Svitac (Firefly Bosnia) Project Report – November 2021

Staff: Gordana Varcaković, Dina Vošanović, Miloš Popić, Sanjin Vošanović

Local volunteers: Adin Midžić, Maja Keserović

‘Weltwärts’ volunteers: Nikolai Karl Pfeiffer, Rike Lea Stollenwerk

‘ESC’ volunteers: Emily Jade Posner, Siobhan Rosemary Coleman, Jara Madleen Schulze, Viktor Hüllmann                

ON-GOING PROGRAMME

  • Culture and Art Diversity around the World – Includes Language, Art&Crafts, Music, Drama, and Sports workshops from Monday to Friday (4-14)
    • Standard and Conversational Language workshops – English, German
      • I love English – English workshops for 15-30
      • “Lasstuns Deutsch sprechen!/Pričajmo njemački!“ (Let’s speak German) – German workshops for 15-30
    • Music workshops – samba, guitar for 15-30

    HIGHLIGHTS ON MONTH’S ACTIVITIES

    • This month was quite difficult as the number of infected has been increased daily, but no additional measures have been introduced. Autumn and winter inspired activities in the youth centre continued unhindered, but additional online activities have been introduced since some participants were in isolation because their parents were infected with Covid. Our young participants gave us the energy to continue our peacebuilding work with people of different ethnic backgrounds celebrating peace and diversity. International volunteers have been doing a lot of different daily activities and they focused on different things (e.g. supporting online activities, promotion of the organization through social media).
    • About 141 participants regularly attended Svitac’s (Firefly Bosnia’s) activities in November. Participants were aged between 4 and 30 years old. The youngest and the oldest participants attended Culture and Art Diversity around the World workshops and English/German conversational workshops.
      • Younger group – They did forms of chestnut animals, dragons (made of colourful crepe paper, twine and wooden sticks), lions (made of autumn leaves and cardboard), window decorations, the letters D, DŽ, Đ, E, F, G and drawing objects that begin with one of these letters. They also learned about owls and their way of life, about lions and animals that live in water, about the solar system with a suitable video and creative activity with straws from which they made the sun. In the English, German and Turkish language workshops they learned words related to aquatic animals (dolphin, fish, crab, and jellyfish). In the Music Workshops, they learned the winter song „Zvončići” (Jingle Bells). The group also danced and learned choreography to the song „Kika Tanzalarm“ and the participants had a chance to see some musical instruments such as the guitar and flute. All workshops are implemented with an educational visual method with pictures and video; the goal of informal educational workshops is to develop creativity, memory, motor skills, empathy, socialization and tolerance for diversities. Highlight with the younger group was the workshop for World Children’s Day when they spoke about what they would like to be when they grow up and about their wishes for the future.
      • Older group –  They discussed the following topics: anti-fascism, tolerance, good deeds, ecology and recycling. In this way, we want to provide young people with a safe and neutral space, where they can express their opinions and express positive and negative emotions, without fear of condemnation. In the Language Workshops, the group worked on practising everyday communication, grammar, and got help with homework and school projects. The highlight with the older group was the workshop for International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism when participants were introduced with presentations on three topics: fascism on social networks, fascism in football and the Antifa movement.

EVS/ESC, WELTWARTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS’ PROGRAMMES

  • In November, Svitac (Firefly Bosnia) very much appreciated the collaboration with 6 Weltwärts and EVS/ESC volunteers from UK and Germany.
  • Visa process has been finished for 6 volunteers from UK and Germany.
  • Sending EVS/ESC and ‘Weltwärts’ – Seven volunteers from Bosnia are doing their service in Germany, Slovenia, Turkey, Greece and Poland (2 – 12 months).

MEETINGS and PRESENTATIONS

  • Svitac’s (Firefly Bosnia’s) staff continued to attend regular monthly meetings with the youth centre coordinator and the other NGOs based in Brčko. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss conditions and schedules for the continuation of centre activities.
  • Svitac (Firefly Bosnia) organized an event “Youth Power for Better Future in Bosnia“ to introduce young people to the right way to implement volunteer projects outside BiH. The key factors were based on the quality registration, implementation and evaluation of a project. The number of participants in this project was twenty: ten from Brcko and ten from other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results of this project will be shown through future engagements of participants.
  • Svitac (Firefly Bosnia) as a member of the network ‘Promote Positively’ participated in a few meetings and a workshop. The meetings took place with the President of the Brcko District Assembly, the Brcko District Mayor and the representatives of the Brcko District police. They also participated in the removal of graffiti from public institutions. The next network’s activity will be a radio show to promote future activities. All meetings were useful for the visibility of the Svitac (Firefly Bosnia) in the local community and the possibility of support in future projects.
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