Today, 23 March in Knjazevac, Serbia, starts the one-week training for youth workers on the topic of Volunteerism. This training is part of the annual activities of the Balkan regional platform for youth participation and dialogue. It gathers youth workers from the 5 Balkans countries: Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.

The goal of this training is to introduce the youth workers to the basics of voluntary work, the idea, the challenges and benefits for the community. This training helps the youngsters to analyze the needs of volunteerism in the communities as well as selection, management and motivation of volunteers. The program includes sharing information about legislative bases as well as practices for volunteerism in different Balkan countries among the youngsters.

Voluntary work is one of the most important topics when it comes to youth participation and dialogue, since it is the prior engagement of youth. Volunteerism, especially youth volunteerism is a very popular subject of today’s modern society especially in the Balkans. Not only the voluntary practice increases the chances for employability of youngsters because of its capacity building component but the volunteerism can also create positive long-term society changes and cooperation.