RIVER SEE - Regional Integration through Volunteer Exchanges for Reconciliation of South Eastern Europe Programme

The UNV/UNDP RIVER SEE Programme seeks to develop regional confidence and facilitate valuable linkages between the populations and governments in the Balkan region. Its overall objective is to contribute to regional integration, social cohesion and poverty reduction in the Balkans by strengthening networks through East-to-East volunteer exchanges, promoting volunteerism and proactive citizenship, building the capacity of civil society to deal with local development and governance processes, and establishing regional cooperation between civil initiatives. Legislative frameworks on volunteerism in the region will be promoted in order to secure a supportive environment and thereby engage local, regional, and national governments/institutions towards a vibrant volunteer sector.

The Programme represents a unique UNV/UNDP regional collaboration that will be co-implemented with partners such as EU/EVS, VSO UK, SEEYN, OneWorld SEE ; who will provide leadership, technical and financial support, and 14 Implementing Partners Organizations (IPOs) from seven countries/areas in the Balkans who will be responsible for the implementation of voluntary management activities at the country/area level and for relations with volunteers and Civil Society and Volunteer Involving Organizations (CS/VIOs).

The UNV/UNDP RIVER SEE Programme aims at developing regional confidence and facilitating valuable linkages between the populations and governments in the Balkan region. Its overall objective is to contribute to regional integration, social cohesion and poverty reduction in the Balkans by: i) strengthening networks through East- to- East volunteer exchanges; ii) promoting volunteerism and proactive citizenship; iii) building the capacity of civil society to deal with local development and governance processes; and, iv) establishing region wide cooperation between civil initiatives.

The Programme represents a unique UNV/UNDP regional collaboration that will be co- implemented with partners such as EU/ EVS, VSO UK, SEEYN, OneWorld SEE and 14 Implementing Partners Organization(s)--Albanian Youth Council and Balkan Youth Link/Mjaft (ALBANIA); Youth Communication Centre and Youth Centre Livno (BiH); Volunteer' s Centre Zagreb and Centre for Peace Studies (CROATIA); Association for Democratic Initiatives Macedonia and Council for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (FYROM); Kosovo Youth network and Kosova Action for Civil Initiatives (KOSOVO); Timoc Club and European Movement in Serbia (SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO); Association for Democratic Prosperity-ZID and SOS Hotline for Woman and Children Victims of Violence (SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO)-from seven countries/areas in the Balkans with the eventual extension to Romania and Bulgaria , and is planned to continue over a period of 24 months.

IPOs will be responsible for relations with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Volunteer Involving Organizations (ViOs) and volunteers and for the implementation of voluntary management activities at the country/ area level and, through the RIVER SEE Regional Board, at the regional level. During Spring-Summer 2004 an in-depth field assessment was implemented in cooperation with member organizations of the OneWorld SEE (OWSEE) and South East Europe Youth Network (SEEYN).

For more information please visit our website at http://ww.riversee.org/