SCI Re-granting Scheme to EU members in 2023

Background and aims

The International Secretariat (IS) of Service Civil International (SCI) invited proposals from its member organisations based in European Union (EU) member states, for projects planned to take place in the 2023 year. This was possible in the scope of SCI’s Operating Grant under the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), Partnership on Peace 2023 (101104413). The aim of the Re-granting Scheme is to financially support network branches to carry out activities which promote the core values of SCI and the values of the European Union (EU).

Selected projects

We received 10 applications for the regranting scheme, and after following an agreed-upon process, 5 projects were selected:

Volunteering for peace

Organised by Stowarzyszenie Jeden Świat (SCI Poland) with an awarded grant of 19,212€.

SCI Poland, an NGO based in Poland, organised a 7-month project called Wolontariat dla Pokoju (Volunteering for Peace). The project worked on building knowledge and skills for peace-building among Polish elementary and high school students, as well as their teachers. 

They organised events and trainings, an information campaign and an awareness-raising activity, reaching a total of 924 participants.

SCI Poland organised two four-day training programs, “Educators for Peace. Peace in Practice.” Then participants who completed the training program conducted workshops in schools and other educational institutions, spreading peaceful values among young people. 

Events and trainings

  1. Training Program “Educators for Peace. Peace in Practice” for Polish-speaking Educators – September 16/17, 2023 and September 23/24, 2023.
  2. Training Program “Educators for Peace. Peace in Practice” for English-speaking Educators – November 6-9, 2023.
  3. Workshops in Schools Conducted by Educators – Graduates of the “Educators for Peace. Peace in Practice” Program – September 18, 2023 – December 21, 2023.

Dissemination and communication

  1. Information Campaign Based on the Three Pillars of Peace and Promoting the Resulting Educational Materials – November 7 – December 27, 2023.

Awareness-raising

  1. Volunteer Challenge for Schools “Don’t be an NPC. Choose Your Mission” – November 15 – December 15, 2023.

Key Results and Impacts

Twenty-one dedicated volunteers led a series of 44 workshops across 14 schools and institutions, impacting a total of 924 participants.

Their focus on the three pillars of peace resulted in the creation of educational materials, now accessible on their website and integrated into school workshops. Notably, female students assumed leadership roles, promoting gender equality through the incorporation of feminatives in these materials.

The Volunteer Challenge “Don’t be an NPC. Choose Your Mission.” expanded to 156 schools, catalyzing a range of peace initiatives involving students and educators alike.

This concerted effort had a broader societal impact, fostering awareness about peace, understanding, and cooperation among students, teachers, and the community, thereby contributing significantly to a more peaceful and inclusive society.

EU for all

Organised by Kinisi Ethelonton Service Civil International Ellas (SCI Hellas) with an awarded grant of 12,584€.

SCI Hellas, an NGO based in Greece, organised an 8-month project called EU for all. The project worked on participatory awareness-raising and empowerment activities, including non-formal education workshops and podcast production and promotion, with refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Athens. Focus was placed on EU rights and values, UDHR, SCI values, and gender equality. The project involved 102 children: 80 in the workshops and 22 in the podcasts.

The project had the goal of building knowledge with children on how human rights work, what EU rights and values are and how important their promotion and protection is.

After a survey concerning the European Union values and rights was sent out to understand what the existing knowledge of the participants was, tailored workshops were implemented. Children learnt about human rights and their history, with each workshop focussing on one particular right and using non-formal education methods.

Afterwards, supported by experts, the children created a series of podcasts sharing their experiences and knowledge. The children, after this experience, are able to explore their own series of podcasts, finding new topics with SCI Hellas’ support and even bring more people in and create their own activity for other children.

A final event brought everyone together to the podcasts and exchange views on the project.

Local Re-Activation: 75 years of SCI Italy activism

Organised by Servizio Civile Internazionale Onlus (SCI Italy) with an awarded grant of 16,722€.

SCI Italy, an NGO based in Italy, organised a 6-month project called Local Re-Activation. The project aimed to re-activate the grassroots movement of SCI Italy by strengthening the engagement and value of local and regional groups of activists, which were significantly impacted by the pandemic. It involved 105 activists, exceeding initial expectations.

The project focused on two main objectives:

1. Support the implementation local activities with geographical barriers.
2. Strengthen the cooperation among the Local Groups, and with the Board and the National Secretariat.

Several activities were organized by the local groups as part of this initiative:

  • North South training held in Catania in May 2023, the minicamp in Sordevolo, Piedmont in August 2023, and the workcamp at the Convent Santa Maria di Gesù in Palermo in October 2023 were all successful endeavors. These activities attracted new young volunteers, established new partnerships at the local level, and reignited the involvement of longstanding members of the organization, who hold immense value for the SCI movement.
  •  Local activists with other groups took place, providing opportunities for exchange and discussion on various topics of interest and personal growth. In addition, celebrating SCI Italy’s 75th Anniversary, raising awareness about the organization’s history, evolution, and the impact it has had over time, shaped by the people involved and the historical context. 

Key impact and results

The program boasted an impressive participation of 105 individuals, comprising project team members and supportive volunteers, surpassing the initial target range of 36-45 participants. Notably, many participants actively engaged in multiple activities, underscoring a profound impact and sustained involvement. The initiative significantly bolstered organizational capabilities within local groups through comprehensive training sessions such as North South training, Minicamp, and Workcamp. Moreover, it increased the visibility of the SCI movement among local partner organizations, fostering four new contacts and reactivating three partnerships. The post-program phase witnessed the continuation of Thematic Working Group meetings, welcoming both members and external enthusiasts keen on thematic discussions. Presently, ongoing thematic groups delve into pertinent topics like “Transfeminism and care” and Ecology, offering a platform for continued learning and collaboration.

Solidarity Project

Organised by Cooperation for Voluntary Service – Bulgaria (CVS Bulgaria) with an awarded grant of 25,982€.

CVS Bulgaria, an NGO based in Bulgaria, organised an 7-month project called Solidarity Project.

They organised volunteering activities in the field of forced migration in Bulgaria in cooperation with the State Agency for Refugees, reaching 580 participants. Activities included: recreational activities, volunteer camps, awareness-raising on EU values, training of volunteers.

Events and activities

  • Аctivities in the centers for refugees: 20 Long term volunteers June – December 2023, working with 100 beneficiaries(60 female and 40 male
  • Training for volunteers: 15 volunteers
  • “Solidarity Volunteering Academy” workcamp: 6 short term volunteers, 1 camp coordinator 
  • Recreational, sport and cultural outings for refugees; circus excursion, cinema outing, zoo outing, daily trip to Iskar Panega, and theatre. 283 people involved
  • Psychological support: 132 children under 18 and 67 adults
  • Awareness raising events: 89 people were involved.1. Hygiene event. Harmanli. 24.10.2023
    2. Solidarity month: Human Library “Migrants got talent” – 17.12.2023
    3. Solidarity month: DOBROquiz – 05.12.2023
    4. Solidarity month: Women circle for Bulgarian and Ukrainian women, Sofia -20.12.2023
    5. Solidarity month: Solidarity event , Dositeevo village, near Harmanli – 28.12.2023

Key Results and Impacts

CVS-Bulgaria and other different local partner organisations raised their capacity to work with the target groups – refugees and volunteers. Moreover the work on the website and digitalization of learning and volunteer management ..

The impact was envisaged on several levels. There was a direct impact for the refugees – the activities improved their skills and capacity to live a more independent life, integrated in the society, they raised their self-awareness in the new environment and helped them regain their dignity and reclaim their space in the new community. 

The volunteers benefitted from the project by raising their awareness on the topic of forced migration and improved their skills by planning, delivering and evaluating the activities.

Learning from history! Memorial camps in times of war

Organised by Service Civil International – Deutscher Zweig e.V. (SCI Germany) with an awarded grant of 25,500€.

SCI Germany, an NGO based in Germany, organised a 7-month project called “Learning from history! Memorial camps in times of war”.

The project consisted of seven study camps in collaboration with memorials and antifascist organizations. Each camp had a work component and a study component, focusing on the history of National Socialism, right-wing extremism, and antifascism today.

The workcamps organised were the following:

  • Hamburg-Neuengamme: the camp was organised with the concentration camp memorial, exploring how to preserve the memory of World War II. 
  • Buchholz: the project delved into the history of war and peace, visiting the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial and connecting with members of the Auschwitz Committee.
  • Buchenwald: volunteers worked on the former concentration camp grounds, cleaning and memorialising the victims. 
  • Zeithain: volunteers focused on the culture of remembrance for prisoners of war during the Nazi era.
  • Dachau: young people from around the world came together to learn about the past, present, and future, particularly the history of the Dachau concentration camp.
  • Hasbergen: volunteers commemorated the forced labourers and their stories in Osnabrück, preserving artefacts and contributing to the memorial’s exhibitions. 
  • Berlin-Schöneweide: volunteers researched and documented the history of forced labor camps in Berlin.

In addition, one dissemination seminar was organised.

Key impact and results

The seven study camps facilitated an increase in knowledge among the participants regarding the topics of remembrance and the nurturing of international dialogue among participants. In addition, the work projects played a pivotal role in preserving memorials, expanding their facilities and creating new material, advocating for tolerance, and actively combating right-wing extremism within their communities and beyond. Two short programmes were also made for television, and one photo exhibition organised.

The project reached a total of 124 participants, with 88 workcamp participants (of which 11 camp coordinators) and 36 participants in the dissemination seminar.

Direct beneficiaries

945

SCI POLAND

FEMALE31.53%
MALE18.18%
OTHER0%

125

SCI HELLAS

FEMALE14.4%
MALE85.6%
OTHER0%

105

SCI ITALY

FEMALE56%
MALE42.05%
OTHER1.5%

88

SCI GERMANY

FEMALE62.16%
MALE35.14%
OTHER1%

540

CVS BULGARIA

FEMALE45.11%
MALE39.85%
OTHER0%
1803

DIRECT BENEFICIARIES

8103

INDIRECT BENEFICIARIES

89

ACTIVITIES

AGE

CHILDREN27.69%
ADULTS72.31%
EVENTS & TRAININGS45%
AWARENESS-RAISING17.5%
DISSEMINATION & COMMUNICATION37.5%

Our donor

SCI’s Re-granting Scheme (FSTP) is funded by the European Union’s CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values) Programme. Grants are available for CSOs in EU countries.