More information
Description
The aim of the project is to create and maintain an environment that involves and enables citizens to be more involved in volunteering.
In this situation when Latvia receives and provides assistance to refugees from Ukraine the Tabitas Sirds organization (hereafter -NGO) is also actively involved and is a main support partner to the city of Liepaja and the South Kurzeme region in the matters of Ukrainian refugees. We organize humanitarian aid and coordinate temporary accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.
Currently there is a demand to provide large-scale aid to a great number of people and NGO needs to involve more volunteers than before on daily basis.
During the project coordinators will train, manage, organize and lead volunteer work to prepare and provide humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people, both for those still in Ukraine and for those who have fled outside their country of residence incl. to Latvia. Assistance is also being provided to the people of Latvia. We plan to involve about 50 volunteers during the project period. We plan to involve about 7 volunteers a week of which about 3 will be new to the volunteer work at all.
The NGO will continue to communicate with more than 3000 followers through social networks, inviting volunteers to help. Twice a month we will post an invitation on the Facebook to volunteer to help and list of volunteers will be created to participate on call. A Whatsapp "SOS group" has been set up to provide information for urgent assistance. At the support points of the NGO we regularly invite the people of Ukraine who come for help to respond and get involved. We will also identify and invite local youth and student groups to get involved.
The project will provide an opportunity for the NGO to strengthen it''s internal capacity, gain new experience in volunteer work, and promote volunteer work. Provide encouragement and experience for volunteers.
Summary of project results
In this situation when Latvia receives and provides assistance to refugees from Ukraine the Tabitas Sirds organization (hereafter -NGO) is also actively involved and is a main support partner to Municipalities of Liepaja city and South Kurzeme region in the matters of Ukrainian refugees. NGO organizes humanitarian aid and coordinate temporary accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. Before this crisis situation and providing assistance to the people of Ukraine, Tabitha''s Heart Society had about 15 volunteers working about 60 hours per week and 1 volunteer work coordinator. Involvement of volunteers increased as more and more refugees from Ukraine entered and were accommodated in Liepāja and Kurzeme, therefore more volunteers and volunteer work coordinators were needed.
As part of the project, the volunteer work coordinators regularly communicated through social media, invited citizens to participate in volunteer work, identified the volunteers and drew up a schedule so that there were several volunteers during the warehouse work hours, also on weekends and longer evenings if necessary. Also coordinators communicated with leaders of local youth groups and youth organizations in order to promote volunteer work and attract young people to help work. As a result, 2 times during the project, young people were directly involved in relief work. Activities were carried out at events, such as Museum Night in Kuldīga, in order to popularize volunteer work. A Whatsapp "SOS group" was set up and maintained to provide information for urgent assistance.
During the project, it was possible to attract and train 122 volunteers, including 14 people who had never volunteered before. Refugees from Ukraine were also involved in relief work at the support sites.
As a result of the project, the number of citizens who engage in volunteer work has increased, as well as the amount of hours devoted to volunteer work.
During the implementation of the project, the organization Tabitas Sirds has gained experience and skills that will help attract new volunteers in the future.