mutual inspiration.
During the pandemic, the organizations encouraged young people to volunteer, they also participated in informing young people through online educational, entertaining and informative content, that were opinions of participants during the online conversation.
The challenges posed by the pandemic to organizations were: Difficult direct contact with young people, sustainability, level of adaptability, how to reach young people, interest and involve them, difficult field activities, the need to harmonize organizational goals, topics and planned activities in accordance with the new donor policy caused by a pandemic.
At the very end of a very inspiring dialogue, participants agreed that Volunteer Service must be part of the Crisis Staff structure. A structure that takes a leading role in the community in the management of volunteers and volunteer programs, and in order to establish it is necessary to provide human and logistical capacity, as well as cooperation with all actors we recognize as important in the development of volunteering and volunteer programs in the community.